How to Get Rid of Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets are the small yellow-and-black wasps that show up at picnics, trash cans and anything sweet in late summer. Swat a few and more keep coming, because the colony keeps sending them. The fix is the nest, and with yellowjackets that nest is often underground, where it is easy to miss and easy to step on. Here is how to find it and treat it.

Why yellowjackets are hard to get rid of

Unlike paper wasps, many yellowjackets build their nests in the ground, in old burrows or under shrubs, with only a small entrance hole showing. The colony grows all summer and is at its largest late in the season, which is when yellowjackets start crowding patios and trash cans. Because the nest is hidden, most people treat the wasps they see instead of the source. (Keeping them off the patio in the meantime: Late-summer yellow jackets)

How to get rid of yellowjackets

Watch at midday for a steady line of yellowjackets flying low into one spot in the ground, and mark it from a distance. Some colonies nest in wall voids, sheds or hollow trees instead. Come back before sunrise or after sunset, when they are least active, and approach from upwind. Spray Final Hex directly into the nest entrance at ground level, then step back right away, since any yellowjackets still active will come out of that hole. For a nest above ground, saturate it from up to 15 feet away. Check the entrance the next day and reapply if you still see activity. Do not spray in wind or rain. Final Hex is flammable, so keep it away from heat and open flame. If the nest is inside a wall or you are allergic to stings, call a professional. To keep new ones away, cover food and drinks outdoors, keep trash lids tight and pick up fallen fruit.

Get rid of yellowjackets, step by step

• Find the nest: watch at midday for yellowjackets flying in and out of one spot and mark it.
• Time it right: return before sunrise or after sunset and approach from upwind.
• Spray the entrance: aim Final Hex straight into the hole at ground level.
• Step back: move away immediately after spraying.
• Recheck: reapply the next day if yellowjackets are still coming and going.
• Keep them away: cover food and drinks, keep trash lids tight and pick up fallen fruit.

Related: How to kill wasps and How to get rid of a wasp nest.

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