Stinging Insect Control in Knoxville, TN

Around Knoxville, a cabin deck with a view of the foothills is hard to beat. The woods that make it so pretty are also full of hornets and yellowjackets. Nests turn up in trees, under decks, and in the ground along the path to the door. Teddy’s Pest Solutions offers eco-friendly stinging insect pest control throughout Knoxville, and same-day service is available when you need help fast.

We serve Knoxville, TN and the surrounding Smoky Mountain foothills with stinging insect treatment plans built around your home or cabin’s deck, eaves, trees, and yard.

Which Stinging Insects We Treat in Knoxville

These are the wasps and hornets we treat here. Click a name to see what it looks like.

• Paper wasps. Thin body, long legs that hang down when they fly. They build open, umbrella-shaped paper nests under eaves and porch roofs.
• Yellowjackets. Black and yellow, smaller and thicker than a paper wasp. They nest in the ground or in hollow spaces and guard the nest hard.
• Bald-faced hornets. Black and white. They build large, gray, football-shaped paper nests high in trees and on buildings.
• European hornets. The biggest hornet in the area, brown and yellow. They fly at night and come to porch lights. They nest in hollow trees and wall spaces.
• Mud daubers. Long and thin with a very narrow waist. They build mud tubes on walls and in garages. They rarely sting.

*Our stinging insect service is for wasps and hornets only. We do not treat bees of any kind.

Why Stinging Insects Are a Problem in Knoxville

East Tennessee’s forests are prime ground for hornets. Bald-faced hornets build big gray nests in trees, and European hornets nest in hollow trees and sometimes in wall spaces of cabins and sheds.

Yellowjackets nest in the ground, in old stumps, and under decks. On sloped, wooded lots these nests are easy to miss, and cabins that sit empty between guests give wasps time to build with no one around.

Stinging Insect Facts Every Knoxville Homeowner Should Know

• Wooded lots hold more hornets. Trees and hollow trunks give them places to nest.
• Empty cabins give wasps time to build. A nest can grow a lot between guest stays.
• Wasps can sting more than once. A honey bee stings one time. A wasp or hornet can sting again and again.
• Nests grow all summer. A nest that starts with one queen in spring can hold hundreds of wasps by late summer.
• Yellowjackets love sweet food and drinks. Soda cans, fruit, and trash cans pull them in at cookouts.
• Not every wasp is quick to sting. Mud daubers rarely sting. Yellowjackets and hornets guard their nests hard.

Why Getting Rid of Stinging Insects Matters

Rental guests should not find the nest first. A sting on vacation is a bad review waiting to happen.

Stings can be serious. Wasp stings hurt, and for some people they can cause an allergic reaction that needs a doctor right away.

Nests near doors and play areas put people at risk. The closer the nest is to where people walk, the more likely someone gets stung.

Knocking down a nest yourself is risky. Wasps come out fast when a nest is hit, and many stings happen this way.

Other pests sting too. Fire ants and scorpions are also common in many of our areas. See our scorpion control and residential pest control pages.

Signs You Have a Stinging Insect Problem

• Several wasps flying near windows, doors, or the patio
• Paper-like nests under roof eaves, in trees, or in the garage
• Buzzing sounds coming from inside a wall
• A large gray paper nest in a tree near the house or cabin
• Wasps flying in and out from under the deck or a hole in the ground

If you notice any of these signs around your Knoxville home, stay back from the nest and let our team take a look during a stinging insect inspection and treatment visit.

Our Eco-Friendly Stinging Insect Control Process

Step 1: Full Inspection. We check your Knoxville property for nests and wasp activity, including decks, roof eaves, trees, sheds, woodpiles, and the ground around the home.

Step 2: Eco-Friendly Treatment and Nest Removal. We use special tools and products to treat the insects and remove the nests we can reach. We ask that everyone, pets included, stay clear of the area for about an hour after we treat, or until the product is dry.

Step 3: Simple Tips for Your Home. We point out the things that draw wasps in, like open trash, sweet drinks left out, and standing water, and give you easy tips to cut down on them.

Step 4: Ongoing Monthly or Bi-Monthly Service. Because Knoxville’s wooded lots give wasps and hornets nest spots from spring through fall, most clients stay on a monthly or bi-monthly plan. This lets our team come back often and catch new nests while they are small.

To learn more, visit our wasp and stinging insect control page.

Why Knoxville Homeowners Choose Teddy’s Pest Solutions

We Work With Cabins and Rentals. We help keep decks and yards ready for guests.

Same-Day Service Is Available. A nest by the door should not have to wait.

Eco-Friendly and Pet-Friendly. Our treatments are chosen with your family and pets in mind.

We Tell You What You Have. We help you know which stinging insect is on your property and how much of a risk it is.

Clear Notes After Every Visit. You will know what we found, what we treated, and what to expect next.

Proudly Serving Knoxville, TN

Teddy’s Pest Solutions provides stinging insect control and other pest services throughout Knoxville. Our local team works out of our Knoxville office on Perimeter Park Road and helps homes and cabins across East Tennessee, including nearby areas like Maryville, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, and Farragut. We know where hornets and yellowjackets build on wooded lots and under decks here, and we treat with that in mind. See our Knoxville pest control page for more on our local service. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is your stinging insect treatment okay for kids and pets? Yes. Our treatment is eco-friendly and pet-friendly. We ask everyone to stay clear of the treated area for about an hour after we treat, or until the product is dry.

What stinging insects do you treat? We treat wasps and other stinging insects, including hornets. That covers paper wasps, yellowjackets, and mud daubers, the ones most often found around homes.

Why are there so many hornets around my cabin? Wooded lots have the trees and hollow trunks hornets like. Cabins in the woods are right in their home range.

Can wasps nest under a deck? Yes. The space under a deck is dry and quiet, and yellowjackets often nest there or in the ground nearby.

Are wasp stings dangerous? They can be. Stings are painful, and in some people they cause an allergic reaction that needs medical care right away.

Do you treat bees? No. We do not treat bees. Our service is for wasps and hornets, including paper wasps, yellowjackets, and mud daubers.

Should I knock the nest down myself? We do not recommend it. Wasps rush out when a nest is hit, and that is how many people get stung.

Why monthly or bi-monthly service? Because Knoxville’s wooded lots give wasps and hornets nest spots from spring through fall. Coming back every month or two lets us catch new nests before they get big.

Keep the View and Lose the Hornets in Knoxville

The deck is the best seat in the house. It should not belong to the wasps. Teddy’s Pest Solutions offers eco-friendly stinging insect control in Knoxville with monthly or bi-monthly service.

Call Teddy’s Pest Solutions today for stinging insect control at your Knoxville home. You can also request a stinging insect inspection here.