Yellowjackets in Florida
Found throughout the United States, yellowjackets are the most infamous wasps of the stinging insects commonly found in Florida.
What Do Yellowjackets Look Like?
Yellowjackets are small wasps with yellow and black markings on their abdomen. They have smooth, shiny bodies, and their stingers are capable of stinging multiple times. These insects are known for their aggressive behavior, especially when protecting their nests.
In Florida, there are two types of yellow jackets from the Vespula family: the Eastern yellow jacket (Vespula maculifrons) and the Southern yellow jacket (Vespula squamosa). Yellowjackets are often confused with bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata) because they look similar. However, bald-faced hornets are typically bigger in size and build their nests above ground, while yellowjackets build their nests underground.
These social wasps can be found in paper nests made from wood fiber, often hidden in wall voids or eaves.
Signs of a Yellowjacket Infestation
If you notice an increase in yellowjacket activity around your property, it may indicate a nearby nest. Look for these signs:
- Increased Yellowjacket Activity: Yellowjackets are most active in late summer. You may see them foraging for nectar or food around your home.
- Nests in Protected Places: Yellowjacket nests are often hidden in places like eaves, wall voids, or burrows in the ground. These nests are made of paper-like material and can be large.
- Aggressive Behavior: If you accidentally disturb their nest, yellowjackets may sting multiple times, injecting venom that can cause pain and, in some cases, allergic reactions.
If you suspect a yellowjacket infestation, it’s best to call pest control professionals who can safely remove nests and prevent sting risk. Contact the experts at Florida Pest Control today.
Habitat, Diet, Life Cycle & Behaviors
Yellowjackets are highly social wasps known for their aggressive behavior and large colonies. They build nests in a variety of locations, including underground burrows, trees, and structures. Their nesting habits, diet, and life cycle play a key role in their behavior and interactions with humans.
Where Do Yellowjackets Live?
Yellowjackets can be divided into ground nesters, which frequently use old rodent burrows, and aerial nesters. Above-ground nests are found among the leafy branches of trees and shrubs and also on structures. Occasionally, the nest may be constructed on the side of a building, in wall voids, under eaves, crawlspaces, and attics. The entrance of the nest is normally a hole located at the bottom.
These aerial nesters don’t become scavengers in the fall, but they are extremely defensive when their nests are disturbed. Locating the nest, through observing flight patterns, is essential to eliminate them.
Diet
These wasps are scavengers and eat many types of food. Adult yellowjackets feed mainly on fruit juices and other sweet liquid materials, whereas their larvae are fed bits of soft-bodied insects like caterpillars and flies. In late summer, when natural food sources are fewer, yellowjackets become more aggressive in their search for sweet foods, including food scraps from humans.
Life Cycle
Yellowjackets begin their life cycle in spring when a fertilized queen starts a new colony. She builds a small paper nest and lays eggs that hatch into worker yellowjackets. These workers help expand the nest and take care of the colony. As summer continues, the colony grows bigger, and new queens and males are made. By late summer, the colony reaches its full size. In the fall, most of the colony dies off, and the fertilized queens overwinter, starting the cycle again the next year.
Behaviors
Yellowjackets are social wasps that live in large colonies. They protect their nests and can become very aggressive if they feel threatened. These beneficial wasps live in colonies with thousands of individuals and would be a lesser threat to humans were it not for their opportunistic behavior of nesting in structural voids, attics, and cavities associated with landscaping features. They are most active in late summer when they are foraging for food and defending their nests.
Are Yellowjackets Dangerous?
Yes, yellowjackets can be dangerous. Yellowjackets are slow to sting unless their nest is threatened. However their stings pose a more serious threat to humans than bees’ stings, because a yellowjacket’s stinger is not barbed like a honeybee, allowing it to sting repeatedly. Some individuals are more sensitive than others, due to allergic reactions, and should seek medical attention when stung. These wasps are known to become more aggressive in the late summer and early fall months.
Sometimes yellowjackets living in wall voids chew their way through the drywall and enter the structure’s living space. Naturally, the presence of large numbers of wasps flying around the room can be alarming to homeowners. If you spot a yellowjacket nest, always contact a licensed wasp removal expert for help.
How to Get Rid of Yellowjackets?
The safest way to get rid of yellowjackets is to call a professional pest control service like Florida Pest Control. Our experts can find and remove yellowjacket nests without causing harm. Trying to remove a nest yourself can be dangerous, especially if you disturb the yellowjackets.
Yellowjacket Prevention Tips
To prevent yellowjackets from nesting near your home, follow these tips:
- Seal cracks and gaps: Block any entry points around your home to prevent yellowjackets from getting inside.
- Keep trash bins covered: Make sure your trash bins are tightly sealed to avoid attracting yellowjackets with food scraps.
- Remove fallen fruit: Yellowjackets are drawn to sugary foods, so pick up any fallen fruit from trees regularly.
- Inspect for nests: Check areas like eaves and wall voids for early signs of nests to catch them before they become a problem.
Need Help with Bees, Wasps, or Hornets?
Don’t wait to act. From yellowjackets to paper wasps to honeybees, these stinging insects can be dangerous, especially when threatened. Our team of bee, wasp, and hornet exterminators will safely remove nests and help prevent future infestations. Get your FREE quote with Florida Pest Control today.
FAQs
How can you get rid of a yellowjacket nest?
To safely get rid of a yellowjacket nest, it’s best to contact pest control experts, who have the necessary protective clothing and expertise. Attempting to remove the nest yourself can be dangerous since yellowjackets can sting multiple times when threatened.
Are yellowjackets pollinators?
Yes, yellowjackets do help with pollination. As their primary diet consists of nectar and sugary foods, they visit flowers to feed, transferring pollen in the process.
Do yellowjackets leave stingers?
Unlike honey bees, yellowjackets do not leave their stinger behind when they sting. Their smooth stinger allows them to sting multiple times. This can make them more dangerous to humans, especially if they feel their nest is threatened.
Where do yellowjackets nest?
Yellowjackets build nests in various locations, including underground burrows, tree branches, eaves, and wall voids. They construct their nests using wood fiber, creating paper-like structures.
Where do yellowjacket wasps go in the winter?
In winter, yellowjacket colonies typically die off, but fertilized queens survive. These queens overwinter in protected places, such as under tree bark or in wall voids. Come spring, the queen will start a new colony, laying eggs that hatch into workers to help build the nest.
