Problem Identifier Unit Screen//v.w/ RR Template

Problem Identifier Unit Screen//v.w/ RR Template Yellowjackets

Problem
Yellowjackets are present around the home. They hover around patios, picnic areas, garbage cans, and other areas where food or garbage is exposed. Yellowjackets may be seen flying into underground nests. They will also nest in wall voids and heating ducts if access is available. Yellowjackets inflict painful stings when threatened or harmed, or when their nests are approached.

Analysis
(Vespa and Vespula species)
&NBSP;&NBSP;Unlike most other species of wasps, yellowjackets live in large colonies, often numbering in the thousands. Some species of yellowjackets feed their young on insects and spiders, while others scavenge scraps of meat from recreational areas or dump sites. These pests may also feed on nectar, sap, and other sugary fluids, and may be seen hovering around soft drinks and cut fruit. Yellowjackets can inflict painful stings, and are capable of repeated stings. The venom injected along with the sting causes reddening, swelling, and itching of the affected area. Some people who are very sensitive to the stings experience extreme swelling, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, and even death. Yellowjackets are very protective of their nests, and large numbers may emerge to sting intruders. Some species of yellowjackets build their nests underground; the only evidence of the nest is a raised mound of dirt surrounding a depression several inches deep. Other species build football-shaped nests in trees or shrubs, or under eaves. Almost all yellowjackets die in the late fall, and overwintering queens start new nests the following spring in a different location.

Solution
Keep food and garbage covered, and empty garbage frequently. To kill yellowjackets before picnicking, spray with ORTHO Outdoor Insect Fogger or place a properly baited yellow jacket trap downwind from the picnic or barbecue area (the yellowjackets will be attracted to the bait and die within minutes after entering the trap). To remove yellowjackets from the vicinity, you must eliminate the nests. After locating the nests, spray them at dusk or during the night with ORTHO Hornet & Wasp Killer. Stay 8 feet away from the nest, and spray directly into the entrance hole. If you need to illuminate the area, use a flashlight covered with red cellophane. Use it for only short periods of time. Stop spraying when the yellowjackets begin to emerge; leave the nest area quickly by walking, not running away. Repeat the spraying every evening until the insects fail to emerge, then quickly cover the hole with moistened soil. Contact a professional pest control operator to remove yellowjacket nests in difficult locations, or if they are inside the home. If you are stung, apply a cold compress or ice pack to the affected area. If a severe reaction develops, call your doctor.