Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 3:02 pm Post subject: How can I find yellow jacket nests over 5 acres
I am allergic to yellow jacket stings but we are having a lot of trouble finding and getting rid of all their nests. We bought a house on 5 acres but now we can't enjoy our land because of all the yellow jackets! My husband has gotten rid of the nests we have seen under the eaves of the house but I'm sure there are some in the ground on the property because there are still so many yellow jackets around. How do we find ALL the nests? Is there some special equipment that can be used to find them? I have already been stung 4 times, as well as my kids and their friends. I am terrified one of my kids will accidently step on a nest and a swarm will overtake them.
ANY advice is appreciated.
Jenoforegon
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:56 pm Post subject: sending for answer
I'm sending your query out to our members listserver. Hopefully someone will have some advice that we can post here.
Are you confident that the wasps are yellow jackets?
http://bugguide.net/node/view/12982/bgimage
Your comment about finding some in the eaves of your house makes me suspect they might be paper wasps. http://bugguide.net/node/view/572/bgimage
Devin Carroll
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject: Attract and trap
Don’t know if this will help Jennifer, but my guess is that they would likely have better luck attracting and trapping, rather than hunting for nests. Lots of attractants on the market, below is one similar to what I’ve seen used before. Seemed to work.
http://www.critterridders.com/wasp_yellowjackets.htm
Don Thomas
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:38 pm Post subject: web site and mosquito abatement people
Jennifer...try this web site that would help:
http://www.santarosa.edu/lifesciences2/control.htm
Also, when conditions are as severe as the writer indicates, the mosquito abatement people in the county have been known to set up traps baited with a chemical that really brings 'um in. Suggest the writer check out that resource.
In the Walnut Creek area there were great numbers of yellow jackets in 2004; in 2005 it was difficult to find any. So the population may be expected to go up and down.
Regards, Will
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:04 am Post subject: Wasps
The wasps under the eves are Polistes, a beneficial and non-aggressive species and should be protected. Yellowjackets nest in the ground in large groups. As posted before you can put out traps which will catch and kill them at the same time. If you find a ground nest do not approach it in the day time, but you may be able to treat it at night. All of the yellowjackets will die during the winter except for the founder queens that begin again next year.
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:00 am Post subject: Finding Western Yellowjacket
There are a couple of ground-nesting species that are pretty common, and an aerial-nesting species, and an exotic invasive that nests in structures commonly. So, let’s start with knowing that fall is about the end of the line for the population’s, they’re ready to die out, leaving their gravid females behind to overwinter.
The most common species in many areas is the Western Yellowjacket. It can forage for up to 2,700 square feet from its nest, and the nests can have up to 10’s of thousands by fall. You can monitor and hone in on the areas they might be concentrated by putting out yj traps (Sterling brand with heptyl butyrate is working good for me this year) along your perimeters, on fences, in trees, even near to the ground. The traps that catch the most will at least tell you where they are foraging, and you might start walking (with eyes wide open) in circles from that point, to find the nest(s). Every morning this (and other similar species) do an orientation flight up around the entrance to the nest, an easy way to spot them. But if you don’t have time in the a of m, the afternoon light is pretty good for seeing the dive bombing entrances underground.
A few counties in CA have mosquito and vector control districts that will help you after you find the nest, and abate them for free. Most districts will tell you which species are most commonly problems for them.
Good luck, and have fun!!!
Michael Baefsky
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:02 am Post subject: UCIPM website
I took this Pest Note right from UCIPM, www.ipm.ucdavis.edu, click on homes, structures, people, and pets and search for yellow jackets. This collection of homeowner information is really outstanding and well written as helpful notes.
If you can forward tis to jeanoforegon, please do or just send her the website. for Oregon, the best source of pest management info is http://ippc.orst.edu/ but I didn't see much in the way of homeowner pest management.
Peter B. Goodell, Ph.D.
IPM Advisor
UCCE - Statewide IPM Program
Kearney Ag Center
9240 So Riverbend
Parlier CA 93648
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: Look close to water
Yellow jackets will most often reside close to water, such as a spring or stream. Entrance to undergound nest is often obscured by leaf litter and other organic materials. There are traps that work well and if placed in correct areas are very efficent in catch. Queens can be caught in same traps if placed early in spring, and thus reducing the years population. I have worked with several baits with much success, but these should always be used away from your home, yard and garden area to minimize anything that may attact these wasps in areas you want to be in.
Don Bartel
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:18 pm Post subject: Start early
It is too late in the season to do much against the wasps now. Early in the season a concerted effort can be made to bait and trap yellow jackets. Over the counter pheromone traps will reduce the population on a day to day basis. Bait can be suspended from trees or eaves (out of the reach of children or pets) in containers with 1/2 inch holes for wasps to enter. A suitable bait can be mixed with encapsulated diazinon. Baits may be canned catfood early in the season and lime syrup later in the season. A pest control service in the area should be able to do this, although it is simple enough for homeowners to do themselves.
Bruce Craig
Santa Barbara Pest Control
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:38 am Post subject: Paper wasp behavior and allergies
I also am allergic to bees and wasps, and carry an Epipen just incase of an emergency. You should also have some type of antihistamine (Benedryl or a cheaper WalMart version) also.
The allergists call the paper wasps yellow jackets, and as I was on the antigens (bees and wasps) for many years, even I got used to calling them the wrong name.
Probably there are paper wasp nests in some of the trees around your property. If you continue to remove completely the nests around your house, they should not bother you. DO NOT look directly at the nest, because the guards are watching and will attack, or at least warn you with a fly-by. And of course, DO NOT swat at them!! And do not have a water source near your house, as they will come to drink.
Debbie Dexter-Mendez