With the exception of the Queens produce by that nest all the workers you presently have will die as the weather cools down. Not after the first or 4th frost but after the temperatures stay below freezing for an extended period of time. So the nest you have now will die of this winter. The new Queens will not build a nest there next spring, although sometimes they do winter over in that nest. Mostly they leave and search for other shelter, however.
The nests I have seen look like very large paperwasp nests and like the paperwasp nest the Yellow Jacket nest is made from wood fiber. That old, now abandoned, nest will fall apart after a while, although the dead wasps might be attractive to some critters as a food source.
Yellow Jackets are predators of many of the insects we consider pests (and some we consider beneficial) so leaving them alone if they do not present a problem to you is a good idea. I would look all around for any potential entry points (for any other wee critters) and seal those with a caulking compound, when activity stops so you don't get them in your living quarters.

Well,

There is good news and bad news...

First of all, the good news is that honey bees and hornets are totally of a different nature.
Honey bees survive winters by keeping each other warm while not leaving the nest.
You can even move them from one place to another. They are beautiful and very beneficial to all plant life including human....

I would love to have these around for many useful purposes.

As for your yellow jackets.... They too are beneficail to nature and they will die off if the nest is partialy exposed to those kind of winter temps kimmsr is talking about.
BUT, the bad news is that, if their nest is to deep in your foundation, or you have no idea where it is, there could be a problem. They will survive the winter if to deep where they can stay a bit warmer than you expect, yet they will slow down quite a bit, be lethargic, almost asleep. But they WILL survive.
The only way you can get rid of them if they are not going to die off, sadly, is by extermination.
Now I am not a fan of this or of any kind of mass murder to insects beneficial to our enviroment, but that is the only way to rid them, SADLY.
There a powder you can buy that you can place at their entry way, that gets on their fur and wings, which in turn they carry to the nest, rubbing it all over the others.
Your local extermination office should have this stuff, or you can hire a professnonal to do it..To bad they have to loose their natural habitat to human developement..:-(

Hope this helps....Goodluck.

Well,

There is good news and bad news...

First of all, the good news is that honey bees and hornets are totally of a different nature.
Honey bees survive winters by keeping each other warm while not leaving the nest.
You can even move them from one place to another. They are beautiful and very beneficial to all plant life including human....

I would love to have these around for many useful purposes.

As for your yellow jackets.... They too are beneficail to nature and they will die off if the nest is partialy exposed to those kind of winter temps kimmsr is talking about.
BUT, the bad news is that, if their nest is to deep in your foundation, or you have no idea where it is, there could be a problem. They will survive the winter if to deep where they can stay a bit warmer than you expect, yet they will slow down quite drastically, be lethargic, almost asleep. But they WILL survive.
The only way you can get rid of them if they are not going to die off, sadly, is by extermination.
Now I am not a fan of this or of any kind of mass murder to insects beneficial to our enviroment, but that is the only way to rid them, SADLY.
There a powder you can buy that you can place at their entry way, that gets on their fur and wings, which in turn they carry to the nest, rubbing it all over the others.
Your local extermination office should have this stuff, or you can hire a professnonal to do it..To bad they have to loose their natural habitat to human developement..:-(

Hope this helps....Goodluck.

Awww, little buddies. :(

That's a bummer. I had a bad feeling that might be what I have to do. The foundation is on a southern exposure where zone 7 plants survive our zone 5 winters so I have a bad feeling they would make it.

I think I will wait until late Fall and then call an exterminator. That way they at least many of them will have a chance to escape unharmed.

I'm scared of what nasty stuff is going to be left in the walls. YIKES.

Ademink!!!

Don't do anything yet!!!

Yet me double check and see if they abandon their nest entirely, if so,then all you have to do is block up the entry way. I think some have been known to stay and some leave. Let us get the definate...k

Don't do a thing till I get back!!

Rhizzo, or anyone else, help us. Do you know about this?

Sorry,

After talking to a friend of mine that works at Bains Pest Control, and few others, they DO NOT abandon their nest especially if they find a safe location usually in a nice facing sunny location..Again..:-(

SWEET...I am having visions of my wall caving in and yellow jackets everywhere! LOL

This is not the first time they have taken up residence on this side of my house. A few years ago, they entered a carpenter bee hole in the wall and somehow ended up by the HUNDREDS in my guest room. A very long and hysterical story that involves suiting up in winter clothing with duct tape around every loose part of clothing. ha!

Ok, guess I might as well take these suckers out now rather than wait until winter. *sigh*

Poor fellas.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!! Much appreciated!

Having been chased for abou 50 feet when I dug close to a nest they are one creature that I do kill.

For a funny story I am in the habit of leaving the doors open, inside and screen, so I do not get everything messy when I come in. Hubby is deeply afraid that "SOMETHING" will get into the house. The day I was chased by the yellow jackets just happened to be one of the days he decided to close and lock the door. He did know I was outside. Not having my key I could not open the lock. Some how I squeesed my chunky body into the space between the doors except for a small crack where the jackets still came through and continued to sting. After much pounding and yelling hubby finaly opens the door very upset because I was causing him to miss part of his football game. He still does not understand why I insisted he open the door because it would have been easier for me to either stand still or run around the house to the back door where he could have continued to watch his game. I have still not forgiven him but now I try to wear pants with pockets to keep keys in.

Those of you who have been chased will get a laugh. Those whose time is coming will think "what an idiot."

hahahhahahahha
I needed that!!! As tears roll down my eyes...Well come to the yellow jacket run club!! hahahaha