Another yellow jacket question

[CaptPat]

I recently discovered a Yellow Jacket nest about the size of a football in a boxwood shrub that I was trimming with a gas powered hedge trimmer! My normal mowing path takes me very close to those bushes--its a miracle I haven't had a close encounter as I'm allergic to them as well.

My wife waited until after dark and hit the nest with Spectracide wasp killer, the next morning there were no survivors in sight. Have to see if the bush survives though

 

[WayneB]

Around here what most people refer to as Yellow Jackets are actually Paper Wasps. Paper Wasps will build nests under eaves, in bushes, etc that are too exposed for actual Yellow Jackets which prefer more secure areas (like underground). If they build paper nests above or below ground they need 'paper' for which they use plant fibers. Likely they were chewing a bit off the leaves and taking it back to the nest. The Paper Wasps love old pallets etc that are rough cut as they can chew some of the wood fibers off.

If it is fairly cool at dusk they can't fly quite as well, that or real early morning might be a good time to go take a peek.

Charlz that is also true around here. We have several Paper Wasps and Mud Wasps here and they are not very aggressive. I think you almost have to sit on one to get stung. Now yellow jackets on the other hand if you get even close to their hive they will swam and attack.

I have had a few encounters with them and every time it has been no less than five stings. There always seems to be something that happens during my encounters that forces me to go back to the area, lawnmower running, drop my glasses while swatting the bees, never fails.

The yellow jacket stinger is smooth and isn't pulled out when it stings so it can sting you several times. Around here in mid-summer they are aggressively searching for food and just love open soda cans. So one has to be careful about leaving partial soda cans around outside. Getting stung while taking a drink is not fun at all!

 

[charlz]

I have had a few encounters with them and every time it has been no less than five stings. There always seems to be something that happens during my encounters that forces me to go back to the area, lawnmower running, drop my glasses while swatting the bees, never fails.

Isn't that how they got their name? I don't believe it started out as 'Yellow Jacket' but 'Yella Jacket' as in 'Yellin' for muh jacket!'

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Here is a picture of a yellow jacket nest that was opened up. I didn't want to get a real close shot

 

[Richard]

Incidentally, I don't know how the original post got duplicated so many times, but I removed the other three.

I'm glad to read that because I was really perplexed on the comment of "since you asked 4 times". I never saw the duplicates.

 

[Richard]

A little update:

I've been out picking blueberries and continue to see at least one or two (I don't think I've yet to see three) yellow buzzards flying around. I know in fact they're yellow and I think have a band on their back end. Are they yellow jackets or hornets...? I can't say I know. They're about 1/2" long.

I didn't know that which ever they are, they might help pollinate the bushes.

Regardless... I've been around the blueberries now picking them, cautiously looking around for any signs of a nest inside. I've pulled on various branches, looking & listening for any buzzing....so far found nothing.

I'm now about 85% sure that there is not any kind of nest in there (at least, the kind of nest that would be hanging from the branches.... there might be an in ground nest)

I started to walk between the two rows the night before last however it's VERY over grown and the branches from each side have interwoven with each other. I really need to cut that back after this season so you can walk down the middle again. They were planted too close to each other.

Anyways, thanks for the comments and I'll try to keep my happy fingers from clicking the mouse 4 times on my posts

 

[woodchuckc]

Every yellow jacket nest I've seen has been underground, until I found one (the hard way!) this year in the end of a hollow log. I always seem to find at least 2 or 3 every year while string trimming, and last year I ran over one on the tractor while cutting a field - it is amazing how fast you can shut off a tractor and get off when you need to!

If they are only about 1/2 inch long, then they are most likely yellow jackets. Hornets are much bigger (up to 1 1/2 inches, depending upon the species) and really don't look much like yellow jackets. I have noticed some bees that have just appeared in the last few years (in middle TN) that I guess are some invasive species or some type of hybrid and look more like yellow jackets than regular honey bees, but they do not swarm like yellow jackets.

 

[J_J]

Check this out.

Aerial Yellowjacket (Dolichovespula arenaria)
Blackjacket (Vespula consobrina)
California Yellowjacket (Vespula sulphurea)
Common Yellowjacket (Vespula vulgaris)
Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons)
Forest Yellowjacket (Vespula acadica)
German Yellowjacket (Vespula germanica)
Northeastern Yellowjacket (Vespula vidua)
Prairie Yellowjacket (Vespula atropilosa)
Southern Yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa)
Transition Yellowjacket (Vespula flavopilosa)
Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica)


WHY is the answer - the first and only trap to catch wasps, hornets and yellowjackets: 18 species in all!