Have you ever noticed that yellow jackets seem to become more aggressive during Fall? You may be surprised, but sometimes apple picking in the Fall attracts more attention from yellow jackets than a Summer picnic does! It turns out that there’s actually a scientific reason for it.
Yellow jackets are more defensive of their nests in Fall.
- Autumn is a particularly vital time Yellow jacket colonies are at their largest (1,000-4,000 workers) by late summer and begin dwindling down as the weather gets cooler. So, they aren’t trying to intentionally bother you, they’re actually just dying off.
- Resources are also depleted during this time making yellow jackets grow hungry, which is why they may be swarming your cider goods more than they usually would.
- Yellow jackets are more defensive of their nests in Fall because they know other bees are in there. And by the way, they can sting repeatedly—so it’s best to have Sting-Kill handy during these outdoor adventures to quickly treat the pain and itch.
So when you’re gearing up to enjoy the great outdoors this Fall, remember that it’s always best to “bee prepared” for a potentially unfriendly encounter with a yellow jacket. Keep plenty of Sting-Kill on hand just in case!
Addtional Resources:
http://www.mlive.com/homeandgarden/index.ssf/2013/09/attack_of_the_yellow_jackets_a.html
