Yellow Jackets?

[93Chevy]

This is the first year I've ever noticed yellow jackets building exterior nests in shrubs. Ran into one last Friday and 3 today. And before you tell me it's not yellow jackets, they are. I know my wasps...

I frequently notice exterior yellow jacket nests under railings, in mailboxes, window frames, etc etc, but I have never seen on in shrubs. I swore the one on Friday was a wasp nest because it was a perfect round gray ball a little smaller than my head. But I watched it closely and alas...yellow jackets were going in and out of it. I found 3 small phone-sized honeycomb yellow jacket jests (The kind I typically find under railings and whatnot) today, but they were easy to take care of.

so my point is that it's very possible for yellow jackets to build nests in shrubs, so start by looking on the tips of the branches for a fist-sized or smaller honeycomb nest.

[OakNut]

It's the sneaky ones in the ground that always get me.

[Richard Martin]

Yellow Jackets also will build massive ground hives too. I did a lawn one summer for a guy that had to recover from an accident involving a ground hive. He was mowing his lawn with a riding tractor and the whole tractor, with him on it, collapsed the ground right into the hive. He was stung several hundred times and was lucky to survive.

The most times I've ever been stung was 13 and they came out of a ground hive when I mowed over it.

[chagh2.0]

you got to be careful. Last year two of my guys have been pick up by rescue for bees that are living in the ground around here in RI they look just like a yellow jacket but smaller we just call them knock out bees

[K & K Mowing]

Dude, were talking about a half pint of gas. Not a 55 gallong drum of it that would contaminate a water supply. You would put that much distillates in the ground if you squirt a can of bee spray in there.

Kevin

[timthib]

I've run across ground nests several times while bush hogging. They like to nest in and under piles of old clippings. Usually I notice them before I run over them but last month I hit a nest while I was turning the tractor around and didn't see them until it was too late. Seventeen stings in a matter of a few seconds is not a fun experience. The good news is that I'm apparently no longer allergic to the stings like I was as a child.

[K & K Mowing]

Empty bird feeders are also a favorite of paper wasps. I hate paper wasps! They don't like me either.

Kevin

[TriCityLawnCareLLC]

best spray I've come across is Lesco Brand. I bought a can last year for $7 and it kills INSTANTLY i mean on contact they are dead! It's almost as if they are shocked to death.

[herler]

Wasps are most aggressive during the hottest part of the day, less so in the evening.