Pest-control services buzzing with wasp calls

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/08/2021 (1517 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Add wasps to this year’s list of insect irritations, after dangling worms, excreting aphids and West Nile-carrying mosquitos.

Taz Stuart of Poulin’s Pest Control said calls to deal with aggressive wasps appear to be up this year, with approximately 250 wasp-related calls on pace to beat last year’s total of 288.

“Every day we’re getting calls for service,” Stuart said.

Stuart, an entomologist, said the uptick doesn’t necessarily mean more wasps.

“It being so hot and dry, their natural food sources are not as plentiful, so they’re being a little more aggressive,” he said.

Belligerent wasps are not a novelty of 2021, of course, but their food supply — larvae, insects, flower nectars and other sugars — has diminished earlier than usual, said Stuart. Typically that comes later in fall, when the black-and-yellow stingers seem to buzz everywhere.

“The natural progression is in September or October, they see there’s no insects to feed on, or there’s very few flowers,” Stuart said. But Manitoba’s drought has fast-tracked the wasp itinerary.

The result: more wasps risking a swat from human hands as they target open sodas, barbecued hamburgers and other food sources.

Gilles Lambert, however, owner of Gilles Lambert Pest Control, believes there really are more wasps this year. According to Lambert, the conditions in spring allowed the insects to flourish, leading to a spike in numbers.

Whatever the case, Lambert said “it’s the best year in 15 years” for the wasp-control business.

“It’s three or four times more than last year at this time of year,” said Lambert.

Cordero Pest Control owner Orlando F. Castro estimated about double the calls this year compared with last year, and Quality Pest Control has recorded a voicemail message to say it can only respond to wasp-related calls from regular customers.

“It’s phenomenal. I’m getting up to 50 calls a day in regards to individuals with wasps,” said Jack Booth, the 72-year-old former owner of Quality Pest Control. Booth is taking a break from retirement to help his son keep up with calls coming in at about four times the usual rate.

Abell Pest Control was more on page with Poulin’s, citing only a slight increase.

Some homeowners seem to have taken things into their own hands.

All over the city, stores are reporting a shortage of wasp spray. Online stores for Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Walmart show they are nearly completely out of stock at all Winnipeg locations.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca