Yellow Jacket Control in Downers Grove, IL

What Yellow Jackets Look Like

Yellow jackets are about half an inch long, with bright yellow and black bands and a smooth, thin body. They are often mistaken for bees, but they have a slim waist and are not fuzzy. They fly fast and in a zigzag pattern.

Unlike wasps that build open nests on eaves, yellow jackets usually nest out of sight. For nests under eaves or on trees, see Wasp and Hornet Nest Removal.

Where Yellow Jacket Nests Hide

• In the ground. The most common spot. They often use old rodent burrows, and the only sign is a small hole with insects flying in and out
• In wall voids. Behind siding, in gaps in the walls, in attics and in crawl spaces
• Under decks, porches and steps
• In wood piles, stumps and landscaping walls
• In sheds, garages and hollow logs

If you see yellow jackets flying in and out of the same small spot again and again, especially near the ground or a wall, there is probably a nest there.

Why Yellow Jackets Are Worse in Late Summer and Fall

A yellow jacket colony starts in spring with one queen. By August and September, it can hold hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of workers. At this point they are looking for more food, especially sugar and protein, and they can be aggressive.

That is why you see them at cookouts, around trash cans, near soda cans and outdoor dining areas. Yellow jackets are also more defensive as colonies grow, and they will attack if they sense a threat. They can sting many times.

Never Do These

• Do not plug the nest hole. Trapped yellow jackets can chew through walls or find their way indoors.
• Do not pour gasoline or water in a ground nest. It is dangerous, harms the yard and does not work well.
• Do not mow or trim near a possible nest. Vibrations can set off an attack.
• Do not stand and watch the nest. Guard yellow jackets will notice you.

Call 911 right away if someone who was stung has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness or a fast heartbeat.

How We Get Rid of Yellow Jackets

1. Find the nest. We look for the entrance and follow the flight paths. Wall nests may need a closer inspection.

2. Treat at the right time. Yellow jackets are treated when most of the colony is inside the nest, usually in the evening or at night. We use products and dust made for stinging insects.

3. Treat wall and hidden nests carefully. For nests inside walls, we treat the entrance and the void so that yellow jackets do not find another way into the home.

4. Leave the entrance open at first. We do not seal a wall opening until we are sure the colony is gone.

5. Follow up. We check for activity after treatment and return if we find more yellow jackets.

The nest will not be used again next year, but new queens may pick a spot close to the old one. We share tips on making the area less inviting.

Tips for Cookouts and Outdoor Living

• Keep food and drinks covered when eating outside
• Use cups with lids or straws for sweet drinks, since yellow jackets like to crawl into open cans
• Empty and rinse soda cans and bottles
• Keep trash cans closed and clean
• Clean grill grease and food scraps right after use
• Pick up fallen fruit under trees
• Do not wear strong sweet perfume outdoors during peak season

Yellow Jackets in Downers Grove Yards

Downers Grove yards, parks and lawns give yellow jackets many places to nest, especially where there are old rodent burrows, mulch beds, decks and wood piles. If you have a busy backyard with a patio, playset or fire pit, the risk of contact is higher.

Yellow Jacket Control Across Downers Grove

We treat yellow jackets in homes and businesses throughout Downers Grove, including ZIP codes 60515 and 60516, and in nearby towns such as Lisle, Woodridge, Westmont and Darien. If you are close by, call us anyway.