Wasps and yellow jackets are mostly seen during late summer and fall, and not many insects bring up as many bad memories as these unwanted pests.
Have you ever been enjoying a nice lunch on the back patio and are forced to share your lunch with yellow jackets that seem to appear as soon as you sit down? There is a reason for it! During the end of Summer and early Fall you will see an increase in activity due to the colony preparing for winter and encountering a dwindling food supply. They become very aggressive as they fight for the limited amount of food available, significantly raising your chances of being stung!
Here are some facts about wasps:
- Wasp can live anywhere, except for Antarctica.
- There are about 30,000 wasp species.
- Wasp create their own paper to build their nest with, by chewing and spiting bark.
- Wasps aren’t just black and yellow. Depending on the species, they can come in orange, brown, red, green, and even blue.
- Only female wasps can sting.
- Wasps can recognize each other through their unique facial patterns.
- Most wasps die once temperatures drop.
Here are some more interesting facts about wasps.
Wasp and Yellowjacket Identification
Yellowjackets are a subgroup of Wasps but they both have their own unique behaviors and physical features to separate them.
WASPS: Paper wasps possess slim, segmented bodies featuring a narrow waist. Additionally, these wasps are characterized by their antennae, which have distinctive orange tips. When they fly their long legs dangle below them. Their nests resemble an open honeycomb and are known to be built inside man-made structures. The homes are made from wood that is chewed up and placed in desired areas.
YELLOWJACKETS: Yellow jackets are the short and stubby version of a paper wasp. They have Shorter and thicker bodies with solid black antennae. Yellowjackets keep their legs close to their body when they fly. Typically their nests have a single opening for entry and exit. Usually, it is hard to see because the nest is underground. There are however yellowjackets that construct their nests in the openings of walls and eaves of your home.
Why do wasps comeback to the same place they have nested before?
Wasps release pheromones that can remain in an area, even if the nest has been removed. This will later attract wasps back to the same spot. If you have wasps problems, it is best that you contact a professional that can use a pheromone blocker, to prevent more wasps from coming back. It is the best way to completely get rid of the problem.
Now is the time to take action! A Yellow Jacket colony will die off as the weather turns cold and the surviving Queen will leave the colony to look for a warm and safe place to spend the winter. It’s very important to treat the colony while the Queen is still present so she isn’t around to return the following year and build a brand new colony on your property.
AIMVO PEST CONTROL
At AIMVO Pest Control, we will get rid of your wasps, and block their pheromones to prevent them from coming back. If they do, we offer free retreatments, as well as a 100% money back guarantee policy, making your pest control service risk free.