A sting from a yellow jacket can be painful and unlike bees, these wasps can keep stinging and often attack in large numbers. The insect’s sting is not just painful but can also be fatal if you have anaphylactic reactions to stings from wasps, yellow jackets, or bees. A colony of yellow jackets can be particularly vicious when protecting their nests, making them quite dangerous residents if they are on your property.
In this guide, we are going to brief you on all you need to know about the yellow jacket wasp, how to handle the removal of their nests, and what action to take when dealing with their painful stings.
Yellow Jackets-What Do Yellow Jackets Look Like?
A yellow jacket is a species of wasp that is considered to be social flying insects because they live and work together in colonies with thousands of members in them. Although there are several species of yellow jacket wasps, these flying insects typically have a black and yellow patterned head and abdomen. A yellow jacket colony is at its peak and is usually most active in the early autumn and late summer.
This species of flying insect is a carnivorous one that feeds on other insects that provide protein. It is for this reason that having one or two yellow jackets around is nothing more than a slight nuisance as they help keep the number of garden pests down. However, having a nest of yellow jackets on your property can prove to pose a dangerous hazard and threat to you, your family, and even your pets. A sting from a yellow jacket can lead to serious health concerns and can require medical attention.
The nest of a yellow jacket can be found underground as they build their nests in underground burrows. Alternatively, they can be located in cave-like areas like attics or overhangs. The wasp nest is a paper carton-like nest that is made out of chewed-up cellulose. The species of flying insect is extremely territorial, and they aggressively defend their nests. The insect can be easily provoked by vibrations or sounds and attack in numbers when they feel threatened, often chasing down the threat over large distances. It is something to consider the next time you are mowing the lawn as even that can trigger an attack.
Yellow Jacket Stings
Preventing the stings from happening in the first place should be the goal. Here are some tips to avoid getting stung by yellow jackets:
- Do not swat the yellow jackets. Brush the flying insect off of you when they land on you and walk away.
- Observe the wasp’s flight patterns to establish the location of their nest, and then avoid that area.
- Many insects are attracted to floral perfumes, lotions, and hair care products. Try to avoid those floral scents on a warm summer’s day to reduce your chances of getting stung.
- Sugary sodas attract yellow jackets, which can fly into the can. Don’t drink from the can. Instead, pour the drink into a container where you can see it and prevent being stung in the mouth.
- Seal and cover up your waste bins and pet food.
What to Do When You get Stung by a Yellow Jacket?
A yellow jacket sting can be quite a painful experience and pose a health threat to humans. They are well-known to sting the threat numerous times, and the venom from the insect’s stinger can cause an allergic reaction. Stinging insects such as the yellow jacket, bees, and other wasps send over 500,000 people to the emergency room every year.
If a yellow jacket stings you, we advise you to leave the area immediately. The wasp leaves behind a chemical that identifies you as a threat, causing other yellow jackets to attack you. Yellow jackets have a powerful stinger that helps them to continuously sting their target. A yellow jacket sting is painful and results in a big red welt where the sting occurred. The flying insect venom has the potential to cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals, resulting in significant health complications.
If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, seek medical attention right away:
- You have been stung at least 10 times.
- If the wasps sting happens in your throat or mouth.
- If you have trouble with speaking or breathing.
- If you are experiencing swelling in your throat or mouth
- If you begin to breathe heavily, wheeze, or have a chest tightness, you may have a wasp or bee sting allergy.
Anyone who suspects they are allergic to bee or wasp stings should have a sting kit on hand, such as an epi-pen.
How do you ease the pain after being stung by a yellow jacket? While there are commercially available sting treatments, many people swear by homemade remedies.
You can apply any of the following to the sting area to ease the pain after being stung:
- A baking soda and water paste
- The side of an onion that has been sliced
- A damp tea bag
- Toothpaste
- Ice to relieve the swelling and discomfort
- Aspirin and ibuprofen
- Swelling and itching can be reduced with antihistamines and cortisone cream.
Yellow Jacket Prevention and Control
Are you looking for a way to get rid of the yellow jackets on your property? If you suspect that there is a yellow jacket nest on your premises, the easiest way to prevent and control the flying insects is by hiring a pest control professional such as Synergy². Yellow jacket control requires specialist equipment and safety measures because of their aggressive become and tendency to sting when attacked.
Here are some of the methods we use at Synergy²:
- Firstly, it is always recommended to take preventive and control measures cool evenings the flying insects have returned home after a day of foraging, and cold temperatures make them more sluggish.
- Smothering the yellow jacket nest.
- Drowning them with boiling water.
- Spraying the wasps with wasp control sprays.
Hiring a specialist is the simplest and best choice. If you insist on doing it yourself, be aware that you are almost certainly going to be stung. If you do not want to get stung, then contact us right away for more details on yellow jacket removal.
If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.
Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you. We have over 270 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here at Synergy² Jackson Pest Control!