When Are Wasps & Hornets Most Active In Maine

August 10, 2021

Summer is in full swing here in Maine and if you’re like many homeowners in our state, you may be thinking that there are more hornets and wasps active on your property than there were just a few short weeks ago and you’re not wrong. Late July and August are the most common months when customers call our office regarding these stinging pests. Below are a few things to understand about wasps and hornet activity in Maine.

yellow jacket on its nest outside a maine home

 

Summertime Is Peak Hornet & Wasp Season In Maine

Summer is in full swing here in Maine and if you’re like many homeowners in our state, you may be thinking that there are more hornets and wasps active on your property than there were just a few short weeks ago and you’re not wrong. Late July and August are the most common months when customers call our office regarding these stinging pests. Below are a few things to understand about wasps and hornet activity in Maine.

Why hornets and wasps are more active in summer 

In order to explain why these stinging insects are more active now, let’s rewind to spring -the season when flowers bloom, grass grows, and queen wasps and hornets start construction on their new nests. Once nests are established, they will then turn their focus and energy on their reproduction efforts. Once workers have developed, they will head out in search of nectar, honeydew from aphids, dead and living insects, and other food sources to keep the nest humming. 

Summer is a continuation of spring except those nests are larger and there are more workers out and about foraging for food because there are more mouths to feed, if you will.  The likelihood of seeing or coming into contact with wasps and hornets goes up exponentially as does the risk of being stung by one (or several). 

What we can expect from wasps and hornets as we head into fall

During the fall and even as early as late summer, stinging insects become more aggressive because their nests are at capacity and their natural food supplies are diminishing. This will cause them to seek out alternative food sources, such as sodas, fruit juices, and adult beverages as well as other food commonly found at backyard gatherings, picnics, tailgates, and BBQs. Of course, that is likely to increase the chances of someone in your family being stung by a wasp or hornet. 

What to do if you have a stinging insect nest on your home

If you’ve noticed a stinging insect nest on your property but it’s not close enough to be a problem and no one in your family is allergic, you can leave it alone. If, on the other hand, you have a wasp or hornet’s nest attached to your house, in your house, or in a location that is too close, do not attempt to take care of it on your own. Contact a pest control company that specializes in wasps and hornet treatment and control. 

Professional stinging insect control from Pine State Pest Solutions

At Pine State Pest Solutions, we are a locally owned and family-operated company that offers effective pest control services in Auburn, Portland, and Augusta as well as throughout Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford, Sagadahoc, and York counties that target yellow jackets, paper wasps, baldfaced hornets, and other stinging insects common to our region. When you contact our team for help, we’ll work diligently to remove the threat stinging insects cause. What’s more, we offer year-round home pest control plans that target stinging insects when they are active PLUS other common house-infesting insects and rodents. 

*initial start-up fees may apply.

 

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