Important Warning About Illinois’ Fall Nightmare Insect; The German Yellowjacket

Every fall, Illinois residents brace for the return of our buzzing nemeses: German yellowjackets. These insects are not only annoying, they are also aggressive, pack a  painful sting, and are hard to get rid of.

What Are German Yellowjackets?

I know we're not supposed to hate bees due to their vital pollination efforts, but what about Yellowjackets? Am I free to loathe these nasty buggers, because I sure do!

If you are unsure what a German Yellowjacket looks like, (they are often mistaken as honeybees), here is a side-by-side comparison...

German Yellowjackets are usually the same size as honeybees, and both of them are good at pollinating plants, but one of the insects is fuzzy and generally nice, while the other is hairless and MEAN.

Yellowjackets are usually the jerks you find swarming around food and like to ruin our fall outings at pumpkin patches and apple orchards, but that's not the biggest problem you need to beware of.

Important Warning About German Yellowjackets

In one of the community Facebook groups I am a member of, I noticed a resident Orkin man post a warning about German Yellowjackets that I think many people might not be aware of. (I sure wasn't until today!)

Here's part of the warning that really got me...

It's that time of year already, where german yellow jackets are on the attack when you start your lawn mower or anything that's loud. These yellow jackets make their nests in the ground and will attack in huge numbers if disturbed. Loud noises, and vibrations upset these guys very quick.

Wonderful, right? Wait, it gets worse.

He went on to say;

If you see them entering and exiting a hole in the ground, DONT TOUCH IT. Aerosol sprays and other insecticide sprays will not destroy them or the nest.

WHAT?! How do we get rid of them then?!?

How to Get Rid of German Yellowjackets

If you have a German Yellowjacket problem in your yard and regular insect sprays won't kill them, what should you do? The short answer is; call a pest control professional.

If you want to try to get rid of them yourself first, here are a few things you should do:

• Make sure all garbage cans are covered.
• Check your garden for overripened fruits and get rid of them.
• Caulk all cracks and crevices in outer buildings and remove large piles of logs so the yellowjackets are tempted to build nests or use them for overwintering.

If you have a yellowjacket nest in your yard, don't even try to mess around with it, just call a professional. These insects guard their nests fiercely and will not hesitate to call out their friends to sting you by the hundreds.