Yellow Jackets

Yellow jackets are serious nuisance pests that plague many areas in late summer and fall. They are often most aggressive later in the summer, but it's best to avoid them at all times as they will fiercely defend their nests.

Biology of the Yellow Jacket

Yellow jackets are half-inch long wasps, with black and yellow or white markings. They live in papery gray nests, either suspended above ground in vegetation or buried below ground. Their nests, like the volleyball-sized one pictured at the right, have only one opening but can contain over a thousand workers with a single queen. Workers are attracted to meat and sugary items, which they carry back to the nest to share with others.

The nests are dominated by the egg-laying queens, which start building the nest in the spring. By the end of the summer, the nests are fully developed with hundreds or thousands of workers. By the first frost however, most workers and males have died, leaving only the new queens to find a protected spot to stay over the winter.

Yellow Jacket Control

Contact Insecticide

One way to control a yellow jacket infestation is to treat the nest directly with a contact insecticide such as Viper Concentrated Insecticide. Treat the nest at dusk, when the workers are inside the nest yet relatively calm. Treat the nest opening directly, liberally with plenty of solution, and immediately seal entrances to underground nests. Read more information about Viper.

Traps

• Yellow Jacket and Flying Insect Trap - Controls yellow jackets, flies, and fruit flies. Ideal to use for picnics, camping, and cookouts.
• Deluxe Yellow Jacket and Wasp Trap - Fully assembled, ready-to-use, and easy to clean. Contains a pesticide-free pheromone attractant with carbohydrate and protein ingredients. Its bait is effective year round and in all geographical regions
• Yellow Jacket Trap - A great indoor/trap. Its natural bait contains carbohydrates and protein, and it works for all species of yellow jackets.

  • Disposable Yellow Jacket Trap - A disposable yellow jacket trap with a pheromonal lure to attract and trap wasps and yellow jackets. Effective for 2 - 3 weeks.

Thanks to Jack DeAngelis, Oregon State University Extension, for images and biological information.