I found 5 nests in less than an hour. Cannot believe how many there are. They run the humming birds away from flowers and feeders. Hate them!!

With Yellow Jackets only the queen lives over from year to year, starting a new colony every spring. Thats why they are scarce in the spring and more numerous as the year progresses. Unlike honey bees they can sting you more than once. When my boys were in the scouts, I attended a parents day at camp, and ate outside with the boys the table swarming with yellow jackets. As I was bringing a spoonful of peas to my mouth a yellow jacket landed on it. Too late I bit down on it chewed it up with the peas. Of course the yellow jacket stung my tongue. Not to cause my son embarrassment the only outward sign was my eyes watering. Al

So far, it's not been the year of yellow jackets for us...and I certainly hope it continues that way. I feel for those who are plagued with them this year.

Wow, Al, you're tough! Not only would I have made some kind of noise to acknowledge my pain, I probably would have jumped up from the table and spit out everything in my mouth (repeatedly) in disgust!

Dee

I've known people who were drinking soda outside and had the varmints crawl into the can and then get washed into their mouths when they took a swig. No picnics or whatever for me this time of year.

The worst one for me was one that crawled under my glasses and then freaked out and of course stung me in the eye. Sorry, but I simply have no time for these guys. I know, I know, every creature serves a purpose. These along with squirrels serve none in my book.

We'll I sprayed last night around 9 pm and the situation was much better today.

Kevin

These stories are making me squirm in my seat. There's only one other really sensitive area that hasn't been mentioned and I'm hoping no one has a story for that.

They're supposed to be beneficial insects for all the bugs they kill, but I could also do without.

Not for any of the areas mentioned here, but The Peoples' Pharmacy show yesterday was on home remedies for summer problems, and I think more than one person stated that urine took away the pain instantly. Someone else confirmed that it is THE remedy for jelly fish stings also. If that seems too gross for you (not for me considering how much yellow jacket stings hurt and for how long), someone else said a raw onion against the sting helps.

So far I haven't noticed much activity in the yard, but last year there were no fewer than 5 nests fairly close around the house. Last year I was stung 3 separate times, from the same nest, and always on the legs! I was mowing the lawn and pruning the front garden, and kept forgetting about this dumb nest right in middle of the front lawn (in a chipmunk hole).

I've tried the onion, which didn't do much, but will have to try some urine next time. A spoonful of Benadryl taken right away is helpful.

Yellow jackets are an aggressive wasp species, but I leave their nests alone if they are not in an obtrusive location. As long as you are calm, they don't bother you even if you are close to the nest.

But they don't like vibration and a lawn mower is likely to get them very angry. Also, they get much more agressive as the fall comes on.

Meat tenderizer has an enzyme from papaya in it that helps break down the protein that causes the pain in stings. A paste made meat tenderized with a few drops of water applied right away will help reduce the severity of a sting.

We had several nests last year, but have not discovered any so far this year. One was in the bed next to the main house door, but no one was stung. DH did find several with the mower. Hopefully this year there won't be the same problem.