Plants & Bulbs

» Robert Dailey - Does anyone know what attracts yellow jackets?

Yes. Yellow jackets are omnivorous,but basically scavengers. They will eat dead insects and live worms. They LOVE fresh garbage, dead animals, and sugar-rich foods such as soft drinks and sweets. They eat ripe fruit like peaches and raspberries late in summer. They also will go after honey-dew producing insects, such as aphids. If it is particularly dry and hot, they will become a nuisance around water sources.
There are several ways to control them:
1. Baited traps are commercially available.
2. Chemical sprays in aerosol are also commercially available. I don't like to use these, but sometimes its necessary. If you do decide to spray, do so very early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This is the time they are least active, and more will be at the nest. You may have to spray several times (several days in a row) to get them all.
3. Wait until cold weather comes. Then the colony will die out.
Let us know if you are successful.