Author: Kurt Treftz, Cascade Pest Control
Yellow Jacket Nest Treatment in Seattle—Tacoma Area
“Fun” fact about yellow jackets—when they nest within walls, they sometimes scratch through the sheetrock and break into the interior living space, therein driving the occupants out. Don’t let these stinging flyers take over your home; call in the professionals to inspect and rid your space of bee and wasp nests that threaten the safety of you and your family.
Here at Cascade Pest Control, our technicians are excited and eager to help you with yellow jacket nest removal, as seen in this video. We have been offering pest and rodent control services in the Western Washington area for forty years now, and our eco-friendly, effective techniques rarely disappoint.
Yellow Jacket Wasp Behaviors and Habits
Understanding how these insects function and act is a significant part of the pest control process. It helps you be able to watch out for signals that a nest might be forming and prevents you from unintentionally irritating them.
Here are some helpful and interesting facts about yellowjackets that we have collected over the years:
- There are solitary wasps, those that live in small clusters, as well as social wasps such as yellow jackets. All significantly sized nests of social wasps in the Puget sound region are one of several species of yellow jackets in the area.
- Cold weather can be deadly to them if exposed to freezing temperatures. They are, therefore, rather dormant in the colder seasons, and quickly start new nests in spring whose population can get into the thousands.
- They are extremely protective and reactive. They inflict a painful sting and, unlike bees, they can sting repeatedly and not die.
- In the fall the nest dies out, and, after mating, the females hide for the winter.
Yellow Jacket Wasp Control
This video shows a Cascade Pest Control technician’s process for eliminating a large, hanging yellow jacket nest in a residential space. Despite the daunting size, the technician rises to the challenge happily, all the while being sure to communicate his intentions to the homeowner.
In this case, the technician leaves the nest in place in order to attract straggling foragers and prevent against those wasps surviving and building a new nest in the same area. He treats it from the inside, therein maximizing the effect of the pesticide that will also eliminate any returning forager wasps upon re-entry.
He also explains that complete elimination could take a few days, so keeping an eye on the activity around it is key. We do our best to work with you throughout the extermination process to ensure that the issue is being fought on all possible fronts. After about a week of no activity, the nest will be safe to knock down and throw out on your own!
How to Check for Yellowjacket Nests Around Your Home
Cascade technicians are happy to help you in any way we can, so here are some tips on how to check around your home to see if our yellow jacket removal services are needed.
The high season for yellow jackets is from early June through August. Throughout this period, you will want to move cautiously around your house and yard on a weekly basis to check for nest development in the ground, on bushes, under house eaves, and in wall and roof cavities.
Watch not for the occasional flying insect, but a slow (or fast) stream of flying insects demonstrating a “flight pattern” back and forth. That’s your nest. Sometimes it takes a while to notice where the yellow jackets are coming or going from, so caution is advised in following them on their flight path, as the nests can be very inconspicuous.
Sadly, sometimes they are only found by someone being stung. In this case, make a note of where the injury happened for the future after caring for the wounded party. Cascade Pest Control technicians are expertly trained to locate nests if you need extra assistance, but having a log of sightings is helpful in expediting the inspection process.
Never hesitate to reach out to Cascade, as large yellow jacket nests like the one in the video take professional expertise to permanently remove. We serve the Seattle-Tacoma area, as well as many other counties in Western Washington.
Call 888-989-8979 or request a quote today!
