How to Find a Yellowjacket Nest

In my last post, I spoke of yellowjacket hives being underground and that my husband gets rid of them himself. However, I highly recommend getting a professional exterminator to do this, because it can be extremely dangerous to do this yourself. In this post, I'm just going to tell you how to know when a yellowjacket nest is nearby and how to discover where it is so you can safely mark the spot for your hired professional. And in case you don't know what a yellowjacket looks like, here's a picture you can use as a reference.

yellowjacket image courtesy of Wikiepedia.

Yellowjackets are members of the wasp family, but they are plumper than the average wasp. And although they resemble the more docile honeybee we all adore, the yellowjacket is extremely aggressive and not as fuzzy.

So, if you begin to notice quite a few yellowjackets in your yard, just be watchful. Often, where they are more plentiful, you will be near their nest. Sometimes, you can see them come and go throughout the day. But near sundown is when they come back to the nest and will be more plentiful. From a safe distance, watch where they return to. Most of the yellowjackets will return from the direction the sun is setting in. So, you can usually find a safe place to watch them as they return to their nest. Safely mark the location with an object that you will recognize when the exterminator comes out. There will usually be a noticeable opening that leads underground. And they are capable of building a nest underground much like its close relative, the hornet, builds its nest above ground.

One sting from a yellowjacket hurts, but several stings from several yellowjackets can be deadly even if you aren't allergic to wasp and bee venom. And the least little thing can set them off, such as a lawn mower mowing over their nest as has happened to my husband. Another time, I was washing the house siding and I was spraying the soap suds on the ground. My older son who was not even 2 years old at the time was with me. The water happened to be flooding the yellowjacket nest that I was unaware of. So, they came after my son and me. I turned loose of the running water hose and got him to safety, because he was the closest in their line of attack. Thankfully, each of us got away with only a couple of stings. Needless to say, I don't worry about the soap suds on the ground any more when I'm cleaning the house siding.

So, never approach a yellowjacket nest. Keep your distance when you know one is nearby. And call your exterminator to eliminate the danger.

Comments

Bounty Paper Towels Product Review

Today, I want to let you in on a little secret . I recently bought a new four-pack of Bounty paper towels - full sheets. I am not a select-a-size fan at all, for the record. Anyway, the newer package didn't look as thick as the last several packages I had bought over the last several years. I happened to have an older package in storage (and I actually noticed not long ago that the rolls seemed to be smaller in more recent packages, as well, based on the way they fit more loosely in my paper towel holder; not too long ago, they were very snug in my holder until I had used four or five paper towels), so I compared the two when I brought the newer package home. Lo and behold, I was correct. So, I think the decrease in sheets actually started happening gradually over the last year or so. But this time, the reduction was very noticeable. And I hope Bounty won't decrease the size anymore. As you can see in the pictures below, the older package of paper towels shows 58 sheets per r...

Finally a Few Nice Days in a Row

I've been waiting and waiting for spring temps to arrive for more than a couple of days without rain. And this is the week! We finally have some color in the yard and on our deck. So, I want to share what my husband, son, and I have been up to for the last few days. First of all, we had our first cookout on Sunday, April 28 to celebrate our younger son's birthday. That officially kicks off spring. I mixed the first batch of hummingbird nectar a couple of weeks ago, hoping the males would take advantage while the females were tending to their nests. As far as we can tell, 1 male has visited twice. Of course, we can't look out the window all of the time. But we do look out frequently. And we hang them in 2 locations that we can see directly from the kitchen windows. The rose bushes started blooming about a week ago, and I finally had time to take pictures of them. I pulled out the grass and weeds that were growing around them a couple of hours after I took the front-facing ...

Tomedes Free Transcription and Translation

Recently, as you know, I’ve transitioned from a career in transcription and data entry to one focused on generating passive income . Throughout this shift, I’ve realized that I still rely on AI transcription services for the writing component of my new business. In previous posts, I mentioned several AI transcription options, and today, I want to highlight Tomedes’ free Transcribing (up to a 10 MB video file) and Translation services. Tomedes Transcribing and Translation Services Like other free offerings, these services come with certain limitations and may incur additional charges once those limits are exceeded. However, I find their free offers to be comparable to other AI transcription and translation platforms available online. Offering free services showcases Tomedes' confidence in their products. Additionally, providing these free options helps build trust between the company and users, while also giving individuals the opportunity to explore and experience the features o...

Search This Blog