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A Property Manager’s Guide to Dealing with Wasps

Dr. Phillips Wasp Nest on Home ExteriorMost people hate stinging insects. Specifically, wasps present a serious safety issue for Dr. Phillips rental property owners. Although wasps have a somewhat exaggerated reputation for aggressiveness, a single wasp sting can lead to hazards that range from allergic reactions to being attacked by an entire swarm. You could also be attacked if you accidentally or intentionally disturb a wasp nest. If there seems to be a potential wasp problem on your rental property, you should immediately deal with it. Here are some tips on dealing with wasps. Choose one that seems proportionate to how big your wasp problem is.

It is vital that you keep wasps as far away as possible from your rental property. Identify where wasps nests are likely to occur and do preventive steps. Wasps tend to make nests under the eaves, in a shed, or inside a wall of protected nooks and crannies around your rental property. Wasps could also live in trees or in the ground.

Wasp repellents are helpful at keeping wasps away from your property. These are usually applied to your property’s exterior surfaces. There are studies that show that essential oils may be effective at keeping wasps away. In particular, a mixture of clove, geranium, and lemongrass essential oils sprayed around eaves, ledges, and crevices can keep wasps away.

Wasps are attracted to trash bins and cracks around windows and doors. Sealing these off could help prevent wasps from swarming around your property. Wasps also like to live near abundant food sources. Exposed trash or compost mounds are especially attractive. When you encourage your tenants to keep their garbage bins closed and to avoid composting, you should notice a significant reduction in the number of wasps around your rental property. You can also keep wasps out of interior spaces by regularly checking for and sealing up cracks, holes, or other entry points in the exterior.

You should also check for wasps that may already be inside your rental home. This can be done as you are sealing up possible entry points. It helps to trace any buzzing wasps to the source. It would be useless to kill individual wasps if you don’t eliminate their nest. Should you find a small wasp nest, you must deal with it right away. As long as the nest is there, your wasp problem will only get bigger. One tried and tested method is to spray the nest and the wasps with dish soap and water. The soap makes it hard for the wasps to breathe, thus eliminating them from your property. You can also purchase sprays made to kill individual wasps or draw them a good distance away from the house with a baited trap.

These methods are generally effective for small numbers of wasps. Large nests, however, are another matter. Do not try to remove a large nest by yourself. Never hit or knock down a wasp nest. It doesn’t matter if you think there aren’t any wasps inside. Don’t think of burning it either, or spraying it with water. These are both bad ideas. Disturbing a wasp nest will result in an angry swarm of stinging insects that will attack you and anyone else nearby. A professional must deal with any large nests on your property. Advise your tenants to stay away from it at all times. Even if wasps are usually not aggressive if left alone, they can cause serious injury or even death when they are provoked. Call a professional to get rid of wasps the safe way, and protect yourself from these risks.

Have you found the perfect investment home but need the perfect property management company? Reach out to Real Property Management South Orlando. Contact us online or give us a call at 407-982-2000.

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