Watch for Wasps in the Fall

The summer’s over, which means you can stop stressing about all those biting insects, right? Actually, as my poor puppy discovered today, yellow jackets and a few other varieties of wasps are extra nasty and pushy in late August and September because they have grown from a single female wasp to a massive colony of stinging creatures. On top of all the early hatching wasps that have been busy foraging all summer, there are new male and female wasps hatching out so they can create next year’s yellow jacket invasion.

Photo: SXC

Since these wasps tend to build their nests around the house and yard, you’ll want to be alert as you begin fall clean up tasks near your home’s foundation. If you do disturb a nest, run. Yellow Jackets are not mellow like bees and won’t hesitate to attack, especially if they are already feeling cranky because they are in food gathering and reproduction modes. Even worse is the fact that, unlike honey bees, yellow jackets can sting you over and over.

If you discover yellow jackets nesting near your house, call an exterminator to come deal with them. While killing them yourself is possible, it involves late night maneuvers and carefully aimed flash light beams. As far as I am concerned, it so isn’t worth the risk to do it yourself!