Dealing with wasps, yellow jackets and hornets
I write some semblance of this column every year, because it is important, but usually I wait until September. This season, I have had quite a few inquiries already regarding hornets and how to deal with them. I suspect that the hot, dry weather we had earlier in July allowed many of these insect’s population to swell a few weeks earlier than “normal.” Only a few of these insects survive our winter in protected places, but they begin building their numbers in May and June. By mid-August, their nests are very large and it seems that their dispositions are at their worst. It is almost as if they know that most will perish in a couple of months when frost arrives.
Technically, most wasps and hornets, even yellow jackets, are considered beneficial since they kill and feed on other pest insects. Nevertheless, there are public safety issues that seriously outweigh the desire to protect beneficial insects.
Wasp and bald-faced hornet nests present a real threat to people if they are located anywhere near where people walk or congregate. In some cases, it is not even necessary to provoke an attack. My friend Lester got stung three times last week when he simply put a stepladder up against his house to clean out gutters.
He did not see the hornet nest under the gutter, and, by the time he got to the top, of the ladder, it was too late to escape. I probably would have jumped off the ladder! Last week, I also got attacked by wasps that had nested inside the gas cap of a truck that had been sitting all summer long and I got attacked again from a nest that was under the hood of the same vehicle. Honey bees can also inflict a painful sting, but they rarely sting unless seriously provoked, or if their hive is threatened.
Nevertheless if you are fond of walking barefoot on your lawn, beware of stepping on flowering clover or wild thyme that honeybees may be working. Honeybees give their life when they sting because their stinger is actually attached to their internal organs and it kills them to inflict a single sting. Yellow jackets and hornets can sting repeatedly, which makes them far more dangerous.
For most people, the reaction to a sting is relatively minor, resulting in pain and some swelling that goes away in a few hours. For others, the reaction can be life threatening (at least 100 deaths a year in the U.S.). If you should happen to get stung and you develop an allergic reaction in an area other then where you were stung, you need to get medical attention in a hurry. For example, if you develop itchy hives or shortness of breath or swelling around your throat, you need to get to an emergency room as soon as possible. A localized swelling reaction, even if it seems severe is not as serious as a reaction elsewhere on your body. If you get stung on your hand or wrist your should immediately remove any rings, bracelets or watches because the swelling might cut off circulation. Your doctor can prescribe an “Epipen” syringe that contains medicine to be used in an emergency situation if you are seriously allergic to these types of stings. I always carry some Benadryl capsules with me when I hike in the woods in the late summer or early fall.
Before you mow the lawn again or work in an attic or shed, take some time to observe the area you will be working in carefully for the presence of hornets or their nests. Inspect the lawn for signs of yellow jackets flying to and from a small hole in the ground. Ground nesting yellow jackets are also common in forested areas. Black bears and skunks are seemingly immune to the venom and often they will dig up these nests to eat the larvae. Beware of freshly dug holes in the lawn or garden, as there may still be some angry hornets guarding the entrance after the skunk or bear leaves.
Purchase some aerosol cans of wasp and hornet spray. Practice using them during the day time. Do not spray the nest until after dark on a cool evening when all the insects are in the nest and they are sluggish. Make sure you are not standing directly beneath the nest, where the spay liquid or the stunned insects will fall on your head! Spraying the nest during the day will not kill all the foraging insects and they will build a new nest quickly and become even more aggressive defending it. Carefully locate the nest in daylight and make certain you can see it at night with a flashlight. Spray directly into the opening hole or soak the entire nest with the insecticide. Use at least half the can of spray to be sure you have thoroughly saturated the nest. If no insect activity is noticed the next day, you can be pretty sure that you have killed them all.