Yellow jackets have really been a problem so far this year. We take yellow jackets very seriously at Southwest Exterminators. Their sting can, not only hurt but, land someone in the hospital. The following is our protocol from most preferred to least desirable:
1. Treat directly into/onto the nest.
2. Give them a toxic bait to return to the nest
3. Treat around the area near their nest opening with something they may pick up and take into the nest.
4. Trap them all in a trap outside the nest
As scavengers, yellow jackets are attracted to many materials on a property that can be eliminated. Exposed garbage, pet foods, fruit on the ground, honeydew on plants, are all attractants that can be removed or decreased. Sanitation is a huge step in keeping them away. However, they may also be using your customer’s property for housing, and finding other places for dining, so sanitation and cleanup are not necessarily the complete answer.
On occasion yellow jackets build their nests under siding or in wall voids. In this case find the openings the foraging workers are using to enter and exit and treat it will an EPA labeled insecticide dust is a good option your technician will address. This material will get onto the insects and, along with killing them, may be moved into the nest as well.
On occasion this can be a long, grueling process, particularly in a large, mature nest with thousands of workers and thousands of young that may not be affected by the dust. If it is a massive problem then your Southwest Exterminators technician will also spray with a micro-encapsulated product. After the colony has been eliminated your technician may provide repairs to the broken siding to prevent future infestations. This permanent exclusion method keeps many other bugs out of the house as well.
If you have any questions about yellow jackets, pest control, or bugs in general please call our office at 435-628-2700 ext 2.