How do you safely remove a yellow jacket nest?

Work at night or early morning when wasps are least active. Wear protective clothing including thick layers, gloves, long pants, and face protection. For ground nests, use commercial wasp spray with a long-range nozzle directly into the entrance hole. For aerial nests, spray insecticide onto the nest opening at night. Wait 24 hours before checking if inactive. Consider hiring a professional pest control service for large nests, indoor nests, or if anyone has sting allergies.

What should you never do when removing a yellow jacket nest?

Never use fire, gasoline, or attempt to drown or seal aerial nests without killing the inhabitants first as these methods are dangerous and often ineffective. Do not attempt removal during daylight hours when wasps are active. Avoid working without protective clothing or an escape route planned. Never approach the nest if you have allergies to wasp stings without professional help.

Yellow Jacket Nests: The Vegas Bees Complete Guide

Q: What is in a yellow jacket nest?

Yellow jacket nests are made from paper-like material created by chewing wood fibers mixed with saliva. Inside are hexagonal cells arranged in horizontal combs that serve as nurseries for larvae and food storage. The nest contains three types of yellow jackets: the queen who lays eggs, sterile female workers who build and forage, and males plus fertile females produced for reproduction.

Q: Where do yellow jackets build their nests?

Yellow jackets build nests in various locations. Many species prefer underground sites like abandoned rodent burrows, hollow logs, or cavities beneath tree roots. Others create aerial nests in wall voids, attics, eaves, dense shrubs, or hollow trees. They favor protected spots shielded from weather with easy access to food sources.

Q: How do you locate a yellow jacket nest?

To locate a yellow jacket nest, observe wasps during daylight hours as they fly in straight paths to and from food sources. Look for concentrated activity with wasps repeatedly entering and exiting the same spot. For ground nests, watch for wasps disappearing into a soil hole with cleared dirt around the entrance. For aerial nests, trace their flight pattern to walls, rooflines, or vegetation. Early morning or late evening observations work best.

Q: How many yellow jackets are usually in one nest?

Colony size varies by season and species. A young spring nest might contain only a few dozen workers. By mid-summer, a healthy colony typically houses between 1,500 and 5,000 workers. Large, established nests can swell to 15,000 individuals or more by late summer and early fall. Underground nests often grow larger than aerial ones due to more expansion room.

Q: When are yellow jackets most active?

Yellow jackets are active during daylight hours, particularly from late morning through early evening when temperatures are warmest. Seasonally, colonies emerge in spring, experience peak growth in summer, and become most aggressive in late summer and fall when the colony is at maximum size and natural food sources dwindle. Activity ends with the first hard frosts.

Q: Are yellow jackets beneficial?

Yes, yellow jackets provide valuable ecological services. They are voracious predators of pest insects, hunting caterpillars, flies, and beetle larvae to feed their young. A single colony can remove thousands of pest insects from your property throughout summer. They also contribute to pollination, help break down carrion and fallen fruit, and serve as food for birds, bears, skunks, and other wildlife.

Q: Should I destroy a yellow jacket nest?

The decision depends on location and risk. Consider removal if the nest is in high-traffic areas, near doorways or outdoor living spaces, or if household members have allergies to wasp stings. However, you might leave it alone if it is in a remote area away from human activity, late in the season when the colony will die naturally with frost, or if you value the pest control services. Yellow jackets are generally not aggressive unless their nest is threatened.

Pete Rizzo
Oct 22
6 min read

Updated: Nov 1

Yellow jackets are social wasps that build elaborate paper nests, and understanding their behavior can help you coexist with or safely remove them when necessary.

What Is in a Yellow Jacket Nest?

Yellow jacket nests are architectural marvels made from paper-like material the wasps create by chewing wood fibers mixed with their saliva. Inside, you'll find hexagonal cells arranged in horizontal combs, stacked in tiers. These cells serve as nurseries for larvae and storage for food.

The nest houses three types of yellow jackets: the queen (the colony's founder and egg-layer), sterile female workers (who build, defend, and forage), and males plus fertile females (produced late in the season for reproduction).

Where Do Yellow Jackets Build Their Nests?

Yellow jackets are adaptable architects. Many species prefer underground locations, commandeering abandoned rodent burrows, hollow logs, or cavities beneath tree roots.

Others build aerial nests in protected spaces like wall voids, attics, eaves, dense shrubs, or hollow trees. They favor spots shielded from weather with easy access to food sources.

Some species even build free-hanging nests in trees, though this is less common than their ground-dwelling cousins.

How Do You Locate a Yellow Jacket Nest?

Finding a nest requires patience and observation. Watch yellow jackets during daylight hours as they fly back and forth from food sources.

They travel in relatively straight flight paths to and from their nest. Look for concentrated activity in one area, with wasps repeatedly entering and exiting the same spot.

For ground nests, watch for wasps disappearing into a hole in the soil, often with cleared dirt around the entrance. For aerial nests, trace their flight pattern to walls, rooflines, or vegetation.

Early morning or late evening observations work best when activity is high but wasps may be less aggressive.

How Many Yellow Jackets Are Usually in One Nest?

Colony size varies dramatically by season and species. A young nest in spring might contain only a few dozen workers. By mid-summer, a healthy colony typically houses between 1,500 and 5,000 workers.

Large, established nests can swell to 15,000 individuals or more by late summer and early fall. Underground nests often grow larger than aerial ones because they have more room to expand.

This population boom in late summer explains why yellow jacket encounters increase dramatically in August and September.

When Are Yellow Jackets Most Active?

Yellow jackets are diurnal, meaning they're active during daylight hours, particularly from late morning through early evening when temperatures are warmest.

Their seasonal activity follows a predictable pattern. Colonies emerge in spring when overwintered queens begin nest construction. Summer brings peak building and population growth.

Late summer and fall mark their most aggressive period, the colony is at maximum size, natural food sources dwindle, and they become bold scavengers at picnics and outdoor gatherings. Activity plummets with the first hard frosts as workers die off.

How Long Do Yellow Jacket Nests Last?

In most climates, yellow jacket colonies are annual, lasting only one season.

A queen starts a nest in spring, the colony grows through summer, and nearly the entire population dies when winter arrives. Only newly mated queens survive, hibernating in protected spots to start new colonies the following spring.

The nest itself, now abandoned, deteriorates over winter and is never reused. In warmer climates like the southern United States, some colonies can survive winter and continue growing, potentially becoming perennial nests with tens of thousands of wasps.

Are Yellow Jackets Beneficial?

Despite their fearsome reputation, yellow jackets provide valuable ecological services. They're voracious predators of pest insects, hunting caterpillars, flies, beetle larvae, and other garden pests to feed their young.

A single colony can remove thousands of pest insects from your property throughout the summer. They also contribute to pollination as they visit flowers seeking nectar.

Their scavenging behavior helps break down carrion and fallen fruit. In the broader ecosystem, they serve as food for birds, bears, skunks, and other wildlife.

Should I Destroy a Yellow Jacket Nest?

This decision depends on location and risk. You should consider removal if the nest is in a high-traffic area where people (especially children) regularly pass, near doorways or outdoor living spaces, or if anyone in your household has allergies to wasp stings.

Removal may also be warranted for ground nests in lawns where mowing or yard work could disturb them.

However, you might leave the nest alone if it's in a remote corner of your property away from human activity, if it's late in the season (the colony will die naturally with frost), or if you value the pest control services they provide.

Yellow jackets are generally not aggressive unless their nest is threatened. Many nests can coexist with humans if given adequate space.

How to Remove a Yellow Jacket Nest

Safety First: Removing yellow jacket nests is potentially dangerous. Consider hiring a professional pest control service, especially for large nests, indoor nests, or if anyone has sting allergies. Attempting removal yourself should never be done, even with extreme caution.

Call a Professional:

We work at night or very early morning when yellow jackets are least active and inside the nest. We are also wearing protective clothing including thick layers, gloves, long pants tucked into boots, and a bee veil or hat with netting. We will also have an escape route planned if things go sideways.

If Using an Exterminator:

For ground nests, they sometimes use commercial wasp and hornet spray with a long-range nozzle they find most effective. The spray is directed into the entrance hole, then will quickly move away.

Some exterminators will place a clear glass bowl over the entrance held in place with a weighted item like a brick after treatment. They will usually wait at least 24 hours before checking if the nest is inactive, approaching cautiously. The clear bowl will let you see if any are still inside trying to escape. You will need repeated applications if you see live yellow jackets inside the bowl.

For aerial nests, they spray insecticide directly onto the nest opening at night, coating the exterior thoroughly. Again, they retreat quickly.

For nests in wall voids, they may need to use insecticidal dust applied into the entry point, though this often requires real skill and knowledge to help to ensure complete elimination and prevent wasps from finding alternate exits into your home.

Alternative Methods DIY'ers Have Told Us About:

Some people successfully use commercial traps placed away from the nest to gradually reduce the population, though this won't eliminate the colony.

Soapy water poured into ground nests can work but requires getting very close. Non-chemical methods are generally less effective and more dangerous for yellow jackets due to their aggressive defense. We always recommend calling in a pro.

Never use fire, gasoline, or attempt to drown or seal aerial nests without removing the inhabitants first, these methods are dangerous and often ineffective.

After Removal:

Once you've confirmed the nest is dead (no activity for several days), you can remove it if accessible. For ground nests, fill the hole with soil. For aerial nests in structures, consider having the entry point sealed by a professional to prevent future nesting.

The safest approach remains contacting a licensed pest control professional who has the experience, equipment, and insurance to handle yellow jacket removal effectively and safely.

Betsy & Pete

Vegas Bees

🐝Las Vegas’s All-Natural Live Bee Removal Team

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About Us: The Authors

We’re Betsy and Pete - Beekeepers on a Mission in Las Vegas

We’re not just in the bee business, we’re in the bee-saving business. Trained by a master beekeeper and backed by hundreds of successful removals, we are dedicated to rescuing and relocating honey bees with care and precision.

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