Do it Yourself - Yellow Jacket Prevention

• Size - Yellow Jackets are about a half inch in length.

• Body - They have a smooth, hairless, elongated body with an abrupt segment between the thorax and abdomen.

• Color - The abdomen is covered bright, black and yellow stripes.  You can observe many small black triangles or "tooth" patterns jutting out of the black stripes.  The eyes appear dark black and the "neck" area also appears black.

Yellow Jackets are often confused with the Paper Wasp due to similar colors and features.  Here are some ways to distinguish them.

• Segmented Body - the Paper Wasp has a gradually thin waist with a slender abdomen while Yellow Jackets's abdomens abruptly start and they are thick.

• Legs - Paper Wasps dangle their long legs during flight while Yellow Jackets tuck them while flying.

• Antennae - Paper Wasps have orange-tipped antennae while Yellow Jackets are all black.

• Nests - Paper Wasps make open faced "honey comb" appearing nests.  Yellow Jackets will have a single opening to their nest and will cover them with a paper like material both outside or under ground.

• Behavior - Paper Wasps are not as aggressive as Yellow Jackets and feed mostly on fruits and flowers.  Yellow Jackets love meat and sweets and will often bother humans in pursuit of their food.

Queen Yellow Jackets will look for places to start their nest and colony.  Eliminating tempting real estate goes a long way in prevention.

• Animal Burrows - These holes are great for keeping the weather off the Yellow Jackets and their nest.  This is why walking your property in Spring time and filling these holes with dirt is a great preventive measure.

• Rotten Wood - Tree Stumps and broken down root systems should be removed as they provide great cover for a new nest.

• Exposed Soil - Yellow Jackets are capable of relocating soil and digging into the ground when a mammal burrow isn't available.  This means they can turn a tiny mouse hole into an underground "cavern" large enough to create nests larger than a basketball.  Ensuring exposed soil is covered with gravel, heavy mulch or grass can help prevent this. 

• Moist Lawn - A well watered lawn deters Queens from exploring as they don't like damp soil.

What's worse than a Yellow Jacket nest in your lawn?  One that's on or in your house!  Here are some steps to prevent that from happening.  

• Seal Exterior House Cracks - This is an effort that requires work both high and low but the results are worth it!  Use a quality caulk or expanding foam in unwanted cracks and openings along your foundation, window frames, siding and utility pipes/conduits.

• Utility Vent Screens - A fine mesh insect screen over different vents are a great way to stop nesting in these tempting nest areas.  Just ensure the screen doesn't impede the functionality of the vent.

• Deterrents - A mixture of geranium, cloves and lemongrass essential oils to vulnerable areas help deter nests from forming.  Also, Yellow Jackets can't stand strong scents like mint!  Apply these natural deterrents in areas where nests have been in the past and under your eaves to discourage a nest from starting.

• Vegetation -  Sweet, flowering plants are wonderful to look at but provide a nice resource for Yellow Jackets.  When planted next to your home, it can be a bit of an invitation.  Basil and Thyme grown in planter boxes are a natural and portable deterrent!

• Seal the Trash Buffet - Trash Cans provide a cornucopia of food and resources for these pests.  Make sure these are always sealed!

• Decoys - Believe it or not, there are actual fake nests you can buy and hang on your home.  Yellow Jackets are very territorial toward other Yellow Jackets not part of their colony.  A fake Yellow Jacket nest can send the sign to other Yellow Jackets to avoid the area.