Each season has certain insect pests associated with it. Now that we have reached late summer, one of the insect pests of the yard and garden is the yellowjacket. Yellowjackets are about the size of a honeybee with yellow and black stripes and can sting repeatedly. Honeybees are brown with black stripes and a hairy body. Yellowjackets are readily attracted to trash cans, ripe or overripe fruits and vegetables, and outdoor activities involving food and soft drinks.
Sanitation helps keep yellowjacket problems to a minimum.
Keep food covered as long as possible when having a backyard outing. In the garden or around fruit trees, clean up fallen or rotten produce such as apples or tomatoes that may be piling-up. Alert children to the problem that often exists as wild apples or crabapples often accumulate under trees, attracting yellowjackets. Another problem with yellowjackets is when nests are in areas frequented by people. Yellowjackets nest in the soil, under porches, in landscape timbers, or in wall voids.