Why You Should NEVER Disturb a Yellowjackets’ Nest

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It happens to every homeowner at some point. You look up and see a yellowjacket nest hanging somewhere around your home. It’s not safe to leave the nest alone and live near a colony of yellowjackets, but it’s also not safe to handle the nest yourself. In the video above, The YellowJacket Expert shows us why you should never disturb a yellowjacket nest.

It may be tempting to try home remedies to get rid of a yellowjacket nest on your own, but watch this video to see how aggressive and angry these stinging insects can get. In the video, the yellowjacket expert suits up and then disturbs the nest to give us an idea of what it looks like when a colony of yellowjackets feels threatened.

So Here’s What Happened

After donning protective equipment, the yellowjacket expert stands in the pathway of the insects. The yellowjackets had been leaving and entering the nest in a steady stream going about their business. But when someone stands in their pathway, they quickly get riled up. Soon enough, the insects outside of the nest start knocking on it to warn the others, and yellowjackets from inside start pouring out.

As the yellowjacket expert explains in the video, he wanted to raise awareness of how dangerous it can be to try to get rid of a nest yourself. When a homeowner sprays a nest or tries to knock it down, they will be met with an aggressive swarm of stinging insects.

About the Common Aerial Yellowjacket

Yellowjacket is the common name for any member of the Vespula and Dolichovespula wasp genera. The insects in the video are common aerial yellowjackets (Dolichovespula arenaria). They are also sometimes called sandhills hornets and common yellow hornets. You recognize them by the distinctive yellow and black patterns on their bodies.

Similar to bees, yellowjackets are highly social insects and live in colonies with a queen. The queen lays eggs, while workers divide up labor, performing specific tasks to benefit the group.

Are Yellowjackets Beneficial?

Yellowjackets are commonly found throughout North America. Although you may not want a nest of them living near your front door, these insects are beneficial to the ecosystem. They are important pollinators, pollinating fruit, and flowering plants. Additionally, they are apex predators in the insect world and eat harmful grubs, beetles, and insects that damage lawns and crops.

How to Recognize a Yellowjacket Nest

While different species of yellowjackets will create different types of nests, the aerial yellowjackets in the video build their nest by using wood. The insects transform wood into a grey, paper-like material. When you watch the video you can see the insects laying paper down over their nest.

Some species of yellowjackets build their nests in the ground, but aerial yellowjackets’ nests are usually located above ground. You’ll find them in trees, shrubs, or on buildings. Wasps look for a sheltered area to build their nest, which is why you often find their nests on porches or under the eaves of houses.

What to Do if You See a Yellowjacket Nest on Your Property?

It depends on where the nest is located. If the nest is not bothering anyone, wildlife experts recommend you leave it. Wasps only use their nest for one season and will be gone the following year. Because these are beneficial insects, it’s best to just let them be if they aren’t bothering you. The nest will be empty in winter and is then safe to remove.

However, if the nest is in a high-traffic area, like near an entryway, you will probably need to have it removed. As we saw in the video, yellowjackets tend to get aggressive fast when people get too close to their nest. Unlike honeybees, they can sting multiple times.

Who to Call to Remove a Yellowjacket Nest

As the expert in the video recommends, you shouldn’t try to remove a wasp’s nest yourself but need to call in experts. The Yellowjacket Expert from the video safely removes stinging insects in the Connecticut area. Without using pesticides, this company collects stinging insects for medical labs. The labs then collect the venom to work on immunotherapy for people allergic to stings.

You can do an internet search of your local area to find professionals who will humanely remove wasp nests from your property. If you want to avoid pesticides and dangerous chemicals, be sure to ask the professional what steps they take to remove nests.

How to Prevent a Yellowjacket Nest

In the summer you will see yellowjackets in areas where people congregate. They will swarm open trash cans looking for sweets and even climb inside an unattended soda can. You can prevent them from finding your house a tempting place for a nest by keeping tight lids on your trashcans and cleaning up thoroughly if you eat outdoors.