08/24/2024
Got Yellowjackets? Buzz Off can have a man to mandible talk with them!
Aggressive Invaders: Yellowjackets are notorious for their aggressive nature. Unlike bees, they can sting multiple times without losing their stinger! They love to crash your outdoor picnics and barbecues, attracted to anything sugary or protein-rich.
Hidden Dangers: Yellowjackets often build nests in hard-to-see places like wall voids, attics, or underground. You might not even know they’re there until it’s too late!
Yellowjackets are easily provoked and will defend their nest aggressively, even if you’re just passing by. Their stings are not only painful, but they can cause severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Don’t take the risk—get rid of them before someone gets hurt.
Seasonal Surge: Late summer and early fall is when yellowjackets are most active, making your yard a danger zone just when you want to enjoy it the most. Disturb one yellowjacket, and you might find yourself facing an entire angry swarm. Don’t try to handle them on your own!
Yellowjackets are most aggressive during the late summer and fall months because of food scarcity. Their colonies are at maximum size, and their food resources are at low levels (they don’t store food for the winter). Yellowjackets can also target beneficial bugs and pollinators, disrupting your garden's ecosystem.
As they slowly die from starvation, the workers become more and more food aggressive, even attacking honeybee hives for food. The queen will “overwinter” and emerge as the sole survivor of the colony to start the whole process over again. A mild winter (like the one we just had) helps more queens survive, leading to the insane amount of yellowjacket activity we are seeing this year.
Homewreckers: Yellowjackets can and do chew through wood, drywall, and insulation, causing costly damage to your home. Your wall voids are nice and warm through the winter, and they make a great spot for the queen to play the world’s most painful game of hide and seek.
They will eventually die off as they season gets colder. After about a week of temperatures below 45 degrees, typically late November, the colony is dead except for the queen.
You would think that this is a good thing, but they have one more trick up their sleeves. Once the colony is dead, the nest will start to decompose. In a lot of cases this could lead to a pretty putrid odor coming from behind your walls.
They’re not bees: Yellowjackets are often mistaken for bees, but they are actually wasps. Unlike bees, yellowjackets have sleek, hairless bodies and can sting multiple times. They are more aggressive and scavenger-focused, often attracted to human food.
Yellowjackets can be pollinators, but because they aren’t fuzzy, like bees, they do a poor job distributing pollen from flower to flower.
Bees, on the other hand, are vital pollinators with fuzzy bodies and single-use stingers. Bees would rather do their own thing peacefully than attack you or your sugary food.
Are you seeing a lot of Yellowjackets, Hornets or other stinging insects? Don’t wait for a sting to take action. Let us safely and effectively remove yellowjackets from your property so
you can enjoy your outdoor space worry-free.
Protect your family, protect your home - call BUZZ OFF today at (973) 888-9125!
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