Many consider the Yellow Jacket to be the most dangerous of bees due to their nesting and foraging behavior. They will often cause people to have an allergic reaction which can be life threatening.
Yellow Jackets are the smallest of the common Vespids about 1/2 inch long. They are most active in late summer and early autumn when a colony is at its peak. Most species build their nests underground. Workers will come and go via an earthen tunnel which ends in a hole at the soil surface. Underground nests are usually started in an underground cavity or abandoned mammal burrow. They have been known to build extensive nests within voids of concrete block foundation, or below railroad ties used in landscaping. Nests can be also built under swing sets, jungle gyms and underneath decking. Yellow jacket nests resemble hornet nests. As many as several thousand workers may be produced in a colony in one season.
Yellow jackets are territorial. They are stinging insects. They are known to sting repeatedly and can cause allergic reactions which can be life threatening to you or your family and friends. Yellow Jackets feed on sweets and proteins. They will invade your outdoor events and cause a threat to anyone who is stung.
If you are threatened with Yellow Jackets or stumble across a nest on your property, a Pest Management Professional (PMP) is needed to safely eliminate the nest and rid your property of these stinging pests.