Among the many wasp species yellow jackets have a big reputation of being aggressive and ruthless in guarding their nests. Yellow jacket wasp is genre Dolichovespula and Vespula and is easily identified by the yellow and black stripes coursing across the trunk. The color may sometime change to black and white stripes in some wasps. They can measure from 10 to 16mm in body length and sport wings that are foldable and equal to body length. Yellow jackets are smaller than hornets but big in bad temperament this wasp species is known for unprovoked attack when you cross their path. They are totally unreliable to have in your surround so it is advised that you get rid of them using effective wasp control Maple like BBPP, most trusted pest control company in the town and for nearby towns.
What yellow jackets eat?
Yellow jacket wasps are primarily carnivorous and they eat an assortment of insects including beetles, caterpillars, flies, spiders and are not choosy about the meat they eat. They are dreaded intruders for garden picnic and may decide to disrupt festivities by paying a visit to the BBQ set on the grass. They also scavenge for meats, sugary foods and drinks, fish etc. They by nature are social and choose to live in big colonies consisting of 500-1000 wasps. You could also mistake them for bees as they are very similar looking both in size and appearance. However they are not averse to eating plant products and considered as herbivores too.
What yellow jacket nest is made of?
Yellow jacket wasps are primarily ground nesters and you can find their colonies in rodent burrows, under porch steps, cracks of sidewalks, base of trees, under your lawn, basement and similar places. They would also choose the void in the walls to build nests. Some yellow jackets choose low hanging tree branches or wall corners. Yellow jackets make nest by material derived from wood fiber and their own saliva and the end product looks like papier-mâché. The nest may contain hundreds of cells depending on the size of the population. By fall the nest may house 1,000 wasps and they are mostly female worker wasps. When summer advances males will appear and they will mate with probable queen wasps. Throughout winter the pregnant females will hibernate while the rest perish to the severe cold temperature.
How yellow jackets Reproduce?
The queen wasp begins the construction of a small paper nest and will lay the first batch of eggs. When the eggs are hatched queen feeds them until they are ready to become mature and pupate in to adult yellow jacket wasps. They will last for a year and during this time they mostly feed on insects they hunt from the environment, meat and sugary foods stolen from homes. They are also fond of overripe fruits found on the ground or search them in garbage cans.
Are they dangerous?
Extremely as they tend to sting with or without provocation from you. Stings are fiery and painful and will need immediate medical attention if you are administered with multiple stings. When it comes to bad temper, yellow jackets reign supreme so they are not at all safe to have around. They are present and clear danger and the advice is to remove their nests using professional wasp removal like BBPP, the best pest control Maple and for nearby areas. You can contact them on phone number 647 910 6315 or send email to info@bbppcanada.com and get a free quote.