Many of us are enjoying cooler temperatures
by getting outside and having a picnic, attending a family reunion,
or spending the day at an arts-and-crafts festival. These
activities, which usually involve food and beverages, may attract
some uninvited guests. You know who I’m talking about: those
stinging bugs sporting yellow-and-black jackets.
Believe it or not, yellowjackets are
considered beneficial insects because they pollinate plants and
feed on other insects, such as flies and caterpillars.
Yellowjackets often become a nuisance August through October.
The two common species of yellowjackets found
in Illinois are the Eastern yellowjacket, which usually nests in
the ground, and the German yellowjacket, which has a habit of
nesting in walls. Yellowjackets are often confused with honeybees,
but honeybees lack the distinctive stripe pattern.
Yellowjackets, which have the ability to
sting multiple times, are responsible for about half of all insect
stings. The stings are rarely life-threatening, unless a person is
allergic to the venom. Easily provoked, a yellowjacket stings only
to inflict pain.
Here are a few simple rules to follow to
decrease your chances of being stung by a yellowjacket:
Quick movement often provokes an
attack. Never swing, swat, or strike at a yellowjacket. Likewise,
try to avoid running from a yellowjacket. If a yellowjacket lands
on your skin to take a drink of sweat, be patient; the bug will fly
away. If necessary, blow or gently brush it away.
Yellowjackets will attack
collectively. Avoid stepping on a ground nest. Never strike, swing
at, or crush a wasp against your body; this could incite nearby yellowjackets
to mount a frenzied attack. Squashing a yellowjacket releases a
chemical that signals other wasps in the area to attack.
Any scent of food attracts wasps and
bees. When eating outdoors, keep foods, especially fruit and soft
drinks, covered. Yellowjackets have a habit of feeding on sugar.
Drink from cups with lids or open cups; yellowjackets often enter
open beverage cans, and a swallowed yellowjacket may sting your
throat. Good sanitation is important. Keep garbage containers
clean. Seal trash in a container with a tight-fitting lid. If you
have fruit trees, pick the fruit as soon as it is ripe. Pick up and
dispose of any fallen fruit rotting on the ground.
Other scents and colors attract
yellowjackets. Floral-scented perfumes, hairspray, suntan lotion,
heavy-scented soaps and shampoos, and shiny jewelry all attract
yellowjackets. Avoid wearing brightly colored (especially yellow)
or flowery-print clothing. Wear a hat and closed-toe shoes.
For more information, including control
measures to deal with yellowjacket nests, visit the University of
Illinois Integrated Pest Management site,
www.ipm.uiuc.edu/hyg/insects/yellowjackets/index.html, or refer to
a fact sheet offered by the Ohio State University Extension,
ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2075.html.
Saving seeds, pressing flowers
The University of Illinois Extension
Sangamon-Menard Unit Master Gardeners will host a demonstration on
“Seed Collecting and Preserving Flowers” at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 20. The presentation, which will last 30 minutes,
will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
Free and open to the public, the program will
be held in the Identification Garden at the University of Illinois
Extension Building at the fairgrounds. For information, call
217-782-4617.
This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2005.
