Yellow jackets are wasps that can make your spring or summer miserable. Yellow Jackets can cause structural damage on your property and put you and your loved ones at risk of their painful stings. There are a lot of ways to get rid of a yellow jacket infestation. You can call a professional pest controller or buy insecticides specifically designed for these stinging pests. But did you know that you can get rid of yellow jackets naturally?
How do you know if you have a yellow jacket infestation?
You know you have a yellow jacket infestation when you see a yellow jacket or two on your property. This seems simple enough, but yellow jackets can be easy to miss when there are only a few in the vicinity. This is especially true when their nests are not yet fully matured, like in late spring.
Yellow jackets like sugary foods, so you may see them around garbage cans that may have soda residue or other sugary substances. You may also see them around flower beds and gardens.
Why should you be concerned of yellow jackets?
You should be concerned of yellow jackets because of their painful stings. They can be minor inconveniences that can result in itchiness and swelling. But they can also be life-threatening. If you break out into hives, experience difficulty in breathing, and feel like your throat is swelling, seek medical attention immediately. You may be experiencing anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can occur because of yellow jacket stings.
Why should you get rid of yellow jackets naturally instead of other means?
You can get rid of yellow jackets using insecticides. But these have ingredients that can be harmful to you, your family, and your pets. Generally, there is really nothing wrong with using insecticides as long as you follow the instructions in their labels. They are effective and safe. But there is also nothing wrong with going the natural route.
You can also just get the help of professional pest controllers. But if you think you can handle the yellow jacket infestation yourself, make sure to wear protective gear like face masks, goggles, long sleeves, pants, and gloves. After all, they really won’t appreciate you destroying their nest and killing them. They will defend themselves and their home.
How do you get rid of yellow jackets naturally?
Here are five ways to get rid of yellow jackets naturally. The great thing about these ways is that the materials needed for them may already be available in your home. If not, they are also very accessible. You can say they are more accessible than insecticides specially designed for wasps.
1. Pour boiling or soapy water into the entry points of their nest
Yellow jacket nests can be aerial. You may find them on the eaves of your home and tree limbs. But they can also be in the ground. If they are in the ground, pouring water will be much easier.
You can choose either boiling water or soapy water. Just make sure you pour it properly into the entry points of the yellow jacket nest.
Some people believe that adding mint oil into the water will help too. Though this isn’t really supported by any scientific evidence, it won’t hurt trying it out.
2. Cover the entry points of their nest with a glass bowl
Yellow jackets have predictable flight patterns. They come and go as they look for resources. This predictability will make it easy for you to find their nest and cover it up.
Use a glass bowl to cover the entry points of their nest. This way, you will be able to trap the yellow jackets inside their nest with no way of looking for resources. They will eventually die of starvation. It’s best to cover their nest during nighttime where most of the yellow jackets are back in the nest and resting.
3. Bait the yellow jackets into a sugary trap
Yellow jackets like sugary foods. This is one of the reasons why your property is more vulnerable to yellow jacket infestations during spring and summer. There are a lot of flowers to feed on and probably a lot of sugary drink residues on your garbage cans too.
You can make a DIY wasp trap using a plastic bottle, jam, and water. Cut the plastic bottle 1/3 of the way. Put some jam on the neck of the plastic bottle. Invert it and place it on top of the remaining 2/3 portion. Yellow jackets will go through the neck of the bottle to try and get to the jam, but they will find it hard to get out.
Remember that this method will not work on mature infestations. But it will help reduce the numbers of early infestations.
4. Drop dry ice into the entry points of their nest
Dry ice is slowly gaining popularity as a pest controller. This is because dry ice is basically carbon dioxide in solid form. Once it breaks down, it turns into carbon dioxide gas. This can be very toxic in extreme doses and confined locations.
Get rid of yellow jackets naturally by dropping dry ice into the entry points of their nest. It will be great if you can then cover the nest with a glass bowl to help contain the carbon dioxide and make it more potent.
But be careful in handling dry ice. Make sure to not touch it with your bare hands and keep it out of reach of children and pets.
5. Set up a fake wasp nest
Wasps like yellow jackets are territorial. This is one of the reasons why they are so aggressive. They can easily see you as a threat and sting you even if you don’t actively provoke them. But you can use their territorial nature against them.
Set up a fake wasp nest on your property. If yellow jackets see this and think there are already wasps in the vicinity, they won’t even think about settling there. You can buy fake wasp nests in garden stores, pest control supplies, and the like. You can also create them yourself with grocery paper bags.
It’s always better to get the help of professional pest controllers
Yes, you can get rid of yellow jackets yourself, and you can do it naturally. But is it worth it? You will just put yourself at risk of getting attacked by these territorial pests. Also, natural remedies may not work on severe infestations.
If you are suffering from a yellow jacket infestation, it’s always better to get the help of professional pest controllers who have the experience, knowledge, and proper gear to deal with the situation.