Re: Need to get rid of yellowjackets
I came across this today & thought it was interesting. Although I didn't really check it out to verify the content, it might be helpful. Most of what I read seems consistent with what I've obeserved.
Some Facts About Yellow Jackets
DON'T SMASH THEM. If you smash a yellow jacket it will release a pheromone that will alert other yellow jackets and cause them to attack you. If you swat frantically at yellow jackets they may become aggravated and attack. They can sting MULTIPLE times. (If you need to shoo them away, do so gently.)
Yellow jackets are wasps, not bees. Although they are attracted to sweet things, they also like meat. In the summer when food is scarce, they will go after the same things people like (picnic food, fruit, barbecues). People have gotten stung in the back of their throat by accidentally swallowing a yellow jacket that was investigating an open can of soda.
Perfumes and bright colors can also attract them.
At night they can be attracted to the light from a flashlight. If you are going after a nest after dark, cover the light with RED cellophane (they supposedly can't see red).
Nests are usually 3-6 inches in diameter and are usually built underground (though the nastier and hardier German yellow jackets--which have been increasing in the US--tend to build above ground). The queen starts the nest in the spring when the weather starts to warm up. The nest has a small opening, about the size of a nickel, that is guarded by a sentry. The population peaks in the summer (sometimes fall) and can range from a few hundred to several thousand wasps. All but the queen die off in the winter and the nest is not reused. (A week of near-freezing or lower temperatures is usually enough to kill a normal nest). Before the weather gets too cold, the queen abandons the nest and finds a place to hibernate (usually a tree stump or under loose bark).
The first yellow jackets seen in the spring are probably queens looking to build a nest.
HOWEVER, in warmer climates or places with mild winters, the nests don't die off and can become HUGE, holding multiple queens and tens of thousands of wasps. Alabama's mild winter in 2006 is believed to be the cause of some enormous nests that were found in the southern part of the state the following summer. One was the size of a VW Bug. One in South Carolina had a quarter of a million yellow jackets. It's unclear whether a cold winter could kill off these massive nests. (Um...don't go after these armed with a few cans of bug spray--CALL A PROFESSIONAL.)
A yellow jacket can range a 1000 feet from its nest. In late summer and fall, food is harder to find, causing the yellow jackets to range further and become more aggressive.
If you suspect there is a nest in a small area and you want to find out where it is, try putting some food out for the yellow jackets (fish is good because it's easy for them to break off bits, but you can also cut other meat into small pieces). Watch for a yellow jacket to break off a piece. It will carry the food straight back to its nest. (This is what's meant by a beeline.)
