POLAND, OHIO — Wasps are undoubtedly one of nature?s most notorious creatures. With their fast and furious abilities these insects can sting unexpectedly, hence their “sore reputation.” These busy pests often come too close for comfort, as Poland-based Expert Service Exterminating Inc. knows all too well. President Albert Farrell heads Expert Service, a family-owned and -operated company founded in 1980. His two sons, Anthony and David, oversee the sales and service departments. The Farrell family recalls two back-to-back battles with wasps. The first took place on an elementary school playground and involved an extremely large infestation of bald-faced hornets. The bald-faced hornet is one of the most notable paper wasps. Black and ivory in color, these heavy-bodied insects reach more than 15 millimeters in length. Hornets usually build exposed, mottled, paper nests in trees or shrubs and this time was no exception. However in this instance, the hornet nest was in a tree that was adjacent to a playground. In addition, the nest measured over 30 inches in diameter. With the onset of summer, children began frequenting the playground and the hornets became increasingly aggressive. Hornets had attacked several of the children. David Farrell, service technician for Expert Service, was the first to arrive at the scene. His inspection revealed a multitude of nests in the vicinity. “It was a scary sight; foraging hornets and children at play – obliviously not a good combination. We needed to safely remove the nests and we needed to do it fast,” said Farrell. Expert Service treated the problem with Prescription Treatment brand P.I. Contact Insecticide from Whitmire Micro-Gen. P.I. kills a variety of insects including moths, flies, beetles, spiders, bees and wasps. P.I. is a 0.5% pyrethrin and 4% synergized formula that provides excellent knockdown, kill and flushing. It is the ideal product for heavy infestations where high insect populations are found and immediate results are needed. “The results were instantaneous. Just one application of P.I. and the hornets were destroyed,” remembers Farrell. “The kids cheered me like I was a hero.” Farrell was able to carefully preserve one of the larger nests for the company to use in its school education program. Later that summer, a second incident had brother Anthony Farrell buzzing. Farrell responded to a call from an elderly couple about a yellow jacket infestation in their kitchen. The homeowners reported to Farrell that, upon opening a cabinet beneath the sink, they were stung by a swarm of wasps. About 300 nesting yellow jackets had made themselves at home beneath a garbage disposal within the kitchen cabinet. Yellow jackets, very large housefly-sized wasps, are yellow and black and prefer to make their nests in underground cavities. The dark, damp cabinet provided an ideal void for the bees. An inspection of the house?s foundation revealed an opening that provided the insects with easy access to the home. The nest had been active for several months. “It was a difficult situation,” explained A. Farrell. “We needed something that was fast acting, but wouldn?t wreak havoc in our customers? kitchen”. Recalling his brother?s success, Anthony opted to use P.I. Contact Insecticide. Since this product is approved by the EPA for food handling usage, it was an ideal choice for this sensitive environment. Upon spraying P.I. directly into the nest, the yellow jackets were killed. The kitchen was safely restored and the Farrell brothers claimed yet another victory.
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