Paper Wasps May Appear Indoors This Winter

For many Oklahoma residents, the arrival of winter may bring the unexpected presence of erratic paper wasps inside of their homes. While many members of a colony will die off in early fall, reproductive females will begin looking for places to overwinter before hard frosts arrive and plan their future colony. Unfortunately, once this activity has started, it’s unlikely that there is much you can do aside from waiting it out.

In most cases, paper wasps will enter homes through roofline crevices or an exposed chimney in search of a warm place to build their nest. Often these nests will be constructed inside of wall voids or near potentially heated areas in the attic, like near a furnace. Once the weather reaches consistent freezing levels, the female paper wasp will enter a state of diapause, a form of hibernation, and wait out the cold temperatures.

Keeping paper wasps from entering your home is a year-round challenge. To do this, you have to find any potential cracks and crevices they, and other pests can utilize to find suitable nesting places in your home. It is possible, however, that these wasps have been in your home since the spring but are now moving indoors towards heat sources instead of outdoors towards the cold.

While seeing a paper wasp fly around your home aimlessly can be a terrifying experience, the good news is that they likely will be sluggish and easily removed. While paper wasps are capable of stinging humans and animals, they typically won’t unless they are threatened or disturbed. If you find a large nest of wasps inside your home or have a known allergy to wasp stings, removal is likely best left to a professional.

Why Emtec Pest Control for Rodent Control?

At Emtec Pest Control, we are committed to safe and responsible pest control. We understand that your family’s safety is your number one priority, so we make it our priority, too. If you have any other questions about any of these pests or pest control for your home or business, contact your Oklahoma pest control experts at Emtec Pest Control by calling us or by filling out our online contact form. You can also find us on Facebook!