Yellow Jackets
The most aggressive member of the wasp family, yellow jackets are common stinging insects in the Pacific Northwest. Yellow jackets bear distinct markings, are predators, and are capable of stinging rapidly and repeatedly.
Yellow Jacket Description
Size
Full grown yellow jackets typically measure ½ half to 1 full inch in length.
Color
Yellow jackets have distinct black and yellow markings. Their abdomens feature alternating stripes of black and yellow, yellow legs, and black with yellow heads and thoraxes.
More About Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets live in colonies, building their nests in abandoned animal burrows, trees, and other hidden areas. Their nests are round, as big and sometimes bigger than a basketball, containing upwards of a thousand insects.
What are yellow jackets?
Yellow jackets are colony-dwelling wasps consisting of males, workers, and queens. Males are also sometimes known and “drones.” The males exist to mate and are not capable of stinging. Queens essentially lay eggs in order to expand the colony, and workers take on a variety of tasks to protect and maintain a healthy colony.
How did I get yellow jackets?
Yellow jackets are avid hunters, predators who feed on a wide variety of insects and are even drawn to food that people consume, and have no hesitancy in pursuing it. If there are food sources present and other conditions accommodating to nesting, then your home is the perfect place for yellow jackets to colonize.
What do yellow jackets eat?
Yellow jackets, much like us, love carbohydrates and sugar, and find these in nectar, fruits, and tree sap. Yellow jackets also feed on a wide variety of insects, fish, and meat. This is why yellow jackets can behave aggressively during picnics and other outdoor activities where food is present. Unlike many other insects, yellow jackets have highly developed jaws for chewing.
Where are the yellow jackets coming from?
Yellow jackets prefer to build their nests in hidden places, like high eaves, abandoned animal burroughs, bushes and shrubs. Yellow jackets are also known to build nests underground, often going undetected until the nest has been disrupted. If threatened, workers will defend the nest, swarming and stinging whatever they deem a threat.
Still not sure if you’re looking at a yellow jackets?
Yellow Jacket Tips
Are YELLOW JACKETS Harmful?
Yellow jackets sting and are very aggressive.
Yellow jackets are the most aggressive type of wasp in the Pacific Northwest. Yellow jackets will act with hostility unprovoked, are capable of stinging multiple times in quick succession.
How can I stay safe from yellow jackets?
Sometimes just being in near vicinity to a yellow jacket nest will cause them to attack. Due to the fact that yellow jacket nests are often hidden, these attacks can occur without warning.
What happens when you get stung by a yellow jacket?
Yellow jacket stings can be both startling and extremely painful. The initial pain of the sting is often described as a feeling similar to being shocked and can leave a person feeling somewhat confused and disoriented. If you or a loved one has an allergic reaction to yellow jacket stings, you should seek medical attention immediately. Yellow jacket stings can cause anaphylactic shock, nausea, headaches, and a variety of other symptoms.
Are YELLOW JACKETS SEASONAL?
Yellow jackets are active from spring to fall.
Due to the Pacific Northwest’s temperate climate, yellow jackets have a long active season. Yellow jackets will typically nest in the spring, thrive throughout the warm summer and early fall months, and overwinter as the weather turns cold.
can i treat YELLOW JACKETS on my own?
We do not recommend attempting yellow jacket treatment by yourself.
Due to their aggression and the sheer number of yellow jackets in any given nest (again, these can number in the thousands!), we highly, highly recommend you seek professional assistance when exterminating yellow jackets. You want someone experienced and effective who understands how to deal with the living colony and the nest removal.
Aspen Pest Control’s yellow jacket removal experts can safely and successfully rid your home of a yellow jacket infestation through the right combination of experience, equipment, and commitment to a job well done.
Yellow jacket extermination with guaranteed results
Why should I call professional pest control?
Treating yellow jackets and hornets can be dangerous and difficult. Due to the potential size of the nest and the highly aggressive nature of these insects, homeowners should give serious consideration to getting their problem treated professionally. Regardless of nest size, total colony elimination can be expected in 24-72 hours. Nest removal is included in the cost of extermination and results are always 100% guaranteed.
Prevent a yellow jacket infestation?
Yellow jacket prevention is based on a few simple techniques. One is treating your home and property for pests that are attracting yellow jackets and other predatory insects or arachnids to your yard. The fewer sources of food they have, the less desirable it is.
Similarly, if you have items like trash, recycling, or compost bins stored outside of the home, these will attract pests if they’re not properly sealed. We recommended turning your compost with frequency to encourage quicker breakdown, proper washing and preparation of recyclables, and the use of trash cans that have lids that can be tightly secured.
Lastly, one of the best methods for preventing further yellow jacket infestation is to ensure that their nests are removed and that areas where yellow jackets will build nests are regularly monitored. Yellow jackets are insects that maintain regular flight paths and breaking this cycle includes nest removal.
Early intervention is crucial for yellow jacket extermination
Being that yellow jacket colonies can grow into the several thousands, early intervention is vital to quickly disrupting and eradicating your infestation. The longer you wait, the larger the colony can grow, which in turn increases the danger associated with the colony. Again, we highly recommend professional assistance in association with yellow jacket extermination and nest removal. Proper equipment and experience is necessary to best ensure safe and effective results.
Yellow Jacket Treatment
1
INSPECT
Because yellow jackets can nest in the most hidden of areas, it’s important to work with a team who has the experience to locate where your infestation is coming from. Aspen Pest Control’s yellow jacket extermination experts have the skills and know-how to identify the root of your yellow jacket problem and devise the best solution for your unique situation.
2
Apply products
Aspen Pest Control uses pet- and child-friendly products that are 100% guaranteed to be effective. Typically, it will take one-to-three days in order for the colony to be fully affected by the treatment process. Afterward, we can remove nests as high as the second story eaves in order to prevent future infestations from occurring.
3
ONGOING OBSERVATION
Proper pest control is not a “one and done” affair. True and total eradication requires diligence and periodic review of infestation sites. The vast majority of our new customers choose our Home Protection Plan because it’s a quarterly service that not only exterminates existing pests, but helps to avert pests returning to your home.
Secure your home from yellow jackets
100% Satisfaction guaranteed
Pest eradication is a process, not an event. In the instance that your yellow jacket infestation returns between regular quarterly service, we’re happy to come back to your home to ensure that you’re completely satisfied with our services. That’s our commitment to you!
Call Aspen Pest Control today and get rid of your yellow jacket problem.
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Vancouver Office:
12104 NE 95th St.
Vancouver, WA 98682
Portland Office:
8305 SE Monterey Ave
Suite 220 Q
Happy Valley, OR 97086
Mailing Address:
19215 SE 34th St
Suite #106-155
Camas, WA 98607
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