How To Identify Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets are the easiest wasps to identify because of how often they're showcased in popularized media. These stinging insects are roughly 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long with hairless black and yellow striped bodies, smoky-black wings, and well-defined waists. Unlike media depictions, though, yellow jackets don't make those eye-catching aerial paper nests but instead utilize abandoned rodent burrows, hollow trees, and wall voids for nesting locations.
Does Anything Instantly Kill Yellow Jackets?
If you've been looking for ways to handle yellow jacket control on your own, you've probably seen a lot of websites that claim to have "instant infestation remedies" like these:
- Soap and water spray
- Diatomaceous earth dust
- Vinegar water spray/trap
- Dry ice method
- Wasp/hornet spray
The first problem is none of these methods, aside from wasp spray, instantly kill wasps. The second problem with these methods is that they all require you to get within very close range of wasp and yellow jacket nests, which is very dangerous without proper protection. The third problem is that, since yellow jacket nests are underground or in enclosed spaces (hollow trees and wall voids), it's nearly impossible to target an entire nest without incurring the wrath of the colony. Yellow jackets can sting multiple times, unlike bees, so getting attacked by an entire nest is a dangerous affair.
What Attracts Yellow Jackets To Your Yard
Like most pests, yellow jackets are attracted to easily accessible food, water, and shelter; and their favored foods are sweets and meats. Homes with leaks and poor-draining soil are very desirable nesting locations, and outdoor trash cans will attract all kinds of stinging insects if they aren't properly secured. If you want to keep yellow jackets away from your home, you'll need to minimize these aspects around your property:
- Clean up outdoor eating and cooking areas immediately after you're done.
- Secure tight-fitting lids to all outdoor trash cans.
- Aerate your property's soil to promote proper drainage.
- Address any leaks and moisture problems in your home – pipes, roof, and rooms that easily retain moisture.
- Seal up any damages around the exterior of your home.
- Reduce the number of flowering plants in your garden areas.
- If you have fruit trees, be sure to pick up fallen fruit before it starts to rot.
These preventative methods are helpful, but they don't guarantee complete protection against yellow jackets. Reliable Chesapeake pest control from Hawk Mosquito & Pest will ensure yellow jacket eradication and safety for your home and property.
The Best Treatment For Yellow Jackets
With how many times yellow jackets can sting, you don't want them getting comfortable on your property, but yellow jacket control is dangerous to attempt on your own. The best way to get rid of yellow jackets on your property is with assistance from a reliable pest control company, and you won't find better pest control in Chesapeake than with Hawk Mosquito & Pest.
Our company is dedicated to providing safe, affordable, and effective pest control solutions. We use Integrated Pest Management methodologies in all of our treatments, we offer eco-friendly solutions, and we even provide our customers with resources to prevent future infestations. We also stand by our treatments with our 100% guarantee, so if you notice pest activity after we've treated your property, we come back out and re-treat at no additional cost. Don't let yellow jackets turn you into a hermit this year. Get in contact with us today to discuss your options.