Yellow jackets are such a huge nuisance throughout the hot summer months! People are outdoors just trying to enjoy their own backyards while the weather is warm and sunny. They plan parties, barbecues, picnics and fun sporting activities. Having yellow jackets around all summer is very annoying and they may even sting someone during the summer, but in the fall, you really need to look out because they become much more aggressive.

In the fall, the yellow jacket colonies are wrapping up most of their season of the reproduction process and feeding of their young. The workers are now taking time to forage for themselves and will indulge in any sticky sweet snack they can find. There will also be a larger population of yellow jackets vying for the same type of treats, and that can make for a crowd of overly active and aggressive yellow jackets. On top of all of that, they are also very protective of their overcrowded nest, and will charge anyone that appears to be a threat. There can be thousands of yellow jackets in just one nest alone, and they will rile each other up to swarm one person if aggravated enough.

Yellow jackets can be found buzzing around picnics and barbecues, hovering around soda cans and landing on children’s candy, making it all the more possible for someone to get stung. They are quite capable of stinging their victim repeatedly, over and over again multiple times. In that way, they are unlike bees that only sting once and lose their stinger. Some people may be allergic to them just like bees, and they will need to seek medical attention immediately as a sting can be life-threatening.

Yellow jackets are not bees; they are actually a type of wasp. They look a lot like bees though but are much smaller and far more aggressive. They are black with yellow marks, and their nests are built in the ground.

Getting rid of a yellow jacket infestation is not an easy task. As aggressive as they are, you won’t want to mess with them unless you don’t mind getting stung. Keeping them away is another daunting task, as they return year after year. If you live in the Capital District and Adirondack Region and need your problem yellow jackets dealt with, call on Thomas Pest Services. We have professional experts that can eliminate the yellow jackets from your property and help you to prevent any future problems in years to come.