How To Get Rid of Yellow Jackets in 4 Steps - Today's Homeowner (2024)

Yellow jacket is a common name for a type of wasp, belonging to the Vespula and Dolichovespula genera in the U.S. This species is smaller but more aggressive compared to other paper wasps or honeybees. They are social wasps and live in large colonies.

Yellowjackets are one of the most common and feared pests during the late summer months. This species of wasp can be highly aggressive, and unlike other wasps, inflicts painful stings continuously without losing their stinger. Yellowjackets also build their aerial nests in multiple places, which may leave you wondering just how you can get rid of a yellow jacket infestation without getting hurt.

For yellowjacket removal, you have to attack them when they are in their wasp nests. Use insecticides such as pyrethroid foams and dust to treat the nest and nest entrance at night. This is when the yellowjackets are present and less active.

This article provides essential yellow jacket control strategies. I’ll explain effective methods to get rid of yellow jackets and minimize the risk of stings for you and your family. Additionally, I’ll cover key behavioral traits of yellow jackets and provide safety tips for handling these pests.

About Yellow Jackets

The yellowjacket wasp is a bold and highly social wasp species that is known for its trademark yellow and black markings across the abdomen and thorax.

This wasp species measures upwards of ⅝ of an inch and possesses an intact stinger that does not break off when used. This allows the aggressive yellowjacket to sting several times at once without any repercussions to the wasp.Allergic reactions can happen as a result of yellow jacket stings.

Yellowjackets thrive during the spring and late summer months each year and unlike many wasp species and bumblebees, the yellowjacket does not fear humans or human activity. In many cases, this type of wasp will swarm near human activities looking for food sources.

Where Yellow Jackets Nest

Although it may sound odd, yellowjackets have a symbiotic relationship with humans since they typically provide many of their preferred food sources. This wasp species is attracted to outdoor garbage cans and pet food, as well as any meat or sugary substances that may get spilled outdoors — common during the warmer summer months.

Partly for this reason, yellowjackets typically choose to build their nests as near to humans as possible to take advantage of these easy food sources.

This wasp species is also highly versatile in terms of nest locations. A yellowjacket nest can be located underground and spotted by the presence of nickel-sized entry and exit holes, inside of logs or rotted trees, in sheds, attics, or basem*nts, and suspended from trees or eaves of structures just like common wasps.

Some yellowjackets have been known to build their nestsbehind wallsinside of homes. A queen yellowjacket will typically start a new nest in late March or early April. By early autumn, the nest can be the size of a large watermelon with thousands of worker wasps inside. If you live in areas with very mild winters, a nest can remain active the entire year.

Due to the structure of a yellowjacket nest as well as the extreme aggressiveness of this species, extermination of yellowjackets should always be aimed at attacking a nest instead of trying to eliminate foraging yellowjackets.

Behavior

Yellowjackets are highly territorial, which gives the species an aggressive streak that is seen either in the nest, foraging individually, or in swarms.

One aspect of yellowjacket behavior that is alarming is the boldness of the species in terms of socialization. The yellowjacket has no fear of large animals or humans. Manyresearchersthink this has to do with their aggressive instincts and the violent attack patterns the wasps take when threatened.

The most common instance where humans are stung by this wasp species comes down to territory. If you are near a yellowjacket nest or if you interfere with food gathering, you can expect a yellowjacket to try and sting you. If a yellow jacket lands on your skin or near you, do not make sudden movements and remain calm as if the insect is not bothering you.

Regarding a yellowjacket nest, exercise extreme caution. Most often, you can walk near a nest with no problems, but if you disturb the nest, an entire colony of yellow jackets will swarm and chase you. This species can fly upwards ofeight miles an hour, so outrunning a swarm can be difficult.

Yellowjackets have been known to chase and continuously sting people or animals several yards from a nest.

The early part of the autumn season is warm before cool air starts to take over. During this period, usually from late September to mid-October, yellowjackets are at their most aggressive in terms of behavior.

Flowers and plants begin to die, sending the wasps on foraging hunts to scavenge through trash bins and outdoor areas to find food sources to bring to the queen. The queen fertilizes her eggs for the dormant winter season.

This is also when people are most at risk for being stung or attacked by aggressive swarms of wasps. The nest is dying out, and workers are in panic mode to collect enough food for the queen’s fertilization process.

4 Steps To Eliminate Yellow Jacket Nests

Before delving into effective treatments for yellowjackets, it’s important to understand the initial steps necessary to safely and thoroughly destroy their nests. Identifying the nest location, typically found underground or in visible spots like trees or building eaves, is essential for targeted treatment. Applying treatments during the nighttime, when yellowjackets are least active, minimizes the risk of swarming and stings. Using specialized insecticides in two stages provides complete nest destruction. Additionally, wearing protective clothing is vital to safeguard against potential stings during the treatment process. These measures prepare you to effectively manage yellowjacket infestations around your home.

Step 1: Find the Nest

To successfully treat yellowjackets, you have to find the nest that houses the entire colony. These nests can be found in multiple places, and extreme caution needs to be taken when you are looking for a nest.

More often than not, yellowjackets will choose to build their nest underground. Underground nests can be found practically anywhere, but areas of dirt or soil are the most common since the wasps do not have to work as hard to burrow through the grass.

You can inspect the ground in your yard for nickel-sized entry and exit holes, and if you ever see yellowjackets flying around these areas or going in and out of a hole, you have likely found an underground nest.

Yellowjackets will also build visible nests in trees, logs, or suspended from branches or underneath the eaves of porches or garages. If you see yellowjackets in the attic or a basem*nt, the nest is somewhere nearby and even behind the walls.

Follow the activity of foraging yellowjackets cautiously and watch where they enter and exit.

Step 2: Apply Treatments at Night

Once you find a yellowjacket nest, you will want to wait until nighttime before you attempt to apply treatments. Dawn, dusk, and especially during the day are not advised since the wasps are active during these times. If you treat a nest during the day, there is a strong possibility the wasps will swarm and chase you. The same advice goes for getting rid of ground-nesting bees.

You need to use a flashlight as a light source to make sure you aim correctly at the nest or entry and exit holes. Try not to shine the light directly at the nest to avoid disturbing them. Be prepared to move quickly when applying your chosen product — more on these below — especially when you move away from the nest. Yellowjackets are dormant at night, so you will have some time to apply the treatments before they swarm.

Step 3: Apply Two Treatments To Guarantee Nest Destruction

Yellowjackets are also incredibly resilient. Foam and dust insecticides are the two best treatment applications for this pest. You may need to perform two separate treatments on two different nights to guarantee the chemicals reach every quarter of the nest.

It is best to treat with a foam insecticide the first time. This fully closes off the entry or exit holes underground and seeps the chemical into the nest chambers. For above-ground nests, a foam insecticide can also encase a yellowjacket nest, which helps prevent swarms and attacks.

On the second application, use insecticide dust with a dust applicator to finish the job of coating the nest in poison.

Step 4: Wear Protective Clothing

Treating yellowjackets is a bold move to take since there is a high possibility you may get stung. You can counter this by wearing certain protective clothes and gear when you start spraying chemicals into or onto a nest.

Consider wearing a thick, baggy sweater or jacket with a high collar that can catch a sting before it pierces your skin. Wear a hat and a large mask as well. Always wear long baggy pants, but make sure you can run away easily after quickly applying insecticides.

Treatments for Killing Yellow Jackets

When treating yellowjackets, there are five main applications you can consider: sprays, baits, foams, dust, and some natural methods.

Here are the best products and recommended procedures for each category.

Foam Pesticides

Foam insecticides also earn high marks for overall safety when effectively treating yellowjackets. There are many products that will use an aerosol foam concentration with a long spray reach of upwards of 15 to 20 feet in distance to keep you safe from swarms.

Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer kills yellow jackets on contact from up to 20 feet away. It knocks down yellowjackets so quickly that they do not have time to release their stinging pheromones. This reduces the possibility of the applicator being stung. The main chemical in this product isprallethrin, which is one of the preferred chemicals for killing yellowjackets on contact.

To use this foam, align the nozzle valve opening directly opposite the mark on the valve cup. Press down on the actuator and apply. Use a sweeping motion, contacting any stimulated or stirred-up yellowjackets around the next opening. Then move forward to the nest opening and apply for 6–8 seconds directly into the nest hole.

The chemical is so strong that the wasps will typically die within seconds of exposure and the residual effect will continue destroying the entire nest days after application.

Pros:

• Kills yellowjackets on contact
• Allows up to 20 feet of application distance between you and the nest
• Strong residual effect

Cons:

• Foam pesticides can lose applicator efficiency after a few uses

Dust Pesticides

For yellowjacket nests underground, using a dust insecticide is sometimes a good idea to prevent swarming yellowjackets once a nest is disturbed. You can usually apply dust insecticides with adust applicatorthat will give you some distance from the nest and lessen the vibrations that disturb yellowjackets.

Tempo 1% Dust is ready-to-use pyrethroid dust that can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications of yellow jacket nests. It can be applied using a hand duster or power duster directly into yellow jacket entry and exit holes or onto a suspended nest at night. This product has excellent penetration into wall voids, providing equal coverage, and is odorless and non-staining.

To use against yellowjackets, approach the nest or entry and exit holes quietly at night. Stand at least five feet away as you lightly mist the dust across the nest or into the entry and exit holes. The dust has a residual effect that will make sure yellowjackets are coated in the dust as they enter and exit the nest.

Pros:

• Safe and effective
• Strong residual effect
• If used with a dust applicator, the dust is not likely to disturb a nest

Cons:

• Takes time to destroy an entire nest

Spray Pesticides

Using a powerful liquid insecticide for a yellowjacket nest can be very effective but also a bit risky. Spray insecticides can saturate a nest with powerful residual chemicals to guarantee the long-term elimination of the nest. If you use a spray chemical, act and move quickly to avoid being stung.

Tempo SC Ultra is a great all-around spray insecticide due to its strong residual effect and powerful but mild ingredients. The active ingredient in Tempo SC Ultra isbeta-cyfluthrin, which is effective against pests with no odor and less visible residue.

This product delivers the power of a powder formulation in a liquid and allows for more even disbursem*nt during application. Be sure to mix the concentrate into aone-gallon sprayerto provide rapid saturation of a yellowjacket nest.

Pros:

• Strong residual for prolonged chemical exposure to surviving yellowjackets
• Treats up to 30,000 square feet

Cons:

• Effective for killing yellowjackets but not the most ideal application procedure

Bait Pesticides

Baits take away the danger of having to come into contact with aggressive yellowjackets. These products are also great because they can be reused each year.

Alpine Yellow Jacket Bait Stations are an intuitive, easy, and effective way to control Yellowjackets around your home. Just one kit will provide you with enough product to treat Yellowjackets year after year without ever having to buy another station, trap, or insecticide.

Each kit contains four reusable bait stations with hanging strings and one pint of Onslaught insecticide concentrate, which is the only insecticide labeled for Yellow Jacket baiting.

You use the stations by placing a mixture of tuna or another food attractant with a small amount of onslaught insecticide in each bait station. The stations are then hung around the outside of the home, where they will attract the stinging insects. The insects will contact, ingest, and spread the insecticide, removing the yellowjacket problem sometimes within just a few days.

Pros:

• Eliminates contact with yellowjackets
• Works to destroy an entire colony
• Works quickly
• Reusable each year

Cons:

• Additional baits are sold separately

Natural Methods To Get Rid of Yellow Jackets

If you want to try some natural remedies to remove yellow jackets, there are a few methods you can consider, but at a very high risk. Always use full protective suits and safety gear when performing one of these methods.

An effective method for underground nests is using a mixture of boiling hot water and dish detergent. Fill a bucket with scalding hot water and soap and pour the entire bucket over the entry and exit holes. This will likely kill the entire colony instantly but is not recommended for above-ground yellowjacket nests.

For suspended nests, always try to approach nests at night and use a thick pillowcase or cloth bag with a drawstring to quickly wrap around the nest. Break it off, tie the top, and submerge the nest in a bucket of water. The entire colony will suffocate or drown with this method, and the bag will prevent the wasps from escaping and stinging you.

Final Thoughts

Successfully eliminating yellowjacket nests requires decisive action and careful planning. By identifying nest locations and applying treatments during nighttime when yellowjackets are least active, you minimize the risk of swarming and stings. Using effective insecticides in multiple stages thoroughly destroys nests. I recommend wearing protective clothing for personal safety during the process. These proactive steps effectively manage and eradicate yellowjacket infestations without unnecessary risk.

Knowing how yellowjackets behave and why they’re drawn to human environments highlights why it’s important to treat their nests directly. By using these strategies, you can safeguard your home and family from the aggressive nature of yellowjackets, providing you with a safe living space.