As I was sitting on my deck having my dinner, enjoying the tepid weather, I was suddenly overtaken by Yellowjackets. These pesky insects are brutal when it comes to meat! This is a time when eating plant forward would be easier.
This lead me to a deep dive into Yellowjackets and how they contribute to our ecosystems.
Yellowjackets are a type of wasp, that are scavengers and predators feeding on a variety of foods, including other insects, nectar, and human food. They are particularly attracted to sugary substances and proteins.
They consume protein in the larva stage, so the Yellowjackets that you see are not getting it for themselves. They take it back to the nest as food for the larvae.
Yellowjackets are pests, but they are also important predators as bug control in the garden. They will take other potentially harmful insects when they can not get our BBQ.
Yellowjackets are social creatures and live in large colonies. There are about 16 species in the US, but are found worldwide.
Only the queen lives through the winter to start a new colony in the spring.
She lives up to a year while the workers live about 2 - 4 weeks, then die off when the weather gets colder.
Yellowjackets are much more aggressive than other wasps or bees. They can bite and sting at the same time. They like to bite to get a hold then sting several times with their lance-like stingers with small barbs. They do not lose their singers like bees do, which makes them even more brutal.
The aggressiveness increases by the end of summer during the fall.
I've found that putting cat food in the traps and hanging it about 5 years away can keep them from ravaging my plate.
Good luck, and enjoy the warm weather.
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