Yellow Jackets are ruining my summer gardening.

[Raffi Ella]

I've been stung three times this summer. Before that I couldn't even tell you the last time I was stung. I think my dog has been getting stung too. I can't even water the gardens without them swarming. And planting/weeding!? Forget about it - they immediately swarm as soon as I disturb the ground.

I was mowing in the back yesterday, they were every where! I've heard that the vibration of lawn mowers can incite them to attack... I've never been afraid of bees but they are terrorizing me this year - it sucks.

Anybody else having a problem with them?

[asdjrocky]

1. That's terrible.

I have them all over the place, but they never bother me. I have a big trumpet vine along my west fence and they love it to the point that I always hear them buzzing around my head as I water or prune, but they never bother me. The last time I was stung was years ago when I had to take down a hive in my ceiling, but that was in another house. I'm sorry to hear about your situation, and I wish I could offer some constructive advice.

[Raffi Ella]

5. Thanks.

yeah, I've always seen them around but never as many as this and they've never stung before. Now I anticipate that they will and just freak out when I see them.

I'll deal with it but I feel bad for my dog. I hate that she's getting 'hurt'- At least she's not allergic to them, that really would be a problem.


I hear you guys had an earth quake out there in Cali - hope you're okay and all is well.

[asdjrocky]

10. I'm in the San Joaquin Vally, where nothing ever happens.

Thanks for the good wishes, and look out for that puppy.

[Gato Moteado]

2. do you know where the nests are and how many are there?

yellow jackets nest in the ground and you should be able to locate the hole where they are entering and exiting. in the past, when i have had problems with them, i waited until dark and then flooded out their nest with a garden hose. if you're worried about infuriating them and getting stung, you could call in an exterminator and ask him if he can get rid of the nests without chemicals or pesticides.

[Raffi Ella]

6. That's the thing!

I can't figure out a centralized place they're coming from. They just appear where ever I am in the back yard - Hundreds of them hovering inches above the ground.

If it gets any worse I am going to have to get someone out here to do something about it. In the meantime, that's a great idea about the hose. If I can figure out where they are coming from I'll try it.

Thanks.

[hedgehog]

14. My husband used to use a similar technique - except instead of

a garden hose he would pour gasoline down the hole then light it from a distance! Then one year we had a gumongous (that's bigger than humongous) nest in the barn. It and the yellow jackets were so big I actually took some over to the Extension Office in case it was an invasive species! That nest took 3 cans of hornet spray on successive nights to eliminate!

[Gato Moteado]

17. i wouldn't use gasoline........

first of all, it's dangerous. secondly, you poison your soil. and if you're near a creek or river, all that gasoline will run off inot the water when it rains.

the garden hose trick usually works fine and it's safer....you won't blow yourself up accidentally. if you have to use some sort of fuel to burn the suckers, maybe alcohol would be safer than gas.

the challenge for me is always getting them out without using chemicals that poison the soil.

[Raven]

3. Multiple stings from a wasp on Friday

I went out to my garden and was reaching for cucumbers. A wasp flew up my t-shirt sleeve and apparently got stuck in there under my armpit. Panick and about a half a dozen stings before I freed the critter. Believe me, I know how much that hurts! I don't know what's going on this year. My experience may have been a fluke.

[Raffi Ella]

7. Yum, cucumbers straight from the garden...

That must have been a nightmare. I haven't been stung in so long I forgot how painful it is. I can't imagine if they'd stung me like that - I woulda totally freaked out.

I got stung twice the first time, on my ankle bone. It hurt but I thought the pain would subside in an hour or so - it burned and itched for a week. The second and third time wasn't so bad, they only itched for a few days. but yeah, it hurts. :(

[hippywife]

9. Ouch! And in such a sensitive area, too!

I know my neighbors would get a show if that happened to me. I'd have had the shirt off in nothing flat! LOL Good thing there's only one neighbor who would be able to see me.

Hope the ouchies go away soon. :hug:

[Kolesar]

4. I know that insect repellent will keep the odd, stray hornet or yellowjacket away

I mean the insect repellent with DEET. It interferes with their "flight control" so they will tend to fly off and get carried away in the breeze. Sounds like you have it much worse. I don't know how to advise you.

[Raffi Ella]

8. Oh yeah!

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

[ulysses]

11. first time I mowed here in 2005,

I went right over a nest and got stung several times. One even came inside with me (accompanied by much profanity on my part) and stung me there. Got the kind of wasp killer you can spray from like a thousand feet away. Not very environmental of me, and it killed the grass around the nest for a year, but it did the job. I don't play with yellow jackets.

[Raffi Ella]

12. Hey neighbor!

:)

Oh my god, lol, poor you! Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of; I'd been stung just from -trying- to garden but when I saw them fly up everywhere when I was mowing I really freaked out. If they swarm while I'm weeding or dead heading I can walk away and try again later but I can't just walk away from mowing.


I went out this morning to try to find out where they're coming from, no luck.

[ulysses]

13. look for a small hole in the ground.

I think they usually head home around dusk.

[MagickMuffin]

15. Homemade Wasps traps

The do-it-yourself wasp trap is perhaps one of the most effective traps your money doesn't need to buy. All you'll need is an empty 2-liter bottle, a scissors, and some sugar water or fruit juice.

Cut the cone off about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the bottle, flip it over, and staple it into place so that it looks like a minnow trap. Then, fill the bottle with fruit juice concentrate or sugar water with a little soap, and hang it from an awning or in your garden if you prefer.

This sort of trap doesn't just trap wasps and yellow jackets, you may also catch flies and bees, or other beneficial insects. So, it might be in your interest to find a yellow jacket trap made for the species of wasp that's the most common in your area.


http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-yellow-jackets.htm


Also if you get stung you should make a baking soda paste and put it on the sting. It will alleviate the pain and swelling.

Remember to only attempt to eradicate them during the evening hours.

Good Luck, DemEtienne

[Raffi Ella]

18. Thank You!

Especially for the part about the baking soda paste; I got stung 2 times this morning while pruning the foundation bushes.


I don't have trash or dog food outside. I don't know what attracted them to my yard. The woods behind my house were damaged by wind, lots of trees fell, and my neighbor told me that could have something to do with it since my yard is open to the woods. They like rotting wood apparently.

Anyway, thank you! Great info, I appreciate it. :)

[MagickMuffin]

21. I didn't know about the baking soda paste until I got stung one day and hubby told me what to do

It immediately worked.

In Texas our Yellow Jackets like to build their nests from things up high. I didn't realize they also build nests in the ground. I know Bumblebees have nests underground, but never thought about Yellow Jackets doing that.

The one that stung me several times had built their nest in our English Ivy we had growing up our lattice on our front porch. I didn't notice it until I got stung and started looking for where they might be hiding.

There is another very aggressive hornet reddish body and black wings that like to build their nests in attics. I got attacked by one of these bastards while reroofing a house. It stung me several times on my face. OUCH, that hurt.

Glad my suggestions were able to help you especially after getting stung today.:hug: I hope you are able to locate where these buggers are nesting and eradicate them.

Edit: word: hives to nests

[Gold Metal Flake]

16. In SoCal, we have two different types of yellow jackets.

One type is the familiar wasp-looking kind that I was familiar with growing up in Texas. The other type that was new to me looks more like a bee with a shorter body than a wasp, larger abdomen and no thin "waist". This type swarms around stuff (like dog food) like flies, but their sting is less painful than that of a bee. One summer they were very heavy but have tapered off and now they are rarely seen. I used to use yellow jacket traps that I bought from Lowes and Home Despot, which were effective in killing dozens.

[Raffi Ella]

19. These look like ordinary yellow jackets.

I had no idea they could be such a nuisance that they made traps you could buy for them.

Actually when I posted this thread I didn't really think there was anything I could do about them and wasn't expecting so many awesome responses, I was just venting. You guys have all been so helpful and nice.

Gardeners are good people :)

[Gold Metal Flake]

20. Here is one trap from Raid

http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_d_y_t.asp

Check any home supply or hardware store or horse/tack store. Some are simply plstic bags with a special top that you fill with water and hang from a tree. The wasps are attracted, climb inside and can not escape. With a couple of them you could cut down on your problem considerably. Good luck!