Property owners in Ewing have good reasons to be concerned about yellow jacket wasps. These extremely aggressive pests may establish nests that are too close to homes and businesses. The result can be several stinging attacks in which a person is stung multiple times.
Accordingly, it is wise to be vigilant about the signs of a new yellow jacket wasp colony. Early treatment is critical to prevent potentially life-threatening stinging attacks. When nests of these insects are located and removed in the early stages, it also may be possible to prevent some structural damage.
Many people question the usefulness of an insect that launches fierce stinging attacks with little provocation. The reality is that yellow jacket wasps are an essential part of the ecosystem. They eat an assortment of other pests that would otherwise annoy people. Moreover, these members of the wasp family are adept pollinators.
While wasps may be beneficial, it becomes necessary to destroy their nests when established in places where people live and work. This misplacement can be bad news for the people and the wasps. In short, it is better to have yellow jacket wasps when they live in places where people are less likely to go on a frequent basis.
When yellow jacket wasps invade living and working spaces for people, it is time to take action. The colony will not move elsewhere of its own accord, and only a licensed pest management professional is qualified to evict the pests.
WHAT DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS LOOK LIKE?
It is not always easy for people to identify yellow jacket wasps. This is because bumblebees, honeybees and yellow jacket wasps all bear similar striking patterns of yellow and black stripes. However, the wasp’s body is virtually hairless while the honeybee and especially the bumblebee have hair on their bodies. Yellow jacket wasps further tend to be longer and skinnier than the other species. Lengths of a half inch and longer are common. When a yellow jacket wasp is at rest, its wings will rest against the pest’s body in a lateral direction.
WHERE DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS LIVE?
It is nearly impossible to wander the globe without encountering one or more of the many species of yellow jacket wasp. Almost every one of these species live in social settings. That is, they are not solitary insects but instead live in large colonies that can have 15,000 individual members. This is one of the reasons why it always makes sense to hire an exterminator to deal with a problem colony. DIY treatments that are available to the public typically are not strong enough to wipe out an entire nest.
Each spring, queen yellow jacket wasps that survived the winter will begin building a new nest. She quickly lays eggs that, upon hatching, will form her first generation of workers. The queen wastes no time laying additional eggs to increase the population. All the while, the initial set of workers is enlarging the nest.
Appropriate places for a yellow jacket nest include hollow logs and tree stumps, and some colonies may simply use an underground animal burrow that has been abandoned. Other subspecies of yellow jacket wasps prefer a hanging nest. These are suspended from large trees and bushes, but colonies alternatively may choose eaves, overhangs, shutters, lamp posts and utility poles. When holes and cracks enable yellow jacket wasps to actually get inside buildings, they may construct a nest in an attic, soffit or wall void. Yellow jacket wasps similarly may nest in garbage and recycling bins.
When colonies build a hanging nest, they must collect and construct appropriate materials. This involves gathering minuscule fibers of wood from trees, fences, decks, siding and other structures made of wood. This can cause serious damage
WHAT DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS EAT?
Yellow jacket wasps like two categories of food that also are popular with people: Protein and sugar. Flies, mosquitoes, gnats and many other insects are highly available sources of protein for the wasps. However, these pests may be seen flocking around the carcass of an animal or an outdoor trashcan that has food scraps.
During the spring and summer, yellow jacket wasps also eat a steady diet of sugary foods. Plants supply the nectar and juice that are required to sustain life, and the pests may rely more heavily on these high-calorie sweet foods as the weather turns colder in the autumn.
People who enjoy cooking and eating meals outdoors may find that their gatherings are being crashed by unwanted guests. Generally, the yellow jacket wasps are seeking any foods that contain protein, sugar or a combination of both. Barbecued meats, baked goods, fruit, juice, soda, condiments and desserts are a few examples of foods that yellow jacket wasps cannot resist.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY YELLOW JACKET WASPS
When fertilized queens emerge from behind tree bark or a tree hollow in the spring, they look for a likely spot in which to build a new nest. Soon, her first workers have hatched, and they begin foraging for small bits of wood that can be combined with saliva and chewed to form a substance that strongly resembles paper.
Gathering wood can cause significant damage to stairways, fences, decks, outdoor furniture, railings, siding and frames for doors and windows. A sizable colony can take away surprisingly large amounts of wood, especially if they all target the same unfinished or otherwise damaged wooden structure.
When yellow jacket wasps establish a nest in a wall void or above a ceiling, it is possible for them to gnaw through the drywall and gain access to the interior of a building. Stinging attacks are a constant danger once these pests get indoors.
ARE YELLOW JACKET WASPS AGGRESSIVE?
It is wise to avoid yellow jacket wasp colonies in Ewing because these are exceptionally territorial insects. Almost anything can incite a stinging attack, from being too close to the nest to swatting at a wasp at the picnic table. Once the location of an active nest is discovered, it is sensible to warn people to avoid the area until treatment is applied.
DO YELLOW JACKET WASPS CARRY DISEASE?
While diseases are not spread by stings from these pests, it is possible for people to get sick if they are stung too many times or have an allergy to stings. Heart arrhythmias, dangerously low blood pressure, diarrhea and vomiting are a few symptoms of an adverse reaction.
HOW TO DETECT YELLOW JACKET WASPS
Signs of a yellowjacket wasp infestation include:
• Several people report stings • “Dive bombing” insects are harassing people • Staining is visible on building exteriors • People hear rustling above ceilings or behind walls
HOW TO PREVENT YELLOW JACKET WASPS
To help prevent yellowjacket wasp issues the following steps should be taken:
• Ensure that all wood on the property is painted or stained • Get rid of yard debris piles and unused lumber piles • Cover gaps and holes in building exteriors • Keep trashcans clean • Use only trashcans with tight lids • 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.
