Why Do Yellow Jackets Come to Your Yard?

Yellow jackets are a predatory wasp that can stay active in temperatures that other insects may not be able to tolerate. While freezing winter weather can kill most colonies, yellow jackets may not die off in warmer states like Florida.

While yellow jackets can curb some pests and help pollinate plants, you likely don't want them in your yard since they can be aggressive. Compared to bees which can only sting once due to barbs that pull out their stingers, yellow jackets can sting people multiple times. If they feel threatened, they can release an alarm pheromone to attract more yellow jackets to attack.

If you've noticed an uptick of yellow jackets in your yard, discover some reasons why they may have congregated.

You Have the Wrong Plants in Your Yard

Yellow jackets are pollinators and will look for nectar, which means that if you have flowering plants in your yard, you may want to switch some of these plants to flowers that bloom earlier in the year or plants that do not flower at all. If you grow fruit trees, be sure to pick any overripe fruit or fallen fruit from the ground.

Do you have a tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in your yard? This tree is a favorite of an invasive species called the spotted lanternfly. The spotted lanternfly excretes a sugary substance after feeding on tree sap. Yellow jackets are attracted to this sugary substance and will consume it. So if you have a tree of heaven, you may want to remove it to curb the presence of both lanternflies and yellow jackets.

Your Yard Has Other Pests That Need Controlling

Spotted lanternflies aren't the only pest that can attract yellow jackets. Yellow jackets like to hunt spiders, flies, aphids, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. You may want to have a pest control service curb these pest populations, which, in turn, will reduce the presence of yellow jackets in your yard.

Since insects are drawn to light in the evening, you may want to replace the lights by your patio or deck with insect-resistant bulbs.

Your Yard Has Unintended Food Sources

If you don't have a lot of other pests in your yard, you may wonder why yellow jackets are thriving. While yellow jackets will eat other pests, they aren't picky with their food sources. For example, do you barbeque or keep garbage bins outside? Uncovered trash cans and uncovered dishes and sugary drinks from outdoor activities can attract yellow jackets.

Does your yard have puddles from faucets, sprinklers, or hoses? Yellow jackets are attracted to standing water, so you may want to fill in any areas where the ground is uneven and collecting too much moisture.

Uncovered pet bowls and hummingbird feeders can also attract yellow jackets.

Your Yard Has Prime Nesting Locations

Eliminating food sources is a good start when curbing your yellow jacket population, but don't forget about nesting locations. While people may think that yellow jackets only construct nests under eaves, some species will actually construct nests in the ground — especially in woodpiles, dense ivy, or abandoned rodent dwellings. Ground dwellings can be dangerous since you might anger a colony from simple tasks, like mowing your yard.

Keep an eye on woodpiles, and have a tree service clear out any dense vegetation and rotting wood. Have a pest control service treat your yard for rodents so that yellow jackets don't get free real estate in their burrows.

Since you don't want to get stung yourself, leave yellow jacket removal to professionals. Reach out to us at Gainesville Pest Control LLC for more information on how to treat yellow jackets and other pests you may have in your yard.