It is a Saturday afternoon, the way they are meant to be. The grill is going, the soda is chilled, and the burgers are here. All at once a black and yellow missile zips past your ear. Then another. In minutes, your laid-back entertainment in the backyard turns into the war zone.
You likely have yellow jackets on your hands. These social wasps are not just a spine-chilling nuisance, its aggressive and territorial, and when it stings hurts. The first step in successful yellow jacket removal is understanding how they operate.
Why are They So Angry?
In contrast to bees, yellow jackets do not leave their stingers behind after one sting. They can follow you and sting you again and again. They are also fierce defenders. They will swarm if you get too close to their nest.
During late summer and early fall they are at their most aggressive. The natural sustenance begins vanishing for them. They start hunting down meat and sugar. This explains why they are crazy about your soda cans and your open trash bins.
Finding the Hidden Nest
To solve the problem, you have to identify the problem. This is the tricky part. The yellow jackets are an expert at hiding.
- On the Ground: Probable small holes in your lawn or garden. You could notice wasps going in and out of the ground.
- Structural Nests: Examine eaves, attics, and wall voids They frequently will find a split in the siding and burrow between your walls.
- Nests in the Air: They sometimes construct nests that consist of paper like material that is gray in color, and are suspended from tree branches or porch roofs.
Never stick a stick into a hole to check for wasps, your character will instantly attack upon being vibrated.
The Dangers of DIY
So, at this point, a lot of homeowners are sprinting to the store for some spray paint. This can be a mistake. When the nest is located inside a wall, spraying the entrance frequently holds the wasps inside. They will not die quietly. Rather, they might gnaw through to the wall and into your lounge room.
Ground nests − just as dangerous to manage solo. We far less frequently fill the hole with gas (or water) − a method that is nearly universally ineffective and damaging to the soil. All it usually does is piss off the colony.
When to Call a Pro
Safety should always come first. Get away from the nest if you are allergic to bee stings. Anaphylactic shock is simply too dangerous.
Typically, leaving the task to the experts is the best option for getting rid of yellow jackets. They have the proper protective equipment. They are enshrouded in thick suits to which stingers cannot penetrate. Plus, they offer specific dusts and vacuums to destroy the whole colony and the queen too!
A professional can access the nest without causing damage to your home if it is high up on a second story or inside of a wall.
Prevention is Key
After all the wasps have left, you need to keep it from coming back. Make sure your trash cans are sealed up tight. One should rinse out soda cans before recycling. If you have fruit trees, clear up dropped fruit without delay. Let me tell you these pests love rotting fruits.
