Yellowjackets are one of the most unwelcome pests in any garden, especially when they invade your home. Therefore, learning how to safely and quickly get rid of Yellowjackets once they make a home on your property is a must.
Unlike getting rid of flying ants or mosquitoes, yellow vests can cause very painful stings that can lead to complications in some people, so while it’s possible to get rid of yellow vests yourself, it’s always recommended to call a professional if you’re that susceptible if you are elderly, suffer from allergies or are unsure whether to remove these insects yourself.
Here we’ve collected expert recommendations for trying to get rid of Yellowjackets and how to prevent Yellowjackets so you can start tackling a Yellowjacket problem before it gets too serious.
How to get rid of Yellow Vests
“The first thing to do if you think you’re dealing with yellowjackets is to clearly identify these insects as the source of your problem,” says Rachel Crow, gardening editor for Houses & Gardens. “Yellowjackets are a species of wasp but can be distinguished by their extremely aggressive nature, sometimes stinging unprovoked despite appearing like regular wasps and hornets.”
“Before you start fighting a yellow vest infestation, you need to have a plan,” Rachel warns. “You can’t get rid of these highly volatile bugs quickly with a few precautions, much like getting rid of wasps in general.”
How to get rid of a Yellowjacket infestation
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1. Find the nest
Finding a Yellowjacket nest outside can be relatively easy. These wasp-like insects are very active during the day, so following a wasp at a distance should get you back to their nest hole fairly quickly. It’s worth noting that these beetles usually make their nests in tall structures like trees and rotting wood, or underground. It can even be in the sloping ceilings or eaves of your home.
Indoors, the wasp nests may be in your attic, or if you are particularly unlucky, they may have found space in your wall cavities.
“Once you’ve found the nest, tracking the entry points is the next important step,” says Rachel. “Simply observing the Yellow Vests, also from a safe distance or wearing protective gear, should be enough to pinpoint the flight holes – there may be more than one.”
2. Cover the entrances to the nest
Covering the entrances and exits to a nest is a controversial tip when trying to get rid of wasps and other ground-dwelling insects, such as getting rid of ground bees. While some professions say this will only anger the Yellowjackets to find an alternative way out, others say it is the ideal method of indirectly dealing with Yellowjackets.
If you try this method, cover the Yellowjackets’ entrances with a glass bowl at night when they are not as active. This method works best when the nest is underground. Make sure there is no gap between the bowl and the ground by heaping sand around the outer rim – wasps will find the tiniest of holes to escape in and out of. Weight the bowl down and leave undisturbed for a week or more to cut off the nest and starve the wasps.
Although this method has variable success rates, it is an ideal option to combine with other control measures when the hive has more than one entrance. Block all entrances but one with a bowl to prevent wasps from escaping elsewhere if they attempt other extermination techniques.
3. Empty dry ice
“Dry ice can be hard to come by in some places, but it’s a quick, non-toxic option for those who want to use natural methods to remove yellowjackets,” says Rachel.
Dry ice kills wasps and many other pests on contact, and again works best for underground nests. Pour finely crushed dry ice into the entrance of a Yellowjacket nest and quickly cover the hole with soil or a bowl with a tight seal.
Although this method is quick, it requires close contact with the nest, which can result in stings.
4. Consider commercial killers
“There are several commercial pesticides and insect killers on the market that are among the best options when it comes to pest control,” says Rachel. “Using purpose-built products is one of the only ways to ensure the job gets done right the first time.”
There are several types of conventional treatments from dusting, which can be applied directly to the nest, and drenching, in which the nest is soaked with a chemical pesticide – both of which work weeks after the first application.
Alternatively, commercial baits and traps will save you time and hassle trying to remove wasps, ensuring you have the right products and quantities.
5. Build a bait trap
If you want to avoid buying a commercial trap, you can make your own protein trap using things around the house.
Fill a 5-gallon bucket with warm, soapy water and hang a protein bait like canned fish, liver, or chicken a few inches above the surface. It is important that the bait has a strong scent to attract the wasps. They will be attracted to the food but are likely to slip and drown in the water below.
This method is great to use in conjunction with other control methods, but may not be 100% effective due to the time it takes to kill all wasps. Additionally, this solution only deals with workers and not the queen, as there may be more pests being produced in the nest itself.
6. Destroy the nest
“By far the most direct and risky approach would be to destroy the wasp nest while wasps were in it,” says Rachel. “While not recommended, it can be done with the right clothing and gear.”
For a ground nest, wait until nightfall, when most wasps are less active, before pouring half a mixture of castile-peppermint soap and water into the nest opening, followed by a large quantity of boiling water. It is important to wear heavy clothing with long sleeves and pants, closed-toe shoes, headgear and thick gloves, as the Yellow Vests are swarming.
After a few days of inactivity, dig up and discard the nest, removing any wasp bodies as well.
For an air nest, wrap a thick drawstring bag all the way around the nest and close it completely. Turn the nest so that it detaches from the tree before completely submerging the bag and nest in hot water and weighing it down with a brick or log to hold under for a few hours to ensure any wasps are dead are.
7. Call a professional
As with any pest infestation, calling a professional is the best way to properly and safely get rid of an infestation. A professional will be able to use methods not readily available to untrained homeowners, as well as access to quality safety equipment to limit the risk of injury.
How to prevent Yellow Vests
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1. Prevent Yellowjackets with Peppermint Oil
“Peppermint oil is a highly effective and versatile essential oil when it comes to pest control. From getting rid of mice to getting rid of lawn maggots to getting rid of lizards, its uses are almost endless,” says Rachel.
Add a few drops of peppermint oil to a few tablespoons of dish soap and mix in a spray bottle of warm water. Spray the mixture around your property where Yellow Vests are likely to nest to discourage them from establishing themselves in the area.
This mix can also be used to discourage wasps from returning to an established nest.
2. Limit food sources
Getting rid of a creature’s food source discourages it from establishing a permanent residence on your property. “Cover outdoor trash cans, clean up outdoor spills, and store pet food indoors,” suggests Rachel. “Pick fruits from your vegetable garden as soon as they are ripe, or cover them to prevent wasps from feeding on them, and treat other infestations in your garden to rid them of their protein source.”
3. Hang an artificial nest
“Yellow Vests, like hornets, are incredibly territorial and will not make a home where they think other Yellow Vests already exist,” advises Rachel.
4. Clean up your garden
Yellowjackets, like many other pests, thrive in unkempt gardens and provide excellent shelters. Get rid of rotting wood and piles of trash and leaves in your yard to make your yard less attractive to these dangerous insects.
When you’re tidying up your garden, you should also consider planting some of the best wasp-repelling plants to help deter yellow jackets and their insect kin long-term without affecting helpful bees.
Maintaining a manicured garden will also help get rid of moles and termites.
How do I get rid of wasps when I can’t find the nest
If you can’t find the source of your Yellowjacket problem, set a feed bait trap. Yellowjackets collect the food and allow you to carefully follow them back to their hive.
However, be careful not to disturb the hive once you find it, as a disturbed colony is likely to become defensive and attack.
Do wasp nests have two entrances?
As with other swarming insects, yellowjacket nests can have more than one entrance, meaning blocking or spraying killers into one hole could force angry yellowjackets from another hole to defend their space. If the nest is inside your home, forcing the wasps out of their nest from a new hole or a less-used hole can cause further damage to your property as well.
