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For the sake of this article we will include both hornets and wasps. In Brevard County you will find five different species of wasp or hornet. The most well known of the group are probably the paper wasp and the yellow jacket. The paper wasp is the most widely seen of the group as they tend to build nests on structures where people live. Yellow jackets are probably the most easy to identify because of their yellow and black striped bodies and fierce reputation.
The paper wasp and the yellowjacket are both wasps. They are both fairly aggressive when you do anything to agitate them. The same cannot be said for our third hornet on this list, the mud dauber. Even though this thing is large and scary looking, it usually tries to avoid confrontation. You really have to make it feel threatened to provoke a response.
This next one up may surprise you. The Velvet Ant Wasp is thought to be an ant by many people because the female is wingless. The male, however, does have wings. These wasps do not build nests and are what you call a solitary wasp, meaning they don’t live in hives. They are also referred to as a “cow killer ant”. This wasp is fairly docile and doesn’t provoke easily but when it stings watch out! This is where it gets its nickname from because it is said that the sting is so powerful it can kill a cow (though not literally).
If you know what a cicada is then you know what this particular wasp likes to feed on. These are large wasps coming in at 1.5 inches long. They burrow in the ground and feast on the cicada. Their sting paralyzes the insect and renders it helpless.
The CKW is most active in June and July. Although they look menacing and have an equally scary name, they rarely sting humans. The are not aggressive to humans and other large animals but will sting when feel threatened. They can be a nuisance on a home or farm and professional pest control is an option.
The best way to spray a nest on your own is at night. The wasps are all home and not flying around. You should spray the nest with spray made especially for wasps and one that has a long stream. Do not hang around the area as they will instantly take flight.
If you are not comfortable handling your wasp problem then you should definitely call a pest control company in the Brevard County area to handle the problem for you.
