Yellowjackets & Wasps: What to Know & How to Stop Them

When the Hunters Become the Hunted

If you were to host a dinner party for all the insects in town, yellowjackets wouldn’t be a pleasant guest to have. They’re extremely aggressive and can sting repeatedly, unlike honeybees that sting once and die shortly afterward.

While they’re often referred to as “wasps,” or “paper wasps,” yellowjackets are a specific type of wasp. Therefore, all yellowjackets are wasps, but not all wasps are yellowjackets (still with us?). Behaviorally, yellowjackets are far more aggressive than other types of wasps. They can even sting without being provoked.

One way to distinguish yellowjackets/wasps from bees is the fur-like hairs on bees’ bodies. Yellowjackets are black and bright yellow with a smooth, shiny appearance. But don’t be fooled by their nice looks—yellowjackets are not to be challenged without the proper equipment and training. Yellowjackets are most prevalent during the late summer and early fall when temperatures are high. But with proper treatment and care, you can prevent these aggressors from disrupting your summer and entering your NJ property uninvited.

Understanding a Key Difference Between Yellowjackets & Honeybees

Because yellowjackets and bees have similar features, people tend to confuse the two. However, there is a stark difference between them. Bees are pollinators, meaning they collect and transfer pollen from many different types of plants. Their work is essential for the health and growth of crops all over the world. While yellowjackets and wasps are beneficial for hunting and reducing other pests that are harmful to plants, they are not pollinators. They do not have the “fur” that bees do, which means pollen doesn’t stick as well to their bodies.

In our experience as an NJ pest control company, we’ve met customers who believe that wasps are valuable pollinators like bees. For this reason, they’re hesitant to exterminate the wasps or yellowjackets. We want to emphasize that exterminating wasps is not the same thing as exterminating bees. We have an entirely different process for removing/relocating honeybees because they are pollinators and ultimately, much less aggressive than yellowjackets.

What Causes An Infestation of Yellowjackets?

Yellowjackets invite themselves to your home or property. You might have a wasp or yellowjacket problem on your hand if:

• There are any gaps or voids in your home’s/building’s eave (the area of the roof that hangs over the exterior siding), the soffits (the finishing material that covers the underside of the roof overhang) and the roofline.

• There are any gaps or voids in your home’s/building’s dormers. The dormer is the roofed structure, often containing a window, that rests on the sloped portion of the roof.

• There are voids or gaps in your siding and/or around windows and doors.

• The initial signs of yellowjackets are ignored, which results in an infestation.

Yellowjackets are not clueless. When they run out of room to expand their hive, they may enter your home or building uninvited. Even if the entry point to the hive is closed off, they will still find a way in and out of the hive. They might enter through light fixtures, outlets or gaps in the molding, and they can even chew through sheetrock to reach the hive.

How Do I Know If I Have a Yellowjacket Or Wasp Problem?

If you see a wasp outside of your home or building, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infestation. However, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any of the following:

• The hive. This will look like a brown/gray “paper” ball.

• An influx of yellowjacket activity in a specific area.

• A buildup of insulation particles on the ground outside of your home or building. This likely means the wasps are entering the home/building and removing insulation to help build their nest.

What’s the Process For Removing Yellowjackets/Wasps & Preventing Them From Coming Back?

If you suspect your home or building has a yellowjacket or wasp infestation, don’t try to remove them on your own. Again, yellowjackets are very aggressive and require the proper tools and training for safe, efficient removal.

At Bustabug, we start with an assessment to ensure you’re dealing with yellowjackets/wasps and not honeybees. Once we confirm that wasps are the culprits, we’ll use our training to locate the hive if it’s not immediately visible. We’ll treat the entry points to exterminate the wasps, and we’ll remove the hive if it’s accessible. Afterward, we’ll follow-up to ensure the wasps are no longer active.

The best way to prevent yellowjackets from returning and causing more nuisance is by sealing and covering any areas/voids where wasps or bees can potentially enter. As part of our services, we can help identify the susceptible areas that you’ll want to cover and properly seal. Lastly, if you notice a few wasps or bees, don’t wait and hope that the problem goes away on its own. This can be the difference between a soon-to-be infestation and a full-blown infestation that requires more time and money to treat.

We’ll Take the Sting Out of Your Yellowjacket Problem

Wasps might be resourceful and fast, but they’re no match for our crew. If you suspect or know you have a wasp problem on your property, give us a call. We’ll determine whether it is in fact a wasp infestation. If it is, we’ll work our magic to locate the entry points and remove the “bad guys” from your property. It’s what we love and what we do best!

To schedule a free, in-person consultation for your home or business, contact us online or call Bustabug Pest Control at 973.919.1279.