Everything I've read about these pests on the Internet says that with the cold weather, they will die, end of problem. We are getting them in the house and it is mid November here in Ontario and we have had more than one killer frost as well as snow. We realized in the Fall that one source of their entry was the bathroom ceiling fan vent - a metal screen was placed over that on the roof and we sprayed and removed the nest but we are still getting them in our bedroom. We have narrowed the search for an entry point to a wall between the old part of our house and a new addition with the entry being a spot where a piece of siding is missing. Since they are protected from the cold somewhat by their location, will they still die out or will they be with us in the house all winter. The ones emerging into the house at a rate of 3 or 4 a day, are dozy and slow, but a couple of weeks ago before the coldest weather hit, I was stung by one when I encountered in unbeknownst to me until the sting. Any info. you can give us about our problem will be most appreciated. Thanks, Alice
How to Get Rid of Things: Forum » Pest Control
Yellow Jacket Infestation
(25 posts)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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If you look at a family portrait you'll see they all look and act basically the same. As in all families there are some that just don't follow the rules. Check out these three. The German yellowjacket V.germanica (Fabricius) and the western yellowjacket and the aerial yellowjacket Dolichovespula arenaria (Fabricius). The queen will overwinter in a wall or above ground. Yes I had to pull out the ol pest control book for the Latin. Let us know if they look like yours and we'll talk you through it.You may need to go after them in the wall.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Thankyou for responding so quickly. I checked out the 3 species that you mentioned and I have to say, I am not sure which one it is. The only thing I noted that might be of importance is that the description of the aerial Y.J. said that it had small antenae and I think the ones we have are quite long. I have saved one today and when my husband gets home from work, I'll see if he can differentiate between the 3 and I will get back to you. Thanks for your help, Alice.
Posted 1 year ago # -
We have compared the YJ that we caught to the 3 species you suggested and we believe, although are not certain, that it is a German YJ. The V configuration of the black bands on the abdomen appears to us to be that of the German variety. Having said that,it really is quite difficult to tell them apart. Can you give us some information on how to deal with this very upsetting (especially for me) problem? Thankyou, AliceL
Posted 1 year ago # -
Since you seem to know the entrance point ( the missing siding) I would treat that hole with a dust insecticide so that the incoming bee will carry it to wherever the nest might be thus killing off the queen and any remaining workers. Sevin works well although it's not labelled for bees. A good "squeeze' tool to puff it in the hole would be an empty Elmer's glue container. Good luck and let us know how it went.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Thanks for the info. We will blow a charge of Sevin in the opening where the siding is missing this weekend and at the same time check any possible entries into the room where they are coming in. My husband will spray Raid Wasp and Hornet Killer into any holes that may be found (wire feed to baseboard heaters) and then seal those holes up with insulation foam and aluminum if necessary. Next Spring before the weather warms up (late March?) we will seal up the access point by fixing the siding after blowing in another charge of Sevin. Fingers crossed....Thanks for your help, Alice
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hi, it's early March and we have done everything that I stated in my last posting, all entry points inside the house have been sealed and spray put in before that was done. We blew Seven in the entry hole where the siding is missing. Would we be safe at this point, to put more Seven at the entry point and seal the hole up so that nothing goes in or out? Mild weather is forcasted for next week and the houseflies that have overwintered in the walls are already abundant on the milder days. Just a little worried about sealing anything in that might find a new way in one way or another. Thoughts? Thanks, Alice
Posted 1 year ago # -
Welcome back AliceL
Gee you're lookin swell..
Glad everything is going well
Sorry..the doctor says I'm doing better. Anyhoo..more insecticide might be overkill unless the original treatment got wet or damp.I think I would wait a few weeks to see if any unseen problems are appear. Then seal up the opening.Anybody else have input..and remember she asked for "thoughts", that means thinking. Glad you're back AliceL!!Posted 1 year ago # -
I have this same problem (with yellow jackets AND flies) in Western New York. They have survived the cold winter, and tend to come out when our home is a little warmer (72-75 degrees). We live in a 200 year old home--there are cracks and crevices everywhere. Also, we are concerned that the paint that has peeled off from the high winds this winter are exposing even more openings. We have not been able to determine one entry source, and I think it's safe to say that because of the age of the home there will always be entry ways. My question then is, if we are not able to stop them from coming in (YJ and flies) how do we go about eliminating them? I am most concerned about the YJ due to two young children in the house and previous reactions I have had to being stung. Thank you so much for your help!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hi Melanie, the main part of our home is about 150 years old, an old log farm house and cluster flies have always been a problem. Something that we found to be very helpful indoors is a product called "Cluster Buster" and it's a plastic container that adheres to where ever the flies are a problem and that is usually in the windows where they gather in large numbers on the nice warm sunny Spring days. It is about 4 inches high and about 10 inches in length and has an adheasive strip on the back. There is an opening in the top and the flies go inside, where they get bogged down in pulverized egg shell dust, that is my understanding, they die, dehydrate and this has worked great in our house. You just leave it attached to the window(we put it at the bottom centre of the window) and it lasts 3 or 4 seasons I guess depending on how many flies you have. No smell, no buzzing sounds, it just quietly does it's job. You might try going on line to see if you can find them, we get ours at different farm related stores such as the Co-Op or TSC Stores and if I recall rightly they were in the neighbourhood of $20. Cdn. each but if you have a real problem, they are well worth it, you might try one out first to see if you like it. As for handling the YJs once they're inside, I just swat and dispose but maybe "getagrip" has more info. for both of us. Good Luck melanie...frustrating problems, I know,
AliceLPosted 1 year ago # -
Hi Alice,
Thanks for the info! I will look for the Cluster Buster. It sounds like it should do the trick!
Thanks,
melaniePosted 1 year ago # -
Some quick thoughts on a 200 year old house and yellow jackets..closed up/hidden fireplaces..old well (sometimes under house)additions over the years with dead space between walls (even 1 inch)unknown unless you measure or have original plans.You must find the nest at some point or become a cold blooded killer like Alice L. Careful she's rolling up that newspaper again!!I'm outa here..
Posted 1 year ago # -
High 5 to getagrip. This is Aug. 31st and I can now safely say that the problem is solved thanks to you. We followed the instructions you gave and used the "Sevin" and we have had no more yellow jackets in the house this summer. Thankyou so much for your help, I really appreciate it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
addition to above note:
Ooops! I forgot to sign the High 5
AliceLPosted 1 year ago # -
Insecticide and poisons are so 1990's. We are all ruining this planet with poison. Raid and dial antibacterial soap and pesticides in our waters are causing male frogs to turn female. Check out the movie "for the love of water" please before you use these poisons. You would be much safer to use natural ways to combat YJs, I think. Maybe a shop vac while wearing a protective bee outfit would be a nice alternative.
Posted 12 months ago # -
Here is our dilemma with Yellow Jackets. See picture here http://jenny-jennywhocaniturnto.blogspot.com/2009/09/six-word-saturday.html
We keep sealing up openings that we find because they keep finding or making more. I would like to try the Sevin method but now we have all these holes sealed up with caulking. You can hear some pretty major clicking from outside. We don't have any YJ's inside yet and I really don't want to discover them working their way in.
Should I work the caulking out of one of the original entrances and puff the Sevin into that? What do you recommend?
Posted 11 months ago # -
Quote: "Raid and dial antibacterial soap..." LOL! Dial SOAP! Evil dial soap.
We currently have a european yellow jacket infestation as well. We just bought our house a few months ago, and we noticed a hive inside our cooling system...so we sprayed and removed it. Now we have 2 in the ground, 2 in the siding, and 1 in our playset outside. Not a fan.
ANY suggestions would be helpful. We called the pest control (costs $500.00 out here) and now are concerned that they might accidentally make the bees go up higher in the siding. That would not be fun. Srsly, our house is full of cracks and the old owners are mentally retarded when it came to sealing stuff even though it's a newer house.
I am highly allergic to any/all bees and wasps. I carry an epipen with me (omg, where is that freak trying to tell me I'M making frogs change genders), and if I am stung I go immediately to the hospital after using it. Highly allergic and so are both of my kids.
For that matter, NO I will NOT be wearing a "protective" suit since these type of wasps can easily sting through most material. I'd rather be safe and NOT put my life on the line just because you want to cry about me using poison in my-own-yard.
PS. I'd strongly suggest not telling people who are allergic to these pest, to NOT try to get rid of them ANY way possible. You pretty much told people to give up their lives for the wasps to live more comfortably. Good going. I'd like to see them pay the mortage on this place AND be allergic to ME!
Posted 3 months ago # -
no matter what kind, use gasoline. gasoline works great if you pour it into their nest then light it on fire.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Hi alysrianxian
I'm currently researching for an Animal Planet documentary in infestations and I'm looking for a Yellow Jacket infestation to feature as a case study.
Do you still have a problem with Yellow Jackets? If yes I'd really like to get in touch with you.
If you can send me your contact details to kate.boddington@darlowsmithson.com I can give you a call to chat.
Thanks
Kate
Posted 2 months ago # -
what kind of dust would one use to get rid of the bees. they've taken up residence withing the hollow area of an aluminum sided window sill. It's high up and hard to direct a stream into the opening. If I could line some dust around around or access it once with a poof mechanism, that would be awesome. What kind of dust?
ThanksPosted 1 month ago # -
I am having an issue with yellow jackets. They come in at some point under the siding.We have seen a few in the house so far They enter at the lowest part of the siding, I have pulled the bottom run of the siding off the starter strip though I have not seen any holes where they enter the nest. Of course the weather is warm and it is hard to do anything in that area without getting them upset. At what temp. or time is best to try to uncover and have a look without grtting poked up. Any advice would be great, Thanl You
Posted 3 days ago # -
@wdcornett
I just tried the Sevin - 5 tip . I bought some at my local hardware store in the garden dept. I used an old mustard type squirt bottle as suggested here on a few threads and this morning ...no YJ's I will keep y'all posted of any future problems or successJust take a bottle and apply it to the area you think they are going in and out of. Do this at night after you see them quiet down, usually just @ dusk here. they should pick it up and carry it into the nest. Hopefully killing the Queen ...checkmate!
Posted 3 days ago # -
wdcornett- The best time to deal with any bee or wasp problem is when the temperature is the lowest. A calm cool morning would be ideal, though, it doesn't guarantee your safety.
For more information, check out our article on wasps over at Simple Pest Control.Posted 2 days ago # -
wdcornett this link was put up by getridofit on another thread http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevin. It concerns the dangers of using Sevin. I will be using a respirator and gloves next time . Also a little goes a long way ...the YJ's are coming in ,but most are dying on their own. Safety first!
Posted 2 days ago #
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