Spring has sprung and so have yellow jackets. Every year a young queen emerges and builds a new nest. She must raise other sterile females to care for her eggs, larvae, and pupae. By the beginning of summer, she’s as busy as a bee. Her colony may eventually grow up to a thousand or more workers. In the meantime, they are actively defending the nest until the last ones are ready to leave it in late summer to early fall. The queen has a workforce on active duty to deal with anyone who might disturb her young until that time.
While it may be your yard, these territorial pests think it is their property and are willing to go to any length to protect it. Are you? Remember, a severe reaction from their stings may require medical attention. Yellow jackets are prepared to put up a fight. They will chase you, as you try to get away, for a lot longer than honeybees will. Plus, unlike a honey bee, they can sting multiple times.
How Can I Keep Yellow Jackets Away from My Home and Yard?
Read on to find out a few tips that can help keep yellow jackets away from your Greenville property and help reduce your risk of getting stung.
- Remove any standing water from your property.
- Make sure to repair any dripping or leaking faucets and pipes.
- Take caution when mowing the lawn or trimming vegetation so that you do not accidentally disturb a beehive or wasp nest.
- Fill in any holes in your yard because yellow jackets and other stinging insects often create ground nests in them.
- Avoid hanging or planting flowers and flower pots near your home, pool, or patio because it will attract bees, wasps, and other stinging insects.
- Have hives and nests near your home removed by a professional
- Do not wear bright colors or floral prints, which can attract yellow jackets.
- Do not wear loose apparel because you can get them trapped between your clothing and your skin.
- Be careful about wearing floral perfumes or lotions outside because the scent may attract stinging insects to you.
Why call Spencer first if yellow jackets are making your yard a nightmare?
As we mentioned, unlike bees, yellow jackets can sting multiple times. If you don’t remove their nest from your property, by late summer and early fall, their nest can have up to a thousand or more workers. That’s a lot of yellow jackets to worry about getting stung by!
If preventative methods fail, and yellow jackets or other wasps have set up residence on your property, its time to call the professionals at Spencer Pest Services. We have removed hundreds of hives and nests over the years, and customer satisfaction is our priority.
Don’t let yellow jackets and other stinging insects ruin your summer. Call us today.