Category Archives: Stinging Insects

Animal Control, Disease Carrying Pests, Insect Control, Mice, News, Pest Animal Removal, Pest Control, Pest Management, Pest News, Rats, Residential Services, Roaches, Rodent Control, Squirrels, Stinging Insects, Yellow Jackets

October Pests for New Jersey – What to Know

October Pests for New Jersey - What to Know
October Pests for New Jersey – What to Know

Fall brings comfortable temperatures and beautiful colors to the northeast region. But NJ pest control experts know there’s a downside to this seasonal shift. With the cooler weather comes an increase in pest problems as the animal kingdom seeks the perfect residence to hole-up for the winter season. Which pests should you be on the lookout for this fall?

Scary Stingers

Bees, wasps and yellow jackets become more active in the winter as they seek out additional food stores and nesting places. Prevent injury with fast stinging insect removal from the pros at Stern.

Funky Flyers

Germ-carrying flies are out in force during the fall season, as are smelly stink bugs, which infiltrate every crack and crevice of your home and automobile.

Creepy Crawlers

As the coming winter chill presses forward, ants, cockroaches, box elders, ladybugs and more seek out the warmth of your home and easy access to food. These pests are notorious for infiltrating even the smallest entry points to your home.

Rascally Rodents

Rats, mice, and squirrels who are already an annoying presence will try your patience to the limit in the fall season, going out of their way to find a way inside your home to hibernate for the winter or nest with their babies.

Don’t feel like snuggling up with pests this fall and winter? Seal them out with the help of our NJ pest control team at Stern Environmental today. 

Insect Control, News, Stinging Insects

Why Do Yellow Jacket Stings Hurt So Much?

What to Know About Hornet Attacks
What to Know About Yellow Jackets

Most people have been stung by a wasp at some point in their lifetime.  Why does it hurt so bad? The NJ yellow jacket control professionals at Stern Environmental are here to explain a little behind the science of a wasp’s wrath.

Wasps Sting When Threatened

A single wasp, such as a yellow jacket, can and will sting repeatedly. A cousin to ants and bees, who also live in large colonies, a wasp sting releases a pheromone. This alerts nearby wasps to join in on the stinging/defense party, pursuing you over long distances.

Wasp Venom Stimulates Pain Receptors

Bee and wasp venoms contain an acid called melittin, which stimulates pain receptors. Wasp venom also contains acetylcholine, another pain receptor stimulant. Releasing histamine into your bloodstream as they sting, this combination of chemicals causes burning, itching, and misery.

Ways to Banish the Burn

Applying an ice pack to wasp stings can help reduce the pain and swelling of yellow jacket stings. A paste of water and baking soda can help neutralize the acidic toxins. Sprinkling meat tenderizer, which contains the enzyme papain, can also break down proteins in the venom. Taking an antihistamine immediately after the sting can also help reduce swelling and itching. Known allergy? Always carry an Epi-Pen, and understand its proper usage.

Put your wasp control concerns on ice. Contact the NJ yellow jacket control experts at Stern Environmental today.

Insect Control, News, Pest Control, Pest News, Stinging Insects, Wasps, Yellow Jackets

Hornet or Yellow Jacket – How to Tell the Difference

Hornet or Yellow Jacket - How to Tell the Difference
Hornet or Yellow Jacket – How to Tell the Difference

Stinging pests are a serious problem for a lot of New Jersey homeowners. But most of the time, they’re not really sure what type of pest they’re dealing with. Hornets and yellow jackets are two of the pests that get confused the most.

Before contacting NJ yellow jacket control or hornet control, here’s how you can identify which pest is in your yard.

The Similarities Between Yellow Jackets and Hornets

Both yellow jackets and hornets are types of wasps. But people often refer to them as bees, which is incorrect. The stings of both are quite painful, but that’s where their similarities end.

The Differences Between Hornets and Yellow Jackets

In most cases, you can tell the difference by just looking at them closely. Yellow jackets have distinct black and yellow markings, like their names suggest. Hornets also have yellow marks but with a reddish-brown color instead of black.

Both pests can sting repeatedly, but the yellow jacket’s stinger has barbs and sometimes gets lodged in its victim. Like a bee’s stinger, if it gets left behind then the insect dies. Hornets, however, don’t lose their stinger and their stings tend to be more painful.

Contact a NJ Yellow Jacket Control Specialist for Help

Whether you’re dealing with hornets or yellow jackets, both are a menace this time of year. Stern Environmental has the expertise to rid you of them. Contact us today to learn more.

News, Stinging Insects, Yellow Jackets

The Yellow Jacket – a Social and Predatory Wasp

What to Know About Hornet Attacks
What to Know About Yellow Jackets

Commonly confused for bees, hornets, and paper wasps, yellow jackets are easily distinguishable from other pests with careful observation. The NJ pest control experts at Stern want to help you identify these aggressive pests, which are capable of repeatedly stinging. 

Is it a Wasp or a Bee?

Most yellow jackets are ½-inch long, though queens can be larger. Some species are black and yellow, some yellow and blackish-red, and a few black and white. Unlike bees, they do NOT have fuzzy bodies or hairy hind legs and do NOT carry pollen, however they’re important predators of other pest insects. They live in colonies and can be best identified by fast, side-to-side movement prior to landing. Female wasps can sting repeatedly with barbed, lance-like stingers, injecting venom that can cause an allergic reaction to susceptible individuals and those repeatedly stung. 

Where are They Hiding?

Yellow jackets can build nests nearly anywhere: The ground, inside trees and bushes, stumps, and manmade structures (homes, cars). Nests are constructed from wood fibers chewed to a pulp. Colonies die annually, except overwintering queens bearing young, which hideout under leaves and bark, in stumps, and the ground. Each queen can expand a colony to 4,000-5,000 female workers and a nest of 10,000-15,000 cells of new males and queens. 

Don’t let history repeat itself. Rid your yard of wasps with the help of the NJ pest control pros at Stern Environmental today.

Insect Control, News, Stinging Insects, Wasps

The Do’s and Don’ts of What to Do When In Vicinity of a Wasp

How to Deal With Living With Wasps as Neighbors
How to Deal With Living With Wasps as Neighbors

Surrounded by wasps in your yard? Don’t panic. There are ways to safeguard yourself and reduce the severity of a wasp attack. Learn the do’s and don’ts of dealing with wasps from the NJ pest control experts at Stern Environmental. 

What to Do If You’re Approached/Attacked by Wasps

– When approached by a wasp, keep calm and move slowly away.

– If you have to escape, leave in a straight line, be as quiet as possible, and try not to wave your arms.

– Do the best you can to protect your head and face. These areas are a frequent target of wasps.

What NOT to Do

When attacked by wasps, NEVER:

– Swat wasps or swing your arms, which makes wasps more aggressive.

– “Play dead” (wasps will just keep stinging).

– Use water for shelter (wasps will simply attack when you reemerge).

Ways to Reduce the Likelihood of Wasp Attack

– Keep your yard neat and clean.

– Keep food and drinks carefully contained/covered, especially sugary drinks.

– Wash your hands (and your kids’) free of sugars before going outside.

– Check for wasp activity before gardening, especially around fruit and sweet-smelling flowers, where wasps frequent. 

– Wear closed-toed shoes.

– Avoid wearing bright clothes and strong scents.

– Never approach or attempt to remove a wasp nest yourself.

Don’t get carried away. Deal with wasps quickly, avoiding large infestations and dangerous situations. Contact the NJ pest control pros at Stern Environmental today.