How To Get Rid Of Yellow Jackets On Your Columbus Property
July 15, 2021 - Stinging Insects
Yellow jackets are a type of wasp. They are a stinging insect that is common on Central Ohio properties. It is essential to know that yellow jackets are dangerous and should not be handled by people who are not trained. However, everyone should know how to identify this pest and the dangers they pose.
Identifying Yellow Jackets
There are several different species of yellow jackets common to the area, but they share similar features. They are medium-sized, compared to other wasps, and have yellow and black banding around their abdomens. Their most distinguishing feature is their segmented, thin waist.
They build their nests by chewing wood and making it into a pulp. Their nests are large and papery, containing thousands of individual members. Although similar to bees as they have antennas and wings, yellow jackets behave very differently. For example, yellow jackets are predators, part of their diet consists of other insects.
Yellow jackets also prefer sugary substances like fruit and nectar. Like bees, they are important pollinators and essential to balanced ecosystems. Because they eat other insects, they help keep gardens and crops safe from pests that can damage.
Dangers of Yellow Jackets
Although yellow jackets are beneficial pollinators and predators, they can be dangerous to people. They are social insects, meaning they live in colonies as opposed to solitary insects that live individually. Yellow jackets are very territorial, which is the reason they are so aggressive. If their nest is threatened, they will attack.
Unlike bees, yellow jackets can sting multiple times. A little-known fact is they don’t only sting, but they bite too. Biting allows them to hold on and sting continue stinging. These stings are painful and can trigger severe reactions in people that are allergic, which can result in anaphylaxis. Because of how dangerous yellow jackets are, it is best to discourage them and other stinging insects from making a home on your Central Ohio property.
Keeping Yellow Jackets Away
When it comes to yellow jacket removal, you should leave that up to professionals, but you can do things on your own to keep them and other stinging insects from nesting. To do this, it is important to have regular yard maintenance practices.
Remove Potential Food Sources:
Don’t leave crumbs or spills
Make sure garbage cans close properly and are cleaned out regularly
Keep compost piles contained correctly and away from your home
Limit flowering vegetation because they can feed on the flower nectar and other insects that feed on flowering plants
Keep hummingbird feeders away from your home.
Remove fruit from trees before they rot and when they have fallen.
Remove Water Sources:
Standing water is an attractive factor to many pests besides yellow jackets and stinging insects.
Eliminate Nesting Sites:
Cut back overgrown trees
Remove fallen trees, stumps, and dead trees
Keep foliage trimmed
Regularly check common nesting places like roof eaves, behind shutters, and under decks.
Fill in ground holes
Although you should regularly inspect for nests, you shouldn’t approach, touch, or attempt to remove them on your own. Always call in professionals if you see stinging insects or a nest, even if you think it is inactive.
Professional Yellow Jacket Control
If you are worried about yellow jackets and other stinging insects on your Central Ohio property, you should contact the professionals at Mandau’s Pest Solutions. Stinging insects require a different approach than general pest control. But they shouldn’t cause you any more stress than other pests. Call Mandau’s Pest Solutions today to learn more about yellow jackets and the home pest control and commercial pest control services we provide.
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