Identify Pest: Yellow Jackets–Infestations, Yellow Jacket Nest Removal and Yellow Jacket Problem

Yellow jackets are not native to the United States, but they have made themselves at home on Long Island, parts of New York City, and throughout Westchester and Rockland Counties. Originally brought from England by the colonists, yellow jackets are a beneficial species that can also pose a real threat to humans. They are among the most aggressive of wasp species and will not hesitate to attack alone or in swarms.

How to Identify a Yellow Jacket

Yellow jackets are slightly larger than a honey bee, measuring a half inch in length. Unlike fuzzy bees, yellow jackets have shiny bright yellow bodies with black stripes or spots. They are attracted to meat and sweets and are a common summer pest in our area.

Wasps Common to New York, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland County

• Yellow Jackets: These aggressive stingers are actually a species of wasp. About the size of a honey bee, they have a shiny bright yellow and black body and a vicious stinger. They are aggressive as individuals and as swarms and are drawn to both cooked and raw meat and anything sweet. See our special section on yellow jackets here [link].
• Hornets: This large species of wasp can grow to over an inch and a half long. They are typically deep yellow with black striping and long, thin wings.
• Paper Wasps: Varieties can be red, black, brown, even metallic blue. Some 250 varieties can be found in the U.S. They don’t seek a fight, but become extremely hostile when protecting the nest.
• Mud Daubers: These shiny blue or yellow wasps have elegant inch-long bodies. They are generally not aggressive, but their nests can be an unsightly nuisance.

Yellow Jacket	European Hornet	Paper Wasp	Mud Dauber Wasp

Yellow Jacket Nests and Infestations

Yellow jackets in the wild often nest in the ground or in dead tree trunks. In built up areas, they will tunnel behind window trim, under siding, in gaps in your eaves, under decks—and their large communities can cause real structural damage. Yellow jacket colonies reach huge sizes, numbering tens of thousands. If you see yellow jackets crawling on any structure on your property, you have a problem best dealt with by professionals.
[images of giant yellow jacket infestation]

How to Deal with a Yellow Jacket Nest

Killing yellow jackets begins with assessing the size of your infestation and getting a good idea of the damage they may have caused. If the hive has broken through to the interior of your structure, safety precautions must be taken before treatment measures can begin. Treatment is often done at night when the insects have come in from foraging and are settled in for the night.

If you are planning any outdoor activities, it makes sense to have a professional exterminator conduct an inspection to ensure you don’t have active colonies around your deck or in your structure to prevent problems. Be sure to keep food covered with plastic so that the scent of it doesn’t attract the yellow jackets. Wear white or tan clothing and avoid perfumes and strong scents.

Yellow Jackets are covered in our effective and affordable Integrated Pest Management Annual Package KO-12 Program that provides you with pest protection throughout the year.

Knockout Pest Control Can Knock Out Yellow Jackets

Knockout Pest Control is your local expert at knocking out yellow jackets–and we keep them down for the count. Every member of our team receives over 100 hours of classroom instruction and in-the-field training so you are guaranteed a knockout punch to your pest problem every time. We serve all of Long Island, New York City, and Westchester and Rockland Counties. Call 1-800-244-PEST or 1-800-244-7378 We respond like every pest problem is an emergency with fast, 24 hour service seven days a week. We don’t have the big red boxing glove in our logo for nothing!