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Yellowjacket swarms peak after mild winter, dry spring
If you have gone outside lately, you have likely noticed swarms of yellowjackets. If you think there are more of them lately, you are not wrong.
MILWAUKEE - If you have gone outside lately, you have likely noticed swarms of yellowjackets. If you think there are more of them lately, you are not wrong.
Yellowjacket season
What we know:
This is peak yellowjacket season, and it is hard to escape them right now. One expert said this all has to do with the milder winter we had.
"Just annoying, annoying," said Abby Reger of Milwaukee.
On a picture-perfect day, it is nice to get outside, but there is one thing that is spoiling it.
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"They’re just kind of everywhere right now," said Elia Rea of Milwaukee.
It is peak yellowjacket season, and at South Shore Terrace, there is no avoiding the yellowjackets.
"We moved from another table because there weren’t any here, and they’re just following us basically," Rea said.
The small wasps, with bright yellow and black stripes, are swarming tables, trash and people.
"There’s just millions of them, everywhere! Anywhere you go in the city, I feel like they’re out," Hutchison said.
Worse than usual
What we know:
"I don’t know if I’ve seen it quite this bad before," said Michelle Collins, owner and operator of PestMaster of Racine/Kenosha.
Collins said 95% of calls for service since August have been for yellowjackets and hornets.
"We did have a little bit milder winter and also we kind of had a milder and drier spring than normal," Collins said.
She said that accelerated the development of the insects' colonies. Collins and her crew have removed many from roofs, in siding, and along the foundation of homes.
Some are taking matters into their own hands.
"We’d rather do this and kill them than get bit," said Pamela Bautch of Milwaukee.
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Others are waiting it out, knowing what is ahead.
"Hopefully they’ll be better next year. They’ll be away soon. It will get cold. So, we just have to weather through," Hutchison said.
The biggest thing that attracts the insects is sugar and fruit. If you are outside, cover up your food and drinks, and get rid of trash to keep them away.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Ashley Sears and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Abby Reger, Janel Hutchison, Elia Rea, Michelle Collins with PestMaster of Racine/Kenosha, Pamela Bautch and FOX6 News reporting.