How to Prevent yellow jackets

crazysarge16

crazysarge16

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I’ve lived in NC all my life, never really had a problem with yellow jackets.

We recently moved into a new house, and any time I go outside I get stung multiple times cause if these devils.

First nest was actually up against my house under some shrubs, didn’t get me but got the spectrum guy installing my services once. Killed that one off with yellow jacket spray and then poured gas down the hole that night. No more issues

Second nest was on the outer edge of my yard by a neglected shrub bush, the grass was overgrown in that area due to the previous owners neglect. Didn’t know I was standing by it until the bastards were going up my shorts. To say I ran yelling and screaming was not an understatement. Multiple stings/bites to my legs hands, and back. Sprayed and poured gas that night down the hole. No more issues

Fast forward three weeks, tree falls in backyard, start cutting it up and get to around where the second nest was fine. I was cautious but nothing came out. Cause they had moved to the other side of the bush and swarmed me again, X3 bites/stings (back of head,leg and hand). Neighbor saw me running, helped me make a mixture of seven dust and ortho which killed the nest.

Waited a week before I even messed with anything, because by this point I was honestly tired of being stung and was starting to worry about becoming allergic because I’ve been stung so much. Went out to the down tree and threw different stuff at different parts thought they might be at. Nothing came out, so started cutting up and dragging the debris into a clearing in my woods is already checked. Apparently not well enough, cause there was a nest back there and got stung twice (left arm and right leg). Throw seven dust mixture and ortho on it and kill nest.

By this point, I’m honestly a nervous nelly working outside anything other than mowing. Finally get the courage to get started again, check everywhere I’m going to and nothing comes out. Make a lot of progress and throw debris in at a different spot because I was gun shy to go to my clearing. Finally decide to walk down there, bastards had made a nest right at the base of the new wood pile and got my twice (back of head and leg). Mixture of seven dust and ortho, followed up with gas that night cause I was pissed and wanted no survivors.

Almost every time I go outside, minus when I’m mowing, I’m getting stung. Honestly, I’d rather it be me as opposed to my wife, toddler or newborn but it’s getting real old.

Any one for any helpful tips/tricks to prevent nests being built? I think part of the problem is the previous owners let areas become overgrown
 
Following. 5 nests in the last two months in my yard. Not under bushes or in tree’s…..in the dang yard in spots that get mowed. I’m going on three weeks without cutting now because I’m tired of getting stung which is doubly aggravating because the fancy new Scag I just bought this year isn’t being used.
 
Pogue said:
Following. 5 nests in the last two months in my yard. Not under bushes or in tree’s…..in the dang yard in spots that get mowed. I’m going on three weeks without cutting now because I’m tired of getting stung which is doubly aggravating because the fancy new Scag I just bought this year isn’t being used.
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We park the mower over the holes.

I know it’s not helpful to the main thread question, but it’s satisfying to hear them bastids get mulched.
 
I don't know how you can prevent them but when you find them do not put anything on the nest in the daylight. Wait until after dark and all of them will be in the nest, then gas them or whatever you are going to use. That may be your problem? You are not killing all of them when you hit the nest in the daylight and the ones that are out will not go back in the nest that you have already sprayed after it gets dark.
 
The only one I didn’t want till it got dark was the last one. Mainly cause I was pissed and wanted to kill as many of those swarming bastards then and there as I could.

All others have been done at dark
 
I use the Bioadvanced Complete pest control. You have to put it out every 3 months while bugs are active, but it runs off or kills everything (even before it's watered in).

It's on sale at Lowe's now. I picked up 7 bags for my 0.69 acre lot.
 
Ant spray over the hole. I've done several including in retaining walls. The bees don't react to the spray, they must think it's raining. Never had to spray twice.
 
crazysarge16 said:
@tod0987
I’ve got a half acre

ive never heard of this stuff, where can I get
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Agrisupply in Gardner may be the cheapest if you buy by the gallon at around $60. By the pint it is $25. https://www.agrisupply.com/fire-ant-bifen-1-gallon/p/111977/

They have to come in contact with it, but maybe if the area is treated they will go somewhere else and be someone else's problem. I use it successfully for fire ants, black, ants, roaches, and kills some lawn insects as well.

Grim's recommendation may be even easier with just a broadcast spreader.
 
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I assume you have areas of bare soil exposed? That's one of their preferred environments.
 
you asked about prevention, and other than all out chemical warfare the only way I know to "prevent" is to trap and/or scout out the nests. You can put out some bait and then observe their flight paths. I've seen similar to an ant-trail but in the air. Or you can make some soda bottle traps and thin out the population:
 
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Seems like I heard once that you can glue paper to a balloon and paint it grey to simulate a hornets nest and hand them around the property. Scares the other bees.
 
I love the smell of dead yellow jackets in the morning... :cool:

iu
 
Not much help about prevention, but I wonder if you've been "marked" by so many stings; maybe that's why they come after you so aggressively.

I seem to recall reading (quite some time ago) that once you'd been hit, other wasps/hornets/YJMFR's detect the chemical marker that tells them you're a threat, so they automatically swarm and sting.

Again, not much help, but maybe some research will turn up a way to get rid of that red flag (if it really exists and you've got it).

Good luck. Kill em all.
 
Windini said:
Not much help about prevention, but I wonder if you've been "marked" by so many stings; maybe that's why they come after you so aggressively.

I seem to recall reading (quite some time ago) that once you'd been hit, other wasps/hornets/YJMFR's detect the chemical marker that tells them you're a threat, so they automatically swarm and sting.

Again, not much help, but maybe some research will turn up a way to get rid of that red flag (if it really exists and you've got it).

Good luck. Kill em all.
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There is a chemical marker but it shouldn't be very long lived. It definitely would be washed off by a shower.

Get some skunks. They like to eat yellow jackets.
 
I don't know anything about preventing them. Only thing I know to do is find them, and then kill them. Hopefully they stop coming back after a while.

I've had two nests of them in my back yard in the last few years. Easiest way I know to get rid of them is to mark the hole to their nest during the day, and then go back at night when they're all in the nest. Pour about 6-8 ounces of gasoline down the hole, and set a brick or a bucket on top so they can't escape. They'll all be dead by morning. Works like a charm.
 
Seven Dust in the top and around of the entrance hole. That's what we have to do here at work or I gas and tourch those little bastards. REMEMBER They may have a back door hole to escape from so be careful.
 
I have been told that they always have a backdoor hole to the nest and you need to find it also. Also heard if you find both holes cover with a glass jar , since they can see light they won't start digging a new hole and will suffocate
 
This is how I got rid of them.

Termidor SC

Empty milk jug, hanging in a nearby tree. 1 Can of Swanson chicken, dosed with the Termidor. I cut big holes in two sides of the milk jug, placed the can of dosed chicken in the milk jug and they were gone in 24-48 hours.

They are attracted to proteins, like wasps. They will pick up the poison chicken, take it back to the nest and the slow release poison will kill the hive. It should not harm any honey bee's, you may take a rodent or something but I took it down in 2 days.
 
tagged for interest.
bottom line: i do not know how to prevent yellow jackets.
if i actually did, i would have sold the idea and retired.
 
Bees respirate through their body. Spray them with water and they drown.
R
 
Sp00ks said:
This is how I got rid of them.

Termidor SC

Empty milk jug, hanging in a nearby tree. 1 Can of Swanson chicken, dosed with the Termidor. I cut big holes in two sides of the milk jug, placed the can of dosed chicken in the milk jug and they were gone in 24-48 hours.

They are attracted to proteins, like wasps. They will pick up the poison chicken, take it back to the nest and the slow release poison will kill the hive. It should not harm any honey bee's, you may take a rodent or something but I took it down in 2 days.
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Works for me
 
Sp00ks said:
This is how I got rid of them.

Termidor SC

Empty milk jug, hanging in a nearby tree. 1 Can of Swanson chicken, dosed with the Termidor. I cut big holes in two sides of the milk jug, placed the can of dosed chicken in the milk jug and they were gone in 24-48 hours.

They are attracted to proteins, like wasps. They will pick up the poison chicken, take it back to the nest and the slow release poison will kill the hive. It should not harm any honey bee's, you may take a rodent or something but I took it down in 2 days.
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Know your stingy thingslpl YJ are just assholes.lwuyrp07rz411.jpg
 
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Ran into 2 more yellow jacket nests weed eating around the pond today. Luckily did not get stung. Filled those holes up with some heavily mixed Bifen. This is the 4th nest this year; worst I have seen it in a while.
 
Best prevention is to take good care of your lawn. Yellow Jackets love unattended areas with some sort of protection. Think near structures, stumps, bushes yard trash, under old leaf/lawn clipping piles, etc. They also love not having to mine out the earth themselves, so think rotten root paths, stump holes, disturbed earth, etc.

Had a friend that swore by putting a peeled banana in the hole of the yellow jacket nest, which will attract a skunk or coon, who naturally eat yellow jacket nests as part of their diet. I do know we have a skunk that passes through our yard from time to time and he has torn up yellow jacket nests a few times.

But bait traps are the best for not just mass poisoning of the yard.
 
noway2 said:
Know your stingy thingslpl YJ are just assholes.View attachment 372599
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Nice. Except for the bumblebees. Those little fuzzy bastards will chase you further than wasps and yellow jackets combined if you disturb a nest. Murder pandas 🤔 perhaps.



This year has been horrible for yellow jackets. I have found nests on every job site I’ve been to this season. But over the years I’ve kind of “trained“ my eyes to pick up movement of the little bastards. Hard to explain but I look “over” an area without focusing on anything. If there is a nest in the area your eyes will naturally focus on the movement of the steady stream of yellow jackets coming to and from the nest opening.

It has kept me from walking right into a nest at least a half dozen times this year. There is a monster nest by the stairs from the parking area to the office at work. I’m there after they get active and leave before dark. The boss has tried a few times to kill it. But using my “technique”, about 20’ away is a boulder wall beside where the driveway is. That’s either another nest exactly opposite or that nest is so big that is the escape tunnel. Which would explain why the boss hasn’t killed the one by the steps…..
 
jjwestbrook said:
I have been told that they always have a backdoor hole to the nest and you need to find it also. Also heard if you find both holes cover with a glass jar , since they can see light they won't start digging a new hole and will suffocate
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Tried it, they just dig a new exit.
 
Trevillian said:
Nice. Except for the bumblebees. Those little fuzzy bastards will chase you further than wasps and yellow jackets combined if you disturb a nest. Murder pandas 🤔 perhaps.
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Huh. I've actively stood on their nests while working and never had any issue other than buzzing me. I scoop them up with my hands in the pool and they never offer to sting.

My outdoor shower is under two massive fig trees, and I just stand there naked under the bald-faced hornets, paper wasps, honey bees, and European hornets swarming all over the figs. The yellow jackets are the only ones that will come fly around me.
 
premise said:
Huh. I've actively stood on their nests while working and never had any issue other than buzzing me. I scoop them up with my hands in the pool and they never offer to sting.

My outdoor shower is under two massive fig trees, and I just stand there naked under the bald-faced hornets, paper wasps, honey bees, and European hornets swarming all over the figs. The yellow jackets are the only ones that will come fly around me.
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Perhaps they're intimidated by your "stinger."
 
premise said:
Huh. I've actively stood on their nests while working and never had any issue other than buzzing me. I scoop them up with my hands in the pool and they never offer to sting.

My outdoor shower is under two massive fig trees, and I just stand there naked under the bald-faced hornets, paper wasps, honey bees, and European hornets swarming all over the figs. The yellow jackets are the only ones that will come fly around me.
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Back in my younger days while being a landscaper. I can't count the times I got into a yellow jacket nest but got clear unscathed. With many more times of getting lit up as well.

But every time I've ever come across an actual bumblebee nest. They light me up and chase me for a long dang way. I admit I may have bumblebee PTSD from an incident from when I was around 10 but that is my experience.

Now away from the nest of any of those you mentioned, interested in your figs. Same thing for me. They are much more interested in what they are doing. Never a problem no matter how many are around if I don't crush/pinch/mash one.
 
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