Childhood is a carefree time when kids are encouraged to play and have fun. Unfortunately, a bee or wasp can bring the fun to an end. In the United States, roughly 3% of children are allergic to insect bites or stings. While many reactions cause mild swelling and discomfort, a bee sting can also cause a life-threatening reaction that requires epinephrine. That’s why it’s essential to teach allergic kids to identify signs of wasps and bees and to act accordingly.
In College Station and many parts of Texas, stinging insects are active all year. As pest control experts, ABC highly recommends treating your outdoor areas during fall and winter through a collective approach that includes landscaping, pest control and lawn care in College Station.
Photos, field guides and online videos are all excellent resources for teaching children how to identify and avoid stinging insects. Children should be aware that wasps don’t only build nests in trees, sheds, outbuildings and open areas. Bees and ground-dwelling wasps build nests underground and can defensively emerge from holes if they are threatened. Children should also understand that they need to be especially cautious in outdoor areas where food is present.
If a wasp or bee is detected, your kids must have a plan of action. Kids should be prepared to stay calm, slowly move away from the area and seek protection indoors. If a child experiences a life-threatening insect sting, he or she should be ready to administer epinephrine using an injector pen. Insect stings can be a worrisome experience for anyone with allergies—that’s why it’s important to detect and remove insect colonies that are capable of causing unsafe reactions. If children do see signs of wasps or bees, they should alert an adult immediately. Once colonies are established, queens can over-winter and start new nests in the spring. For that reason, all nests in the ground or in buildings and landscape features should be treated by those who specialize in pest control for Bryan-College Station. You can trust in ABC Home & Commercial Services to safeguard your outdoor areas and help protect your family.