9 Things You Should Know About Yellow Jackets

If you've lived in Pennsylvania for more than a few years, you know what a yellow jacket is. These wasps can be a terror. We've put together this quick list of why. Hopefully, it will give you some important insight into these painful pests.

1. Yellow jackets are not your normal wasp. If you have lots of wasps that buzz around your home, casually searching your eaves each year to create a nest for the winter, you may not think wasps are too scary, but there is a big difference between paper wasps and yellow jackets. Yellow jackets are social insects. That means they work together to build their nests and protect those nests.
2. Yellow jackets swarm. One of the ways social insects work together is by swarming. If they feel as though their nest is threatened, they will funnel out rapidly and attack. This can be even scarier if a nest is cracked open, accidentally giving these stinging pests a whole lot more exits to come out of. This is the reason yellow jackets are often considered aggressive.
3. Yellow jackets will chase you. The instinct to protect the nests is strong for this insect. For this reason, they have been known to give chase for several yards. They will even go around obstacles or hover near water and wait. That is why it is never a good idea to submerge yourself in water to escape yellow jackets. They can wait longer than you can hold your breath, especially if you've been running.
4. Yellow jackets sting multiple times. Unlike many bees, these wasps don't have a barb on their stinger. That means that, not only will they live long after they've stung you, they can sting you several times. So, it is no fun running into even a small nest of yellow jackets.
5. Yellow jackets can live in the ground. One of the biggest reason these wasps are such a pain, quite literally, is that they can build their nests in the ground or at the base of trees which makes it easy for someone to accidentally step on a nest and break it.
6. Yellow jackets don't just live in the woods. Their inclination to build ground nests in the ground makes them dangerous to have on your property. When you start mowing your grass, the vibration can set these stinging pests off.
7. Yellow jackets live in some pretty strange places. If you go into an outbuilding or shed, you might find yourself face to face with a lot of angry yellow jackets. This is because they get into these places and build their nests in old furniture, stacked materials, and other unexpected things.
8. Yellow jackets can be deadly. The sting from a yellow jacket can cause anaphylactic shock for some people. The more stings, the greater the risk.

The ninth and most important thing you need to know about yellow jackets is that they can be controlled with ongoing pest services. If you live in Pittsburgh, consider having the team here at Witt Pest Management service your home or business. Life is safer and more enjoyable without pests, especially pests like the yellow jacket.