đ Why Are Yellow Jackets So Aggressive This Time of Year?
Late summer and early fall are prime time for yellow jacket activityâand if youâve recently tried eating outside, you may have noticed they seem especially interested in joining you!
As summer winds down, yellow jacket colonies are at their largest and their food preferences begin to change. They become increasingly attracted to sugary foods and drinks, which means things like soda, juice, fruit, desserts and picnic foods can quickly get their attention.
You may also notice yellow jackets gathering around certain trees and shrubs. Sometimes they are attracted to sap or other sweet plant material, but they can also be feeding on honeydew, a sugary substance produced by aphids and other sap-feeding insects. If a tree seems to be covered with yellow jackets, the insects may actually be there because of an aphid problem higher up in the tree.
A few simple tips can help reduce unwanted encounters:
â Keep drinks covered. Yellow jackets can crawl inside open soda cans and bottles without you noticing. Pour drinks into cups whenever possible and check before taking a sip.
â Cover food outdoors. Keep meat, fruit, desserts and other foods covered until you're ready to eat.
â Clean up spills quickly. Even a small amount of soda or juice on a picnic table can attract yellow jackets.
â Keep garbage cans tightly closed. Outdoor trash and recycling containers can become major yellow jacket feeding areas.
â Pick up fallen fruit. Apples, pears and other fruit on the ground can attract large numbers of stinging insects.
â Check trees and shrubs. Heavy insect activity around a tree may
be related to sap, aphids or honeydew rather than a nearby nest.
â Avoid swatting at them. Swatting can make a yellow jacket more defensive. Stay calm and slowly move away.
â Watch for nests. Yellow jackets commonly nest underground, inside wall voids and in other protected areas. Be especially careful when mowing, trimming bushes or doing yard work.
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