Salt Lake City can be a great place to enjoy the summer with amazing weather and many outdoor areas to explore. However, there is one pest that can make spending time outside on your property particularly difficult and terrifying. Yellowjackets are one pest that scare people, and there is a good reason for this. They are a species of wasp, but they are more aggressive than most other wasps in the area
Because there are other wasp species in the area, knowing what yellowjackets look like can be very useful. Here is a brief overview of what they look like and how to tell this aggressive and dangerous species apart:
- Their bodies are smooth and don’t have fur.
- They have yellow and black stripes.
- They have a sleek, almost shiny appearance.
- The node, or waist, that attaches their abdomen and thorax is extremely small.
- They have a thin, streamlined look.
While you might notice yellowjackets flying around your yard, another way to identify them is by their nests. If you see a nest around your property with these characteristics, you are likely dealing with yellowjackets:
- The nests have a papery appearance.
- They often look almost like a greyish paper mache.
- Their nests are often built in shrubs or trees.
Are There Benefits To Yellowjackets?
When most people see yellowjackets, their first reaction is fear. While it’s good to a healthy fear of them, there are some benefits that yellowjackets and other wasps provide.
Just like bees, yellowjackets are pollinators which makes them an important part of the ecosystem and food production. They also help control small insect populations.
However, yellowjackets are dangerous to humans because of their ability to sting multiple times. They can inject their venom over and over, not just once. This means that even people who aren’t allergic to their sting can end up with serious side effects and have to go to the hospital. For those who do have allergies, a severe yellowjacket attack can even be fatal in some cases.
How To Keep Yellowjackets Off Of Your Property
While you can’t completely prevent yellowjackets from coming around, there are some things you can do to make your yard less appealing and welcoming to them. The most effective way to prevent yellowjackets is to focus on making your property less attractive for them to build nests.
Here are the best ways to keep yellowjackets away:
- Keep outdoor trash fitted with lids so they aren’t attracted to the smells.
- Make sure to clean up food and drink spills outside as they are often attracted to sweet smells as well.
- If you store pet food outdoors, keep it in air-tight containers.
- Keep hot tubs and water fountains treated with the right chemicals.
- Remove standing water that yellowjackets will seek to drink from.
Don’t Put Yourself At Risk: Get Professional Help
You’re most likely to be stung by yellowjackets when attempting to remove their nests. Even seemingly inactive nests might not be free of all yellowjackets, and you could be putting your safety at risk by trying to remove them. The safest and most effective way to get rid of nests on your Salt Lake City property is to get in touch with the professionals at Pest Pro Pest Control. Our technicians can provide safe nest removal as well as prevention assistance. Contact us to schedule your free inspection.