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More on behavior needed
Here in NW North America yellow jackets are ubiquitous. They seem to live for the most part unnoticed until late summer or fall. Life experience seems to show that they become agressive during the last warm days of the year. I would like to see an explanation of this behavior in the article. Also autoritative extermination techniques. 68.118.53.205 (talk) 22:03, 20 April 2008 (UTC)
How To Get Rid Of Yellow Jackets In Yard Video
Deaths in North America
hello!!<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text hereStrike-through text</nowiki></nowiki>"These wasps are responsible for at least three deaths in North America, when a man named Earl Wells fell from his ladder into their underground nest, when a man named Albert Wellner disturbed a swarm with his lawnmower, and when a small boy named Harrison Johnson found a swarm in the backyard." Anyone have a source for this? Thanx 68.39.174.150 12:59, 16 May 2005 (UTC)
Can we get a disambiguation
Yellowjacket/Yellow jacket is also the common name of numerous Euclayptus species, yet the term directs straight to this page. Can someone knowledgable adress this problem? Ethel Aardvark
Scientific classification consistency
The scientific classification charts on wasp, hornet, and yellowjacket are not consistent, making it impossible to compare how closely related these insects are. I am not familiar enough with them to make the correction. --zandperl 04:15, 13 September 2005 (UTC)
Nomenclature
In the UK the term yellowjackets is never used for wasps. I have often wondered what "yellowjackets" were. And now, thanks to Wiki, I know. 82.135.71.116 21:44, 20 March 2007 (UTC) DRSHOK
For those interested, this has been been discussed at length below and resolved, see Talk:Yellowjacket#Page_name_change. Grant | Talk 02:02, 4 August 2007 (UTC)
Getting rid of yellowjackets
I found an easy and efficient way to destroy a nest of yellowjackets (living in the ground) in an Audibon insect field guide. The nest normally has one tunnel/door, and blocking it will only cause them to dig a new tunnel. Instead, cover their doorway with a large clear bowl and seal the edges with mud. Since they can get out of their doorway, they will not dig a new one, and within about a week they will starve to death. Install the bowl at night for safety, and NEVER wear a "headlight" (forehead mounted flashlight). If awakened, the wasps will go right for any light source. (from one who knows!) -Andy
It's far easier to go out at night and spend 15 seconds spraying the entrance with bug spray. Voila, next morning they are all dead. If you don't know where the nest is you can bait them as described here: Successful Removal of German Yellowjackets by Toxic Baiting. Note: Fipronil is the active ingredient in Frontline flea and tick pet treatment. Cloudswrest (talk) 00:20, 30 July 2008 (UTC)
A gallon of soapy water: mix dishwashing soap in a gallon jug. Dump in hole. Dead... done! Soapy water kills insects extremely rapidly and is one less nasty chemical being spread around. If the nest is massive, you'll have to get creative, most likely. :) --Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.132.186.35 (talk) 14:42, 20 May 2010 (UTC)
Yellowjacket nests
Yellowjacket nests are usually underground or in logs or such places, not aerial! -Ben
The "Yellow Jacket" article seems to say, near the end, that the Eastern Yellow Jacket and the German Yellowjacket build their nests in cavities or underground, entirely of wood fiber with a small opening at the bottom. This doesn't seem to make sense. Can someone clarify please? Dickvb4 (talk) 20:00, 31 August 2009 (UTC)
evading their stings
they must be smarter than you think! Further research is needed based on my recent experience. I stumbled upon a nest and a couple of dozen chased me for 100 yards and somehow they knew to stay to my backside when I stopped and tried to swat them away. They must be able to know an aggressors's front and back side. this is my conclusion; or else, they are really shy. I do not know how to confirm this theory , but it was most convincing after two run-ins that resulted in numerous bites. I do not want to destroy their nest until further research can be done.
Well, honey bees can identify faces, as can many animals. Honey bees will actually attack your face by preference. I don't know if yellow jackets have a preference. I would have though they would attack a face first as well as that would have the most immediate effect. --Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.132.186.35 (talk) 14:47, 20 May 2010 (UTC)
they know you
I was stung on Saturday, I stepped on a nest while weed whacking, I have had allergic reactions to them in the past but was lucky to have already taken an antihistamine for ragweed in the morning. I was stung twice and had to kill two that followed me into the house. For the next two days everytime I left the back door and went to any part of my back yard (not near the nest at all) I was "found" by one or two who would start diving at me at which point I would return to the house and watch out the window at many gathered near the spot I had been standing. (no, I'm not a paranoid nut- in fact I pride myself on remaining calm so as not to get stung as I love to garden and had managed not to get stung for 10 years.) I wondered if the sting left me emitting a scent, and that was confirmed by the Harvard Page mentioned in this article. I am wondering how long this lasts- two days later and two showers later it was still in effect. Does anyone know the answer to this? I have hopefully killed the nest- by spraying it at night. Killing the nest is the right thing to do, while I love the diversity of my organic yard and garden they are the one species that is totally without any sense of humor - and is so aggressive that there is no alternative. Court2000 12:33, 21 August 2007 (UTC)court2000Court2000 12:33, 21 August 2007 (UTC)
Kill them. Kill them All!
I have been a forester and land surveyor in the southeastern United States for over thirty years. I have encountered more than my share of yellow-jackets. This "set a glass bowl over the entrance" crap just doesn't cut it. To get rid of them, stand aside and watch them closely and quietly. You will soon locate the entrance hole. Prepare your gasoline container by opening the spout and venting it so it will pour quickly and unhindered. Wait until a lull in the entrance "activity," then step up quickly, stick the spout in the hole and pour gasoline in. This is exceptionally effective. Do NOT set the gasoline on fire. The vapors will do what you want.
For those of you who don't want to use gasoline, you can mix up a strong insecticide (diazinon was effective) in a garden sprayer, pump it up tight and set the spray on coarse. Stick the nozzle at the end of wand into the entrance and let'em have it.
Now, those of you tree-hugging wussies who don't want to use gasoline or insecticide, just shut up! You dorks don't have a clue. You have never had an entire survey crew disrupted, stung and members sent to the hospital. Getting rid of the nest is necessary when you have to retrace your path multiple times.
Spare me the tree-huggers sympathies. Just kill them!
66.157.73.188 14:40, 14 July 2007 (UTC)C.J. Saunders66.157.73.188
For the home or business owner, if you don't know where the nests are, the most effective way to get rid of them for the whole season, sometimes multiple seasons, is to give them a little "gift" to take back to their nests. Mix a 3oz can of wet fishy catfood with one vial of yellow jacket attractant and one vial of Frontline flea and tick juice (Fipronil). Blend well. Put it in a bird cage or some other container to keep bigger critters away. After about 3-4 days they stop coming. Barbeques are pleasant again. Fipronil is ideal for this task as it's slow acting, and the yellow jackets do NOT find it offensive, unlike diazinon and many other pesticides.213.239.234.58 (talk) 02:14, 8 August 2010 (UTC)
Giant nests
If any one cares. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060717/NEWS02/607170317/1009 Zerath13
Stung September 9 2006
I have stumbled on 2 nest on our property. I as I was moving hay and you guessed it I was stung but only once. They had built their net in the bales of hay. It was amazing. Yesterday I was leveling a mound where a tree had fallen and uprooted. I was stung 6 times as I ran for the pool (up hill and 50 ft instead of the pond that was 10 ft away. My husband and I walked down last evening and found the nest. We sprayed wasp and hornet killer in the hole it did not seem to bother them. They just came flying out. Hindsite - instead of spraying we should have closed it off. I thought if there is a front door then there is a backdoor too. Unknown to me (and him) my husband had actually found the nest last week when mowing. They chased him, he jumped off the mower, they attacked the mower and several stole his beer (they just fell in they didn't actually carry it off. He nor I ever thought about them being underground.
One of the stings (on my bicep) is not giving me any problem although it is quite alarming to have a large red ring around each sting. One stung me on one of knuckles through my leather glove it is not as bad but itches like crazy. One stung me on my forearm, it it bruised, swollen, painful and itches. The last 3 stings were on my back. No swelling but is painfull and itches.
I am sure it was comical to see me run, scream, swat and dive fully clothed into the pool. I am thankful the pool was there. (My husband asked me why I didn't jump into the pond Yea right.) For several minutes, I could barely get my breath, I couldn't speak. I am not sure if that was reactions from the sting or scared to almost death. Cla10544 12:27, 10 September 2006 (UTC)Cathy A. Salem, AL
I have encountered yellowjacket nests and in cases where they are underground have always been able to destroy the nest with running water. Just stuck a hose in the entrance hole and turned it on for an hour. Maybe less would do. Obviously this will not work when you're out in the woods or the nest is in an area that can't tolerate flooding. Pesticides are necessary sometimes, but I hate to sicken/kill/risk cancer to not only other insects, birds, etc, but people or children, pets that chance exposure at a later time. Spudtu 12:36, 22 August 2007 (UTC)
I used to wait till sundown, drop a thick rag over the opening of the hole so they couldn't fly out, and pour a little gasoline in. Don't light it - the gas itself and the vapors will kill them all. Right now I'm sitting here with a stiff tingling hand - it actually feels like they slammed it in a door as well as stung - because I didn't see the nest they'd built within the tractor's gearbox. OMG did that burn. And big holes punched in my skin too - it looks like a snakebite. I'm with the guy below, kill them all! 75.200.246.222 (talk) 22:05, 7 August 2010 (UTC)Morrigan
I was bitten once, years ago, and have been wary of them since. They are a greater menace than bees, by far. "I didn't see the nest" is a common refrain among victims. Pendragon39 (talk) 16:44, 5 December 2010 (UTC)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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