With their ability to repeatedly sting victims, yellow jacket wasps are unwelcome guests around picnic tables throughout Philadelphia. When a wasp nest is located in a yard or in the landscaping surrounding a commercial property, spending any time outdoors becomes problematic. In fact, some people may notice that exiting or entering the building feels like traveling through a war zone.
It is not uncommon for people to believe that yellow jacket wasps are a pest without redeeming qualities. However, this is not the case. Yellow jacket wasps are helpful pollinators, and they eat many other species of pests. Gardeners and farmers, in particular, tend to welcome yellow jackets into their fields and crops as they know that the yellow-and-black wasps will soon rid the area of troubling pests.
However welcome yellow jacket wasps are in agricultural or garden settings, they tend to be reviled elsewhere. This reaction is deserved, as yellow jackets have particularly painful stings. Moreover, they may make coordinated attacks against a common enemy, and some people have potentially life-threatening reactions to the stings of these pests.
When yellow jacket wasps establish a nest close to a residential or commercial building, the problem becomes acute with shocking speed. Soon, people are unable to enter or leave without being "dive-bombed" by the insects. Worse still, some of the yellow jacket wasps make their way indoors, sparking panic in areas that should be calm, peaceful and pest-free.
Removing yellow jacket nests is dangerous, which is why it makes sense to always ask a professional pest management company to handle the job.
WHAT DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS LOOK LIKE?
People sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between yellow jacket wasps and honey bees. Close inspection shows that the bodies of both insects have stripes of black and yellow, but their behavior patterns are distinct. Whereas the honey bee tends to be gentle, the yellow jacket wasp is notoriously aggressive.
Additionally, honey bees usually have hairier bodies, and the yellow jacket worker is probably the larger of the two at about one-half of an inch in length. Although she is rarely seen, the queen of the yellow jacket wasp colony may measure three-quarters of an inch.
WHERE DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS LIVE?
These pests can adapt to almost any climate and environment. Consequently, they can be found on virtually every continent, and their nests can be constructed in a variety of locations.
Frequently, nests are suspended from large shrubs or trees. Utility poles and the overhangs on buildings also are good places to find colonies of yellow jacket wasps. Other nests are located beneath the ground, often in an abandoned animal burrow. A fallen tree is yet another example of a likely nesting location.
When yellow jacket wasps build their nests in a forest or another rural location, they have a beneficial effect on the environment. However, when their nests are placed in close proximity to man-made structures, encounters between people and yellow jackets become inevitable. It also is possible that yellow jacket wasps will build nests in wall voids or other convenient areas in a building. This makes stinging attacks even more likely.
WHAT DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS EAT?
Young yellow jacket wasps require protein. This substance usually is supplied by eating a variety of insects such as mosquitoes, flies and even honey bees. Similarly, this species is known to be attracted to meat. In addition to taking a meal from animal carcasses, yellow jacket wasps will congregate around picnic tables and barbecue grills. Meat scraps in garbage cans will be scavenged as well.
Later in the summer, yellow jacket wasps turn to sweeter sources of food. Items like fruit juice, soda, salad dressing, condiments and baked goods will attract members of the species at this time.
Accordingly, it is easy to see why yellow jacket wasps so frequently gather when people eat outdoors and why the pests come indoors in kitchens, cafeterias and dining rooms.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY YELLOW JACKET WASPS
Most people already know that yellow jacket wasps can sting repeatedly. In fact, this is the main reason why people fear this species. Unfortunately, painful stings are not the only reason to be wary of yellow jackets.
When yellow jackets build their nest somewhere inside a building, it actually can cause structural damage. Part of the damage is caused by the yellow jacket workers because they chew through wood and similar building materials. Gnawing these items helps to enlarge an opening so that the yellow jackets can build a bigger nest.
When property owners see black and yellow insects swarming around a gap, hole or other opening in the exterior of a building, they sometimes think that plugging up that opening will put an end to the problem. They figure that if the wasps cannot get in or out through the existing hole, they will die or simply go elsewhere.
Unfortunately, this strategy almost always backfires. With the existing opening blocked, the yellow jackets will construct a new opening, and sometimes that opening leads straight into the interior of the building.
When it comes to ending yellow jacket wasp infestations, it is always wisest to ask a Philadelphia pest control company to handle the problem.
ARE YELLOW JACKET WASPS AGGRESSIVE?
Known far and wide for their aggressive demeanor, yellow jacket wasps are among the most feared of pests. Only the females are actually equipped with stingers, but the males still fly and dart in an aggressive manner, which makes them appear threatening. When the females are provoked, they are capable of stinging several times. Additionally, an alarmed female sends out a pheromone that tells other colony members to attack. This is how people emerge from yellow jacket wasp attacks with perhaps hundreds of stings.
DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS CARRY DISEASE?
Bites or stings from some pests can transmit diseases to people. This is not the case with yellow jacket wasps. Still, their stings are known to be extremely painful, and some people have a serious, or even potentially life-threatening, reaction. Symptoms such as nausea, hives, swelling, dizziness and breathing difficulties are common. If a person goes into anaphylactic shock, they need immediate medical attention in order to survive.
HOW TO DETECT YELLOW JACKET WASPS
Signs of a yellow jacket wasp issue include:
• Indoor and outdoor walls show unexplained stains • Rustling noises emanating from behind walls • Visual sightings of a nest or swarming insects • Reports of stinging attacks on the property
HOW TO PREVENT YELLOW JACKET WASPS
To help prevent yellow jacket wasp problems the following steps should be taken:
• When food is being served outdoors, use covers • Keep trash cans clean and free of food debris • Make certain that trash cans are fitted with tight lids • Keep pet food stored except at meal times • Regularly inspect buildings and landscaping for signs of new nests
HOW WE TREAT FOR YELLOW JACKET WASPS
At Newtown Termite & Pest Control, we use a multi-faceted approach for treating hornets and wasps that have become problematic for area homes and businesses. Our methodology involves making use of the most appropriate detection, prevention, and treatments methods available. By combining these measures, we ensure that your home or business remains free of wasps and hornets.
