We have seen and heard many folks talking about yellow jackets and encountering them in their yards. So we thought we’d give you a bit of information about them.
Ground-nesting yellow jackets construct paper nests that may contain thousands of larvae and adult workers. These nests are typically underground in abandoned rodent burrows or enclosed spaces such as tree cavities, wall cavities, wood piles, and dense ivy.
A typical in-ground yellow jacket nest contains 500 to 15,000 cells and several thousand insects. Mild winters followed by early springs play a hand in the growth of certain colonies. These colonies do not die off in the winter as most do and can reach staggering sizes of 1 million cells with over 100,000 workers. Yellow jackets are social insects. That means they work together to build their nests and protect those nests.
If you encounter a yellow jacket nest, please contact McGee Pest Control immediately. Please don’t try to touch or exterminate such a nest alone.
✅ Yellow jackets are aggressive and will become agitated at the vibration of footsteps, lawnmowers, or your child’s battery-operated vehicles.
✅ Yellowjackets swarm. One of the ways social insects work together is by swarming.
✅ If they feel their nest is threatened, they will funnel out rapidly and attack.
✅ Yellowjackets will chase you. The instinct to protect the nests is vital for this insect.
✅ Yellowjackets sting multiple times. Unlike many bees, these wasps don’t have a barb on their stinger. That means that not only will they live long after they’ve stung you, but they can also sting you several times.
✅ Yellow jackets can be deadly. The sting from a yellow jacket can cause anaphylactic shock for some people: the more stings, the greater the risk.
Life is safer and more enjoyable without pests like the yellow jacket. Protect the ones you love and call McGee Pest Control if you encounter a yellow jacket nest.
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