Controlling Short Tempered Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets and honeybees are often mistaken for each other.  The former are smaller than the latter and have yellow and black stripes as opposed to brown and black stripes.  Much more importantly, yellowjackets have a really bad temper, especially if you disturb them.

To make matter worse, they have a smooth stinger.  This means it will not get detached whenever they sting you, so they can keep doing so.  The stinger on honeybees is barbed so they are only allowed to sting you once.

Although yellowjackets do benefit their surrounding environment in various ways, you will likely want to get rid of them.  The main thing you will need to do is take out their nest.  It will usually be located in an abandoned hole in the ground or in a hollowed out tree.  The insects commonly make their nests in hidden eaves too.

You certainly should not approach the nest in the daytime, since they will be out in force and will attack you upon approach.  Therefore, you should wait to destroy the nest at night using an insecticide dust.  Spraying the nest at night will ensure all of the insects are home at the time.

Since you will be on your mission at nighttime, you may be tempted to bring a flashlight along with you.  This is a huge mistake since the insects will be attracted to the light source.  Although they do not prefer to fly at night because they do not have a light source, they will do so to defend their home especially if you are shining a light at them.  If you do want to use light put a red cloth over it since the color is not visible to them.

You may have trouble finding the nest.  If that is the case, then you can place bait in the area to draw them out, then watch them go back home.  The best bait to use is a piece of raw meat or fish.

One of the simplest ways to control short-tempered yellowjackets is to put a bucket full of sugar water in your yard since they will be attracted to the sugar.  Unfortunately for them, it will lead to their demise since most of them will drown in the water.

No one wants to have yellowjackets around if they can help it.  Therefore, you should go on a night mission to destroy the nest with insecticide dust.  Just make sure you are careful since they have the ability to sting repeatedly.