Yellowjackets are about 0.5 inches long. But they can sure throw their weight around — as you know, if you've ever ducked them at a backyard barbecue, or shied away from them as they swarmed around a public trash can. Late summer and early fall is when they're most active.
Ultimately, all of the yellow jackets die at the end of fall except for a new queen, which remains underground during winter, to start a new colony in the spring.
It is even worse at the end of summer, when they have had all spring and summer to build their populations and grow their nests. This time of the year there are more yellow jackets, and more reason for them to want to protect their hard work. If you are seeing yellow jackets on your property, call a professional.
Yellow jackets are less active at night and most of them will be in their underground nest. Yellow jackets are less active when the ambient temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yellowjackets are at their pestiest in the late summer or early fall. There are no more developing larvae to feed so workers are foraging randomly for themselves.
Assess the situation: While seeing yellow jackets on your property can be scary, if the nest is in an area of the property that sees little to no human activity, it may not be necessary to remove it. Yellow jackets help to control the population of pest insects like mosquitoes and may actually be doing you a favor.
According to the Montgomery County Beekeepers Association, most yellow jacket colonies grow the largest during late summer and early fall, just when their food sources begin to diminish. Just like humans, when they are not eating and are hungry, they get frustrated and aggressive.
Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer kill yellow jackets on contact from up to 20 feet away. It knocks down yellowjackets so quickly that they do not have time to release their stinging pheromones, which in turn reduces the possibility of the applicator being stung.
To keep yellow jackets away in the first place, implement preventative measures around your property. Keep your outdoor trash area clean with no prevalent food residue. Ensure your landscaping is always kept. Spray a mixture of dish soap and water where yellow jackets tend to gather on your property.
The average person can definitely outrun a yellow jacket, but you may need to run a fair distance. Some yellow jackets have chased people up to a mile. Do not run inside your home or a business. The yellow jackets will most definitely follow you into buildings.
Yellowjackets are most active between 10 am and 4 pm, weather dependent.
If the victim is wearing thin clothing, the wasps can sting right through the clothing. The stinger of yellowjackets is not barbed like the stinger on bees. For that reason, one yellowjacket worker can repeatedly sting a victim.
The food in the nest also runs out in the fall. This then leaves a nest of possibly 5,000 starving worker wasps. At this time, yellow jackets become aggressive and switch into survival mode as they frantically hunt for food sources. Only now, they want sugar, not protein.
What Eats Yellowjackets? Most yellowjackets' predators are mammals that are much bigger than wasps, like skunks, black bears, and raccoons. In Georgia and Indiana, raccoons have been identified as the top yellowjackets predators.
Spectracide Pro Wasp and Hornet Killer
The Spectracide Pro line works for up to four weeks when sprayed at the nest. It is effective against wasps, mud daubers, hornets, and yellow jackets and kills any insects and the nest within seconds of contact. You'll need to coat the nest for the best results.
Peppermint oil: Yellow jackets are not fond of mint-based herbs like spearmint and peppermint. The great thing about peppermint oil is that it naturally repels all sorts of pests, including yellow jackets, wasps, flies and spiders.
wear light colored clothing since yellow jackets are attracted to brightly colored clothing and to dark clothing.
A simple way to keep yellowjackets (and other flying insects) away ftom a limited outdoor site is to use a powerful electric fan.
When you swat or kill a yellow jacket, the dead insect gives off a pheromone which attracts more yellow jackets from its colony. This is why the National Park Service recommends avoidance when it comes to yellow jackets and making sure your home is not a nesting location.
If you cannot find the source of your yellowjacket problem, set up a food bait trap. Yellowjackets will collect the food and allow you to carefully follow them back to their hive location. Be careful to not disturb the hive once you have found it, however, as a disturbed colony is likely to become defensive and attack.
Yellow jackets don't usually leave stingers in your skin. Because of this, they can sting you multiple times, unlike bees. Bees leave their stingers in your skin, so they can only sting you once.
Sometimes, they sting you for no reason. Even if you are minding your own business and nowhere near a nest, they will sting you if their nest is disturbed or they feel threatened. Yellow jackets can even bite before they sting — grabbing hold of the skin just to get a better grip with their stinger.
What to Expect: Severe pain or burning at the site lasts 1 to 2 hours. Normal swelling from venom can increase for 48 hours after the sting. The redness can last 3 days.