Spring is a beautiful time of year, with flowers blooming and birds chirping. But it's also the season when yellowjackets start to make their presence known. These buzzing insects can be a nuisance, especially if you have an allergy to their stings. So, when exactly do yellowjackets come out in springtime? Let's find out!

Springtime: The Emergence of Yellowjacket Queens

Yellowjackets are social insects that live in colonies. Each colony has a queen, who overwinters in protected locations such as tree bark or underground burrows. As the weather starts to warm up in spring, these queens emerge from their winter hiding spots and begin searching for a suitable location to build their nests.

Yellowjacket Nest Building Starts

Once a yellowjacket queen finds a suitable nesting site, she begins constructing her nest. This usually involves chewing wood fibers into pulp and shaping it into hexagonal cells. The queen then lays her eggs in these cells and tends to them until they hatch into larvae.

As the larvae develop, the queen continues to gather food for them by hunting other insects or scavenging for sugary substances like fruit or nectar. This stage is crucial for colony establishment, as the first batch of workers will eventually take over all duties while the queen focuses solely on egg-laying.

Yellowjacket Workers Take Over

After several weeks, the first generation of yellowjacket workers emerges from the pupae stage. These workers are sterile females whose sole purpose is to support and expand the colony. They take over all tasks previously carried out by the queen, including foraging for food, expanding the nest, and caring for subsequent generations of larvae.

It's during this time that yellowjackets become more noticeable and potentially problematic for humans. They are attracted to sugary foods and beverages, making picnics and outdoor gatherings prime targets for their presence.

Yellowjacket Peak Activity and the End of the Season

Yellowjacket colonies reach their peak activity levels during late summer, with hundreds or even thousands of individuals buzzing around. This is when they are most aggressive in defending their nests and can pose a significant threat to humans.

As the weather starts to cool down in early fall, yellowjackets shift their focus from colony expansion to producing new queens and males for the following year. These new reproductive individuals mate and then leave the nest to find suitable overwintering sites, starting the cycle anew.

Dealing with Yellowjackets

If you're dealing with a yellowjacket problem on your property, it's best to contact a professional pest control company like Environmental Pest Control. They have the expertise and tools to safely remove yellowjacket nests and prevent future infestations. Environmental Pest Control provides yellow jacket control and year round pest and rodent control with their highly effective and safe pest control plans. Call today for your free over the phone estimate!