Yellowjackets Feast on Homeowners Garden in Manasquan, NJ
Challenge
When the weather is perfect picking vegetables, it’s also perfect for yellowjackets to be very active. Unfortunately for our newest client in Manasquan, NJ she had to find that out for herself. While she was picking vegetables in her garden she stepped on a ground yellowjackets nest and out they came! She was stung several times on her feet which for her meant a lot of swelling.
Yellowjackets thrive when the temperatures are hot in the Northeast. They’re also very active pollinating and living off of the goods that can be found in the garden. Since yellowjackets don’t lose their stinger, they can sting numerous times, and will do so unprovoked. They usually bite your flesh to get a better grip as they jab their stinger into your skin.
Solution
We decided that dusting the yellow jackets nest would be the best course of action for this particular situation. We put a bee suit on and made our way towards the very active yellow jackets nest. We applied the dust into the nest and the yellow jackets began flying out by the hundreds. Anytime a dust product touches the entrance or the nest itself the yellow jackets begin cleaning it out immediately to protect their queen. Little do they know, they are carrying out what will eventually kill them.
Over the course of the next 24 hours, the bees will expire due to the intense cleaning of the dust that will be absorbed into their bodies. We always advise our clients to stay away from the area for 72 hours if at all possible. We do not want to take any chances when it comes to the safety of our clients.
