Evil Yellowjackets

13 years ago

I had a lovely day planned. I have several on-sale plants sitting in my driveway. I have everything I need plus the time and energy to get things done. It's a beautiful day outside; sunny with a nice cool breeze.

#@$% yellowjackets!!!

Morning, noon, and evening there they are. I can't let my dog out because they constantly devil him. I can't plant anything because they materialize out of thin air. I'll look through the window and there won't be a single yellowjacket to be seen, two minutes after I go outside here they come.

I'm beginning to feel it's a conspiracy on the yellowjacket's part. They are watching my house with their little yellowjacket binoculars just waiting to ambush me.

I snuck out earlier today when it looked like the coast was clear. Woohoo!! I arranged a couple of plants in the configuration I wanted to try and decided it looked fine. I walk over to the shovel and while my back was turned they swarmed my plants and laid claim. You'd have thought I put a bowl of honey in front of a bee hive.

The thing is, there is no flipping nest anywhere near where I'm trying to work. Two mornings ago I was working on the front porch... no where near where I was today... and here they come. They had no interest in my porch until I stepped outside. Is there a nest near my porch? Not that I can find. I can't find a nest ANYWHERE in my yard.

I can only suppose they have a nest in the woods next to my house. I swear, if I could find it I would dump every toxic chemical I've banned from my home down their hole, chase it with gas, and torch the whole thing. I'm a prisoner in my own home. It's not that I'm afraid of being stung, I just happen to be severely allergic to the evil creatures.

I put out traps every spring to catch the queens. I keep fresh traps all summer just in case. I put out extra traps away from the house when I noticed the evil creatures were starting to hang around this year. I always put the traps away from the house. I wear disposable gloves when I bait them, hang them at night, and take more precautions then a biochemist. I've dressed head to toe for protection and tried my best to find the nest with no luck.

Several people at work have commented that the yellowjackets seem extra-agressive this year. Do any of y'all find this to be the case as well?

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Comments (7)

countrygirlsc, Upstate SC
13 years ago
I haven't had a problem with them this year, but I did a few years ago. I couldn't get near the hummingbird feeders and neither could the hummingbirds. The yellow jackets would chase them away. I remembered having picnics and how the yellow jackets would get in glasses of drink and drown. So I decided to put a bowl of orange juice on the porch. At the end of the first day, there were about 30 dead yellow jackets, the next day less. Within a week I didn't have any more. I was surprised that it worked! Don't know if it always works, but it did that year. I was relieved and so were the hummingbirds!
catrionna
Original Author
13 years ago
It won't hurt to try, will it? I'll put a bowl over near the woods where I see them the most. Thanks :)
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tamelask
13 years ago
They always get more aggressive in the fall, before they die back for the season. I think putting out some juice is a great idea. Good luck!
chas045
13 years ago
I haven't had a problem with them in the NC triangle where I have been for 5 years. My experience in CA was they were agressive if steped on or near. I used malithion, approx 1/4 cup to a cup or two of watter down the hole at dusk. RIP! Usually found them near the barBQ.

I realize they are a serious issue for you but it seems to me that you likely have an excess of them because your traps are calling them in from all over. Perhaps your distant neighbors are enjoying a pleasant lack of them. I have heard that some folks suggest that their neighbors should use japanese beetle traps so their own yards have fewer!
tamelask
13 years ago
that's true for JB's because the traps use sexual lures which they can smell a long way. For the yellow jackets you're using food lure, which would be less likely to call them over long distances.

We get a nest or 3 every single year here- it's just a matter of finding the nest and avoiding it if we can. We don't usually try to kill them unless it's in a place that simply can't be avoided for the season. They hardly ever relocate in the same spot twice, and most of the colony dies overwinter. They are not all bad- they are predators on lots of bad bugs, too.
dottie_in_charlotte
13 years ago
I'm allergic to their stings so I'm usually not messing with the garden this time of year.
I've found that the moment you disturb the soil,prune a plant or pull a weed or otherwise introduce scent into the air, here they come.
I've tried spraying the air above my flower beds with the lemon scented Raid insect spray (not directly on the flowers) and that seems to give me maybe 15-20 min. undisturbed but you have to be wary. Soil disturbance calls them to come look for bugs/small worms etc. they can bring back to the nest. I observe them this time of year searching up and down plant stalks, totally disinterested in the flowers..apparently looking for small caterpillars and aphids..food for the nest.
I suppose you could try making a tray of smashed apples and strawberries and a bit of honeyed water and set it in a location distant from where you're working but I think you don't want them to be collecting where the wind brings the scent of disturbed soil.
trianglejohn
13 years ago
My yard has a pear tree and at this time of year the tree is dropping tons of fruit. You learn pretty quick to be very careful about picking anything up off the ground. The yellowjackets and bald faced hornets will attack if they aren't drunk on rotting fruit.

Last year I had many yellow jacket nests - it made it impossible to mow the lawn and clear the weeds (the excuse I will stick to for the moment). This year I only see one nest and that tribe has been very well behaved, and so far no one has been stung.

An easy trap is to take a bucket or bowl that holds many inches of water (deep) and lay a thin board of stick across the top with a piece of very ripe fruit either from a string or stabbed on the stick. The YJ are not the best at landing when they come in for the feast and most of them will end up in the water and drown (do not attempt to save them! they will sting you while you perform CPR).

Earlier in the year rotting meat works best in traps - they are mostly hunting for caterpillars to feed their babies. This time of year, fruity flavors are preferred so overripe fruit works best.

Evil Yellowjackets

Comments (7)

countrygirlsc, Upstate SC

catrionna
Original Author

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Evil Yellowjackets

Comments (7)

countrygirlsc, Upstate SC

catrionnaOriginal Author

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catrionna
Original Author