Yellow jackets are often mistaken for bees, being of similar size and coloring, but they actually belong to the wasp family. These stinging insects can terrorize yards, ball fields, and parks everywhere, including in New Caney, Texas. And nothing ruins a cookout or ballgame faster than being stung by yellow jackets! Here are 8 facts about these outdoor pests.
Facts About Yellowjackets
- Yellowjackets live in colonies made up of workers and a queen. Queens stay in the nest and lay eggs while the workers’ job is to build the nest, protect the queen and the eggs/young, and find food for the colony members. Yellowjacket colonies can grow over time up to about the size of a basketball and can house 4,000 to 5,000 occupants. Nests are usually occupied for one season, after which the yellowjacket workers die off.
- Unlike bees, yellowjacket stingers don’t detach when they sting you. They can sting you multiple times! If you get stung enough (or if you’re allergic to yellowjacket venom), you might need to seek medical attention.
- Try not to squash a yellowjacket. When squashed, they release a pheromone that attracts others from their colony, and incites them to attack you if you’re nearby.
- Unlike paper wasps, yellowjackets don’t build their nests underneath the eaves of your home’s roof. They either build their nests in the ground, or in protected areas like a hollowed out tree or in a crawlspace.
- Yellowjackets eat sweet sap and nectar from fruits and plants, and sometimes eat other insects. At times they try to steal and eat the honey from nearby honeybee colonies. They also enjoy sweet foods and drinks that humans eat.
- Some insects try to imitate yellowjacket colors and patterns to ward off predators.
- Some yellowjacket nests have been recorded as holding as many as 100,000 stinging colony members.
- You should never swat at a yellowjacket, as this will only incite it to attack you. If you encounter one (or any other stinging insect), slowly back away from it and try not to make sudden motions.
Yellowjackets and other stinging insects have a knack for ruining your outdoor fun. Even if you implement preventive measures, you might still get caught off guard by a hidden colony. The best landscapers can encounter them occasionally. Save yourself all sorts of stress, and time and money by calling our New Caney, TX pest control experts today! Let us help you enjoy the summer more with your family by helping get rid of those stinging pests.
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