Yellow jackets are a type of social wasp. For the most part, they have a yellow and black body, but there are some that have a white and black coloration. The typical worker is 12mm and the length of a queen is usually 18 mm. Yellow jackets do sting and can do so repeatedly. The stings — while being painful — are not usually serious unless the person who has been stung is allergic or (in some cases) when someone has been stung repeatedly. If the wasps have become a nuisance, call our Atlanta pest control professionals to have the nest eradicated.
Yellow jacket nests usually hold 5,000 to 7,000 inhabitants. In most cases, yellow jackets last only one season, usually May to August, as the air becomes colder during the winter they die off. In the Southeast (where the winters are milder), sometimes it will not become cold enough to affect the wasps, and their colony can grow to hold tens of thousands of yellow jackets. A nest of this size should only be dealt with by an Atlanta pest control specialist to avoid injury and to make sure that the problem is completely resolved. Yellow jacket nests are made of wood fiber and can commonly be found underground, in hollow trees and among debris. They will make their home anywhere that they can find a suitable cavity.
Yellow jackets are considered a beneficial pest. They feed on many other insects, such as flies, beetle grubs and other harmful pests. They are attracted to anything sweet, as well as meat. Oftentimes, you will find yellow jackets around garbage disposal areas and outdoor eating areas. It’s best to keep any sugary drinks covered when outdoors and to make sure that garbage cans have as secure lid. Make sure to also keep children and pets away from the suspected nesting area until one of our specialists can resolve the problem.
If a yellow jacket nest is disturbed or the wasps feel threatened, they will swarm, and this can be particularly dangerous to pets and small children. Many times, the nest will need to be eradicated for safety reasons.
There are several ways to get rid of yellow jackets. They can be trapped or bait stations can be set up, but the most effective method is using pesticides. In the Southeast, the nests become very large and usually contain more than one queen, so using pesticides is the best way to totally eradicate a colony.
It can be dangerous to try to deal with a yellow jacket nest by yourself, especially if it a large nest. It is best to choose our Atlanta pest control company. First, we will visit your property and identify the nesting area. We may choose to return in the evening when the wasps are mostly dormant to apply the pesticide. In some cases, more than one treatment may be needed, particularly with very large nests.