Stinging Insect Control in Oregon and Washington
Don't Let Wasps Take Over Your Patio or Your Porch
Stinging insect control starts with finding the nest. An A&A technician inspects the property, works out which wasp, hornet or yellowjacket is behind the activity, and treats the nest. Whenever possible the nest is removed on the spot, and where the location makes that impractical, the colony is neutralized in place. This service does not target honey bees or bumble bees.
Contact our amazing team today and reclaim your outdoor space.
How do I get rid of wasps and hornets?
Wasps, hornets and yellowjackets live in colonies, and the colony lives in the nest, so swatting the ones in the air does not solve it. The nest can hang under an eave, sit in a shrub, run underground or hide in a wall void, and the location decides the method. The steps below are how an A&A technician works through it:
Step 1 of 5 shown
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Comprehensive inspection
A licensed technician walks the property to find the nests and assess the situation, then identifies what is nesting where. This is the step that makes the rest of the visit targeted.
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Tell us where you see activity
You have seen the traffic and we have not, so share where and when you notice wasps. Your observations help the technician pinpoint nests faster and focus on the problem areas.
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Treatment and nest removal
The nest's location determines the best treatment and whether removal is possible. Where the nest is reachable, we remove it. Where access makes physical removal impractical, the colony is neutralized instead to stop further activity.
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Expect some flying activity afterward
Treatment deals with active nests and deters new ones, but it does not end natural foraging. Wasps can travel from colonies off your property, so a few flying insects after service do not mean the work failed.
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Ongoing prevention
For properties with frequent stinging insect activity, we recommend a recurring preventative service, especially during peak seasons. A&A's Bug Bundle and Bug & Rodent Bundle include removal of accessible wasp nests on the structure of your home.
Are wasps and hornets dangerous?
Wasps, hornets and yellowjackets are predators of other insects, and a nest in a tree far from where anyone walks is often a small concern. The risk comes from nests near doors, patios and play areas, where people end up in the colony's path. Yellowjackets in particular can be sharp-tempered in late summer and fall, and a few stings are enough to ruin an afternoon outside.
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Wasps and yellowjackets can sting more than once, unlike honey bees.
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Yellowjackets are most aggressive in late summer and fall and sometimes sting without being provoked.
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Yellowjackets nesting in wall voids or attics can chew their way into rooms.
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A sting can cause a serious allergic reaction in some people, and stings to the neck or mouth need medical care right away.
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Aerial nests sometimes end up over doorways and in well-trafficked areas.
Protection plans that cover stinging insects
Two of A&A's recurring bundles list stinging insects among their target pests, on quarterly or bi-monthly schedules:
Prefer to talk it through?
Call Oregon (503) 567-1188
or
Washington (360) 209-1793.
- Get a Free Estimate for the Bug Bundle
Bug Bundle
Monthly subscription prices starting at
$35 / month
- Target pests: ants, spiders, and other crawling insects
- Exterior perimeter inspection and application for crawling insect control
- Removal of accessible wasp nests on the structure of your home
- Sweeping of spider webs, followed by an overhead application for spider control
- Interior services as needed
- Get a Free Estimate for the Bug & Rodent Bundle
Bug & Rodent Bundle
Monthly subscription prices starting at
$45 / month
- Target pests: rats, mice, ants, spiders, and other crawling insects
- Exterior perimeter inspection and application for crawling insect control
- Removal of accessible wasp nests
- Sweeping of spider webs, followed by an overhead application for spider control
- Service of tamper-resistant exterior bait stations and inspection for potential entry points
- Interior services as needed
Best Value
Get Rid Of Those Pesky Pests
Want to know what A&A Pest Control can do for your home or business? Fill out the contact form and our office team follows up with pricing, service timelines, and scheduling. Contact us by noon and we will have a technician onsite the next business day. Prefer to talk it through? Give us a call.
Thank You For Being Awesome
Your request is in, and it's with our office team. We'll follow up by phone, text, or email during business hours to confirm the details and get you scheduled. In a hurry? Call (503) 567-1188 in Oregon or (360) 209-1793 in Washington before noon, and we'll have a technician onsite the next business day.
Which stinging insects are common in Oregon and Washington?
Most nest calls come down to yellowjackets, bald-faced hornets or paper wasps. They nest in different places, and the place usually tells your technician what they are dealing with. Despite the name, the bald-faced hornet is a type of yellowjacket, not a true hornet.
Honey bees and bumble bees are pollinators and are not part of this service.
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Yellowjackets
About half an inch long, with sharply defined yellow-and-black markings, a narrow body and a pinched waist. The ground-nesting kinds often use old rodent burrows, and wall voids and attics are other common sites. A colony can reach thousands of workers by late summer, which is when yellowjackets turn up at picnics and trash cans.
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Bald-faced hornets
Black with ivory-white markings on the face, and technically aerial yellowjackets. They build a large, enclosed gray paper nest in trees and shrubs, sometimes under the eaves of a building. A colony grows through summer into the hundreds of workers, and the nest is abandoned at season's end.
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European paper wasps
The paper wasp most often found on buildings in Oregon. Long legs, a slender waist and bright orange antennae set it apart. Its open, umbrella-shaped comb of cells hangs under eaves, decks and handrails with no outer shell, and a colony rarely holds more than about 50 workers.
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Native paper wasps
Native Polistes, such as the golden paper wasp, live in small groups of roughly six to twenty in papery nests that hang from a stalk under eaves or from branches. They are predators of caterpillars and other insects and rarely sting unless a nest sits in a high-traffic spot.
Stinging insect prevention tips
Habits can cut down the activity around a property, but dealing with the nest is what resolves it. These five steps help in the meantime:
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Cover food, drinks and garbage
Wasps and yellowjackets scavenge for protein and sweets, so keep pet food and drinks covered or indoors and garbage in tightly sealed cans.
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Keep screens tight
Well-fitting window and door screens keep foragers out of the house.
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Cut back dense shrubs and rotting wood
Overgrown plants and decaying wood near the building give nests a place to start, and clear landscaping makes a nest easier to spot.
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Do not swat
Wide swings and sudden movements can provoke wasps, so stay calm and move away slowly.
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Call early and leave nests to a professional
Contact us as soon as you notice yellowjacket or bald-faced hornet activity. Extension specialists recommend a professional for active or hidden nests.
FAQs
Do you remove bees?
No. This service does not target honey bees or bumble bees, which are pollinators. A&A's work here is aimed at wasp, hornet and yellowjacket nests. A honey bee swarm is a job for a beekeeper: in Oregon, the Oregon State Beekeepers Association keeps a swarm removal list through OSU Extension, and WSU Extension lists beekeepers who help in several Washington counties.
How can I tell a yellowjacket from a honey bee?
Look at the body. Yellowjackets are about half an inch long, angular, with a narrow pinched waist, sharply defined yellow and black markings and few body hairs. Honey bees look furrier and less angular. Oregon State University Extension also notes that yellowjackets hunt insects and scavenge for protein, while honey bees get protein from pollen.
Why are wasps worse in late summer and fall?
Colonies start small in spring and keep growing through summer, and a yellowjacket colony can reach up to 5,000 workers at its peak, according to Oregon State University Extension. In late summer, insect prey and nectar thin out, so yellowjackets turn to picnics, garbage and sweet drinks. WSU Extension adds that they are most aggressive then. The colony dies back as new queens go off to overwinter.
How much does stinging insect control cost?
It depends on the size of the property and the extent of the problem, and pricing stays transparent with no hidden fees. For homes, our office team provides free estimates over the phone. We provide a complimentary site inspection for any multi-family or commercial property seeking a bid on recurring services.
How fast can a technician get here?
Next business day: contact us by noon, and we will schedule a technician to be onsite the next business day. Early treatment keeps the job smaller, so call as soon as you notice a problem.
Does A&A offer recurring pest control plans?
Yes, we offer recurring pest control programs designed to provide year-round protection against common Northwest pests. Service frequency is customized based on your property, pest pressures, and individual needs, with options ranging from monthly to quarterly visits. Recurring service helps prevent problems before they become infestations while providing ongoing peace of mind.
Prefer to talk it through?
Call Oregon (503) 567-1188 or Washington (360) 209-1793, or contact our amazing team today. Contact us by noon and we will have a technician onsite the next business day.
