Yellow Jacket question (waterpark, closing, dangerous)

[FromEastCoast]

Also, than you pbenjamin. That is exactly what I mean by a yellow jacket.

[stevek64]

Do the "yellow jackets" land on the water and stand for a few seconds? If so, they are probably yellow paper wasps. When we had a pool, we saw them often and they never bothered us when we were swimming or around the pool.

We also had many bees around a large orange bell shrub that was near our pool. Often there were 50-100 bees at times pollinating, and again they never bothered us. I would trim the shrub and they'd be all around me and never bothered me.

btw, the yellow paper wasps are also a beneficial insect:

Beneficial insects in the garden: #01 Paper Wasps

We saw one go after a large caterpillar. That benefited us as those caterpillars were feeding on the chard in our garden.

[esiebert7625]

Originally Posted by FromEastCoast

Interesting. Sorry if I am skeptical. When you say "they" what do you mean? The paper wasps?

Yeah, they buzz right by me and don't seem interested in stinging anyone just getting water.

[Ponderosa]

We always called the ones that land on the pool all day mud daubers. They take the water and combine it with dirt to make mud tubes that they lay eggs in.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

We always called the ones that land on the pool all day mud daubers. They take the water and combine it with dirt to make mud tubes that they lay eggs in.

I've called them that, too. All the same critter.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

A note to people back east: what is usually referred to in Arizona as a yellow jacket is probably not the same creature that you are thinking of that looks like this



What we have in Arizona is properly called a Yellow Paper Wasp and looks like this:

I was going to say.....because I've never seen or heard of yellow jackets in this state, and I've encountered true yellow jackets. They are very distinct and you will know them if you see them.

True yellow jackets look much larger and they hover like little helicopters. When I lived in Dallas, we had true yellow jackets in the backyard.

The same thing that many of you rant about (Heat and Dryness) actually keep a lot of hymenoptera away because they can't survive in these arid conditions. Go to Texas and Florida, and you will see a lot more of them.

[FromEastCoast]

I'm an idiot. They are just bees. We went outside and started splashing around and they just took off. Thanks. Good to know we don't have yellow jackets here. That has to be the only evil, US animal, that Arizona is missing.

[locolobo13]

The mud daubers or paper wasps are what I see. While not too aggressive they will often chase me about 20-30 ft from their nest if I trim too close. If their nest is too close to the house I will wonder back in a couple of minutes and watch to see where they go.

All you have to do to get rid of them is knock their nest down. They don't usually come back after that. Oh yeah if you can't figure it out, after you knock the nest down, RUN. Still they've never chased me more than 20-30 ft.

[kool hand luke]

Wait until twilight, and pour gasoline into their nest. Make sure they don't have another way to exit their nest. This should do it.

[brienzi]

Burning the nest is good option depending where u live. I've done that. Above and below the ground.

While doing tree removal i stepped on a nest under the ground and was attacked by a swarm and ran for at least 100 feet as
my coworker watched. They got under my clothing and in my hair..it was a nightmare LOL. Once i knew i was safe i shed all my clothing except my drawers and whisked the few that where still around away. Ended up with like 15 stings..

My point, they do have nests under the ground and if found, i pour gasoline over that ground and light a match. Hopefully gasoline finds it's way through their tunnels and burns em up and out.