We could begin this article with a description of a yellow jacket, but there is little chance you don't know what a yellow jacket looks like--if you live in South Portland. Those aggressive little black and yellow wasps are a significant pest in Southern Maine. But, there are a few things you may not have heard about yellow jackets. Let's see if we can tell you something you don't know.
Yellow jackets can establish ground nests. If you've had a furry animal making holes in your yard, it is possible for a yellow jacket nest to form in one of those holes. These nests can be extremely hard to detect. A ground nest may be created under a shed or outbuilding. It may be established in an area of vegetation that is as small as a flowerbed. It is important to look for yellow jacket activity.
If you have a ground nest in your yard, it is a recipe for disaster. Yellow jackets are fierce nest protectors and it doesn't take much to set them off. It could be something as simple as vibrations caused by a lawnmower. And, when these wasps get agitated, they swarm.
When a swarm of yellow jackets attacks, it is made worse by the fact that yellow jackets can sting multiple times. They do not lose their stinger like bees do. That means a single yellow jacket trapped in your clothing can make for a very uncomfortable day.
You can't hold your breath longer than a yellow jacket's desire to sting you. If you're fleeing from yellow jackets, it is never a good idea to jump in a pond, a lake, or a pool. Those wasps will not be fooled. Not even a little bit. They'll hover above until you come up. Move quickly to a sealed car or sealed building.
Yellow jackets can create a supernest when they establish that nest inside a structure that is heated. Without the cold Maine winter weather to kill them off, yellow jackets continue to grow the population of their nests. Be careful when entering a heated structure that has been unoccupied for a few years. You may find yourself in a bad situation, very quickly.
The best way to prevent yellow jacket stings is to get ongoing pest control service for your home. A professional pest control technician will eliminate nests in your yard and help you to make your yard resistant to these painful pests. When you have fewer yellow jackets on your property, you have much less to worry about.
Reach out to Big Blue Bug Solutions and get your pest protection in place today.