2005 Year in Review

Don’t “Bee” Stung by Yellow Jackets!

Source: Robert W. Frazee, Extension Educator, Natural Resources Management, rfrazee@uiuc.edu

During the past few weeks there have been numerous reports of individuals being stung by wasps and bees because of the hot, dry weather, reports Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Educator. In many cases, the real culprit causing the sting is the common yellow jacket. Frequently, yellow jackets are confused with honeybees because they are about the same size. However, yellow jackets have bright yellow and black stripes and very little hair whereas honeybees tend to be covered with pale yellow fuzzy hairs without a distinctive stripe pattern.

Entomologists report that yellow jackets are responsible for about one-half of all human insect stings. Yellow jackets are most frequently encountered when they scavenge for food. Yellow jackets are readily attracted to open containers of soda and other sweet liquids, bright flowery clothing, floral scented perfumes, and open cans of garbage. Frazee cautions that yellow jackets can be easily provoked and, unlike honeybees, can sting more than once. They will attack in force if their nest is disturbed. However, unless a person is allergic to yellow jacket venom, stings are rarely life threatening.

According to Frazee, there are two common species of yellow jackets in Illinois: the eastern yellow jacket which usually nests in the ground; and the German yellow jacket that has a habit of nesting in wall voids of structures. Yellow jackets are beneficial insects that pollinate plants and are valuable predators of other pesky insects. Consequently, the indiscriminate killing of yellow jackets and wasps should be avoided.

Yellow jackets are primarily a problem due to their presence and are unlikely to cause harm to people unless they are disturbed. Thus, Frazee suggests an acceptable option is to ignore them and not try to control them. Non-chemical and cultural methods to control yellow jackets involve keeping garbage cleaned up and properly covered, caulking cracks and crevices of buildings during the winter to prevent yellow jackets from building nests, and keeping overripe fruit and vegetables cleaned up and away from human activity.

Although yellow jackets are beneficial insects, in certain situations where the potential for repeated human contact may occur, their populations may need to be quickly controlled. Both species do not reuse their nests, so what was a problem this year may not occur next year.

According to Frazee, anyone attempting to chemically treat a colony of yellow jackets should do so at dusk or dawn when the wasps are in their nests. Be sure to wear protective clothing when attempting to eliminate the nests. Chemical control for ground-nesting yellow jackets consists of applying diazinon according to label directions and then sealing the opening with treated soil. Yellow jackets nesting in trees, shrubs and on buildings can be controlled with a quick-knockdown aerosol spray containing one of the following approved insecticides: diazinon, bendiocarb, chlorpyrifos, propoxur, d-phenothrin, or resmethrin. Following treatment, remove the nests and destroy them. In sensitive locations, or where control has not been effective, Frazee recommends that a professional pest control operator be consulted to handle the problem.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
July 19, 2005