Wasps and Hornets

Southern yellowjackets are social, predatory wasps with a four-stage life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. A single queen emerges from hibernation in early spring to start a new colony. She builds a small nest and lays eggs, feeding the larvae until they mature into worker wasps. Workers take over nest expansion and care for new brood, allowing the queen to focus on egg-laying. Colonies can grow to thousands of wasps by late summer.

In the fall, reproductive males and new queens are produced. They leave the nest to mate, and the queens find hibernation spots to start the cycle anew while the old colony dies off.

Yellowjacket Nests

Yellowjackets build paper-like nests using chewed wood and saliva. These nests are often found underground, in shrubs or trees, and can house thousands of wasps. They serve as shelter and a nursery for their young. Nests grow throughout the summer and may reach remarkable sizes in favorable climates. I recently discovered a nest built in an irrigation valve box. Imagine mowing over that!

Quick Facts:

• Diet: Yellowjackets feed on nectar and prey on insects, making them beneficial predators and aggressive nest defenders.

• Defense: They emit alarm pheromones to coordinate stinging attacks when their nest is threatened.

• Toxicity: Their venomous stings can cause pain, swelling, and allergic reactions.

Yellowjackets are vital to ecosystems but can become pests in urban settings, especially when nests are disturbed. If the nest must be removed, call a pest control service or be very careful if you do it yourself!