Yellow jacket infestations in Austin can be a major problem due to their aggressive nature and dangerous reactions to their stings. Learning to repel yellow jackets and how to get rid of yellow jackets is essential in protecting yourself from these pests.
What’s A Yellow Jacket?
You may be unfamiliar with yellow jackets and wondering ‘what’s a yellow jacket?’ anyway. This pest is a type of wasp that is on the smaller side, yet particularly aggressive. They have yellow and black striped bodies, a large pair of wings, and six legs.
Yellow jackets tend to live in hives and are usually found near human structures. They build their nests underground for the most part but can also be found in hollow logs, tree stumps, attics, between the walls of your home, under porches and eaves, or inside of recycling bins. Yellow jackets are typically attracted to areas with lots of garbage or food waste that contains plenty of meats and sweets.
Are Yellow Jackets Aggressive?
‘Are yellow jackets aggressive?’ is an important question to know the answer to. This species of wasp can be quite aggressive and dangerous; they tend to be highly defensive and will attack at the hint of a threat toward themselves or their hive.
Yellow jackets are also capable of stinging and injecting venom multiple times, which means that getting stung by a yellow jacket can be a major health concern even for those who are not already allergic to wasp or other insect stings. A yellow jacket sting reaction can include swelling, pain, redness, itching, or in more severe cases, difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis.
Repel Yellow Jackets
A great way to repel yellow jackets from your property is to engage in proper prevention tactics. The tips below can help you deter both yellow jackets and other stinging insects from your property in the future.
- Remove access to food and trash, especially items that contain lots of sugar or protein. You should ensure that all food waste and trash is disposed of securely and that drinks such as sodas are not left open and unprotected around your property. You will also want to clean up all food and drink spills on patios or porches as soon as possible.
- Keep your yard clear of debris, especially debris like woodpiles and tree stumps. You should also keep the grass trimmed low and trim back any tree branches or foliage, as this reduces the areas where yellow jackets can set up their nests.
- To help deter yellow jackets from settling in your yard, you can plant things such as spearmint, peppermint, and ginger mint. The aroma from these plants repels yellow jackets and can stop these pests from setting up their home on your property in the first place.
How To Get Rid Of Yellow Jackets
Because yellow jackets are such dangerous pests to remove or interact with, your best option is to call the home pest control professionals at EnviroGuard the moment you believe you have a yellow jacket nest on your property.
Our Austin pest control experts can help you effectively and safely remove yellow jackets from around your home or business so that you have peace of mind and a decreased chance of getting stung by a yellow jacket, something that improves the safety of your property for everyone.