How to Get Rid of Grubs in Lawn Effectively

Lawn Grub
Lawn Grub

Are raccoons and skunks digging up your lawn for a tasty meal? Is your lawn becoming brown? 

We at Environmental Pest Management are experts in dealing with grubs in lawns. Learn how to identify a grub infestation and eliminate grubs in the lawn if you want to save your little haven from utter decay!

What Are Grubs in Lawn?

Known as lawn grubs or white grubs, grubs are pale white and squirmy larvae with brown heads. They’re about an inch long and curl into a C-shape when bothered. Larval is the immature form of various adult chafers and beetle species, including June bugs, European chafers, and Japanese beetles. You’ll find them emerging from underground in spring and early fall.

Lawn grubs are a natural part of the ecosystem, and healthy grass can support some grub feeding. But damage occurs when the population gets out of hand, as these pests feed on the roots of your grass, damaging your lawn.

Specifically, grubs feed on the thatch in lawns, an organic layer of dead and living shoots, roots, and stems. So they help manage lawn thatch, reduce its build-up, and, ironically, prevent pest problems.

The only issue is that they don’t stop at the thatch and feed on the turfgrass roots and crowns, killing your plants. Luckily, control methods will save your turf, so make sure you get the help of a pest control company like Environmental Pest Management. Professionals will inspect your lawn and consider your budget and safety when conducting their services in its infested areas.

How to Identify the Problem

Identifying the problem is the first step. It’s tricky because many pests cause the same lawn problems, so you should follow these two steps.

1. Look for the Signs

Grass grub damage

The signs of a grub infestation are:

  • Patches of Thinning Turf: Do dead patches keep appearing and growing on your turf weekly?
  • Yellowing Grass: This grass will eventually become a brown patch.
  • Grass Pulling Out Easily: It may be unusually easy for you to pull out plants from their roots. As a result, more skunks, moles, raccoons, and crows start packing and digging in the lawn for food, leaving holes behind.
  • Spongy Grass: The spongy texture of the grass makes for a soft underfoot and a bouncy step.
  • Beetles and Moths: Infested areas invite beetles and moths to lay their eggs, so they’ll start flying over the turf.
  • Grass Drought: You might notice signs of drought despite water availability.

2. Test Your Lawn

Now that you’ve seen the signs, you should confirm the existence of grub. Because they live underneath, you’ll have to do a little digging to see the pests. To conduct the following test:

  • Locate the browning or dead patches.
  • Use a shovel or lawn edger to dig up a hole, which should be one square foot large and two to three inches deep.
  • Sift around the soil, looking for grub, and count them.
  • Put back the grass you’ve cut out to avoid further damage.
  • Repeat the steps in other patches that you suspect for grub infestations, and make a note of which areas have more grubs than others.

When you conduct this test, you’ll almost always find grub. 

If they’re five or fewer, you have nothing to worry about. Five to ten grubs are only a concern if your lawn is unhealthy, as its ability to handle the grub feedings will be below normal. However, ten or more grubs is a sign of a serious infestation, and you must immediately implement pest control measures.

How to Treat Grubs on Lawn

Lawn Care - Grubs in lawn

Let’s go over how to chemically or naturally kill grubs in the lawn.

The Chemical Way

By far, the most effective control method is using chemical insecticides, which is necessary if you have a serious grub infestation. 

So what do pest control services include? Well, you can expect professional exterminators to eliminate the existing infestation and prevent it from resurfacing, which is why they might use two types of insecticides.

Firstly, curative pesticides are short-lived chemicals (carbonyl and trichlorfon) that eliminate existing grubs immediately. They eliminate the active pests in your lawn but don’t affect future grubs. Curative pesticides are especially effective during August and September, as the grubs leave their eggs and are fragile. Otherwise, spring grips are more developed, putting up more resistance to the pesticide.

As for specific types of grubs, carbonyl is slightly more effective on European chafer grubs than trichlorfon. The two curative insecticides are great for getting rid of Japanese beetle grubs.

Secondly, experts use preventative insecticides to prevent future generations of grubs from infesting your lawn the next fall or spring, preferably ones containing thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, and clothianidin.

If they’re neonicotinoids, the grass absorbs the pesticides, killing grubs when they’re old enough to feed on the roots of the treated plants. Accordingly, they aren’t effective on grubs in lawns from mid-October to May.

When you find a grub infestation, you should use preventative insecticides for a year or two to prevent a reinfestation before stopping. However, don’t use these chemicals merely because the general area is known to have Japanese beetles or European chafers.

Remember that it’s better to let experts handle this because each preventative chemical has a slightly different application time, enabling it to target grubs when active. Not to mention, some products on the market are ineffective altogether, such as ones that contain only bifenthrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin.

The Natural Way

If you’re wondering how to get rid of grubs in the lawn naturally, we’ll cover some natural or organic treatments for these pests.

The first method is milky spores. These bacteria kill Japanese beetle grubs if the spring soil is warm enough. It’s safe for use; sprinkle the powder onto your turf to control the infestation.

The drawback is that it can be three years before you completely eliminate the grub population. Another complication that comes with using milky spores is that it works only on a specific species, so you must confirm that the grubs in your lawn are Japanese beetles via hand lens.

The second organic treatment for grubs uses beneficial nematodes. They’re microscopic parasitic worms that feed on and release enough bacteria to kill grubs off.

In terms of usage, you can apply nematodes in the afternoon. Start by watering the soil because these living organisms love moisture. Then, use the substance before watering again. 

Note that nematode products should be used instantly after you purchase them. If not, the worms die and are unable to do the job.

Like milky spores, nematodes can get rid of grubs completely in up to three years. What makes them a long-term solution is that they reproduce, and their population feeds on grubs, among other pests, for several years.

How Dangerous Are Grubs?

If you’re tempted to let your grub infestation problem sort itself out, think again. Grubs live deep in the soil during winter and emerge in a few months, wreaking havoc on your plants and grass.

Aside from your lawn looking sad, the turf will get thinner, and the dead patches will increase gradually. It’ll become easy to pull out the damaged grass at its roots, and animals will start digging in for food. Moles will be attracted to your yard, especially if it has beetle grubs. These feedings are detrimental to the health of your grass and plants.

Final Words

Grubs are pale white larvae that live underneath the soil and feed on the grass thatch, roots, and crowns. They make your grass thin, yellow, and spongy, eventually killing it. You can take either the natural or chemical route to kill grubs in the lawn.

The natural one involves milky spores or nematodes, but it’ll be years before these treatments take full effect. As for the chemical route, pest management professionals use curative pesticides to kill active grubs and preventative pesticides to protect your grass against future grub infestations.

You have a serious infestation if you find ten or more grubs when digging a square foot hole in your lawn. So contact a pest control company like Environmental Pest Management. We, the experts, use safe control methods with little to no odor and only the best products to save your precious turf and lively plants.

Are Mice Repellent Helpful in Rodent Infestations?

Common house mouse looks out from a mink in the wall
Common house mouse looks out from a mink in the wall

Getting mice in your home is not what you’d call an enjoyable experience. They can leave your home in tatters, gnawing through your walls, screens, and containers. And for this, most people look to mice repellent.

But what are the best mice repellent to use? Are there safe, natural repellents, or are they all toxic? Read on to find out.

But for a more immediate plan of action, you can visit Environmental Pest Management for all your pest control needs.

What Are Mice Repellents?

A mice repellent is any substance with the ability to deter rats from entering and nesting in your home. It can be the perfect solution for any homeowner wishing to deal with mice humanely without resorting to traps and poison. 

There are natural mice repellents and artificial ones as well. Some are more effective than others, and some can be somewhat useless. The trick lies in knowing which repellent to choose and where to apply it.

What Is a Natural Repellent for Mice?

Natural mice repellents have an inherent ability to keep mice away due to their potent smell. They’re generally non-toxic, which makes them great for homes with pets or small children. 

Here are a few examples of natural mice repellents:

Cats

Cat hunting to mouse at home, Burmese cat face before attack close-up

Owning a cat is one of the best natural mice repellent. Just by smelling a cat’s scent, most mice tend to retreat to avoid danger.

Peppermint Oil

Multiple studies have shown that essential oils with strong odors, particularly peppermint oil, are terrific mice repellents. 

Rodents abhor strong minty scents, resulting in fewer visits to your house. You can place a few drops of peppermint oil in sites you’ve seen rodents frequenting. And you can also use a diffuser for an easier and more-thorough application. Just ensure undiluted peppermint oil doesn’t come in contact with your skin, as it may be irritating.

Note: Other essential oils that work as mice repellents include wintergreen oil, eucalyptus oil, bergamot oil, and geranium oil. 

Chilli

Similar to essential oils, chili has a repulsive effect on rodents thanks to its sharp characteristics. It was proven to decrease their approach when tested on rodents, making them a good repellant. 

But be careful when using chili, cayenne pepper, and other spicy items when pets and children are present. While they aren’t toxic, they can irritate the respiratory system. 

Vinegar 

Vinegar can also be used to repel rodents thanks to its pungent scent. It can also clean after rodents, removing any sign of their scent. 

White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are both okay to use. All you need to do is soak some cotton with vinegar, place them near possible entry points and nests, and then replace them when dried out. 

Artificial Mice Repellents

Artificial mice repellents are man-made chemicals or devices designed to keep mice away. Here is a couple to look into.

Ultrasonic Repellents 

Ultrasonic repellents work by producing ultrasounds bothersome to rodents. Rodents are repelled enough to leave your house by constant exposure to the noise. 

Some ultrasonic repellents regularly change the produced sound to disturb the mice continuously. Some even use LED lights to scare them as they’re scuttling in the dark. 

While many individuals have found ultrasonic repellents to be effective, keep in mind that that’s not the case for everyone. A few users find them to be useless, and others say they take a week or more to show an effect. 

Still, most people love them since they’re so low maintenance and easy on the nose.

Mothballs 

Moth balls as mice repellant over the sackcloth

Mothballs contain naphthalene, a chemical typically used to chase away moths and other insects. 

When naphthalene is eaten or inhaled, it prevents red blood cells from carrying oxygen to the tissues, ultimately resulting in the death of the creature.

As such, many people use mothballs as mice repellents. However, while the amount of naphthalene in mothballs is good enough for insects, it’s not nearly enough for mice. 

But you can slightly increase their effectiveness as mice repellents by soaking multiple mothballs in water and using the resultant mixture as a spray.

Can Mice Repellents Get Rid of Rodent Infestations?

Mice repellents are better options for dealing with house mice.

They can decrease the number of rats, but this only lasts for a short while. But after some time, the rodents can get used to the disturbing smells and sounds and start coming back. 

Mice repellents are generally not the best idea for an ongoing rodent infestation. They can be a means of prevention, but they won’t permanently resolve the issue. 

How to Keep Mice Away

To effectively get rid of mice, sanitation should be your primary goal. By preventing mice from obtaining food and shelter, they’ll eventually move on in search of a new home. However, if your house remains a good nesting ground for them, they may always stay. 

Apart from thoroughly cleaning your home, you also need to seal away any points of entry. That includes checking your floor drains, pipes, doors, windows, screens, and walls.

Conclusion

Rodent control can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing.

While many people will advise you to use rodent repellents simply, you’ll find that they only serve as a temporary solution. 

If you’ve tried your best, but the mice keep coming back, it’s time to give us a call. We at Environmental Pest Management can deal with the pests swiftly, leaving your home mouse and rat-free in no time.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Safely & Permanently

Bedbugs colony on the matress cloth macro.
Bedbugs colony on the matress cloth macro.

Having a bed bug infestation is annoying and uncomfortable. You wake up with tiny, red, and itchy bumps on your skin that seem to appear out of nowhere. 

These tiny pests can also make you dread having guests over. Who wants the embarrassment or explanations?

And to make matters worse, bed bugs are excellent at hiding in tiny cracks and crevices, making them incredibly difficult to eliminate permanently. You can turn your room upside down today to treat these bloodsuckers, only to have them reappear the next day.

So, below, we’ll walk you through how to get rid of bed bugs in proven steps.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are reddish-brown, flat insects that feed on human blood. They’re about the size of apple seeds and don’t carry any known diseases. However, their bites can be itchy and cause skin irritation in some people.

The favorite spots for bed bugs are areas where we sleep or rest, such as beds, sofas, and chairs. However, you can also find them in other areas of the home or building, such as behind baseboards, wall voids, carpets, and electrical outlets.

A bed bug infestation doesn’t mean the place is unhygienic—it’s one of the several myths about bed bugs. Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can easily be transported from one place to another via clothing, luggage, or other personal belongings.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Permanently: A Step-By-Step Guide

Getting rid of bed bugs is a process that takes effort and persistence. You might need to repeat some steps for a few weeks to eliminate the blood-sucking insects completely.

Here are the most practical and effective steps to achieve a bed bug-free space.

1. Conduct a Bed Bug Inspection

If you wake up with red bumps and suspect that bed bugs may be the cause, conducting an inspection will help to confirm their presence. 

You should also carefully analyze whether the pests you find are bed bugs. It’s easy to mistake several household pests (like baby cockroaches, carpet beetles, ticks, spider beetles, and bat bugs) for bed bugs. 

If you’re unsure about the household pest you’re dealing with, you can take a sample to experts or request a professional bed bug inspection.

Here’s what you should look out for when conducting a bed bug inspection:

  • Live or dead bed bugs (oval in shape)
  • Rust-colored droppings
  • Empty skins 
  • Small pale yellow eggs
  • Reddish stains on beddings

2. Identify All the Bed Bug Infested Areas

Where do you look? Most bed bugs will be within five feet of the bed, but you can also find them in other rooms. Here are the areas you should examine carefully:

  • Bedding, including the mattress, box spring, and pillows
  • Underneath wall paintings, posters, and other decorations
  • Closets, nightstands, and dresser drawers
  • Along seams of carpets and cushions 
  • Any dark cracks within your bed
  • Inside electrical outlets
  • Furniture joints

This process can be time-consuming but crucial. You’ll know which areas of your home to treat and the extent of the infestation. As a result, you can create an effective bed bug treatment plan.

Use a bright flashlight to inspect cracks and crevices where bed bugs may hide. Crush or vacuum any bed bugs you come across in the process. If you need help, hire a pest control professional to carry out a pest inspection.

3. Declutter and Clean

Decluttering the infested room will make detecting and treating bed bugs easier. Remove unnecessary items, such as old magazines, newspapers, and cardboard boxes. Bed bugs can hide in such materials.

Once you’ve removed the clutter, wash all infested linen, clothing, carpet, and personal items in hot water. Bed bugs cannot survive in temperatures above 120 degrees, so use the hottest setting on your washing machine. Dry your items on the hottest setting as well. 

Place the items you can’t wash, such as books or electronics, in a sealed plastic bag without air holes to avoid spreading the pests. 

4. Vacuum Everything

Simply use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the bed bugs and their eggs from mattresses, carpets, furniture, and other areas where they may be hiding. You can use a crevice tool to reach into cracks, small spaces, and crevices where bed bugs may hide. 

Some of the areas to pay attention to include the following:

  • All surfaces of your mattress and box springs
  • Inside and under drawers of furniture
  • Underneath loose wallpapers
  • Cracks and folds in upholstered furniture 

After vacuuming:

  • Remove the vacuum bag or debris container, put the contents into a plastic bag, and seal it.
  • Dispose of the sealed bag appropriately.
  • Wash the debris container and vacuum brush attachment with hot water and detergent, then store the parts in large plastic garbage bags.
  • Use Steam or Heat Treatment

One of the best tips on how to get rid of bed bugs fast is to use heat treatment. Heat is a non-toxic and effective bug killer that works on all bed bug life stages.

You can use heat treatment in different ways, for instance:

  • Steam (for carpets, furniture, baseboards, etc.)
  • Hot dryers and portable heat chambers (for infested personal items)

Bed bugs will generally die in 20 minutes if exposed to 118°F and 90 minutes if exposed to 113°F. The only downside to heat treatment is that it doesn’t leave any residual activity, and bed bugs can return soon. That’s why you must use it as part of the process, not a stand-alone treatment for bed bugs.

5. Treat the Infested Area With Insecticides

how to get rid of bed bugs - Modern bedroom interior with comfortable bed

The most important factor in this step is to search for insecticides that are marked for use on bed bugs. So ensure you read the product’s label and follow its instructions for safe use. 

Here’s what to look out for on an insecticide label:

  • Has bed bugs on the list of pests it helps to control
  • Designed for indoor use
  • It has clear instructions for the use

Most people think insecticides are sufficient to kill bugs, but that’s not the case. While this is an important step in a bed bug control strategy, you need to combine it with other strategies in this guide.

6. Assess the Effectiveness of the Bed Bug Treatment

Bed bug treatment requires patience and persistence when doing it yourself. After following the steps outlined in this guide, the bed bug count should reduce significantly.

However, to completely eliminate bed bugs, you should repeat the steps several times over the next few weeks. Don’t let that discourage you! Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to remove. But eventually, they’ll be gone if you keep up with the bed bug control measures outlined in this guide.

7. Hire Pest Control Experts

pest control worker lying on floor and spraying pesticides in bedroom

Struggling to get rid of bed bugs after several attempts? It’s time to stop scratching your head on how to get rid of bed bugs at home and hire professional pest control experts. 

Pest control professionals have the experience, knowledge, and tools to effectively and safely eradicate bed bugs from your home. They can conduct a thorough inspection, identify the extent of the infestation, and develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs/situation. 

The experts can also offer advice and guidance on preventing future bed bug infestations.

How to Prevent Bed Bugs

Once you’ve kicked out the unwanted guests, you should take several measures to ensure they don’t return. 

Here are a few tips on how to do so:

  • Inspect second-hand furniture before bringing it into your home
  • Use protective covers on mattresses and box springs
  • Reduce the clutter in your home
  • Avoid placing luggage on the floor or bed in hotels
  • Vacuum frequently and dispose of the vacuum bag or contents immediately
  • Wash and dry bedding, clothing, and other similar items in the highest heat setting
  • Seal cracks and crevices in walls and floors

Conclusion

Learning how to get rid of bed bugs can help you regain your peace of mind and enjoy a bed bug-free environment. However, you might not eliminate bed bugs completely in one or two attempts. 

It’s best to hire experts to save yourself the headache and time. If you’re in the Twin Cities area and surrounding suburbs, look no further than Environmental Pest Management. We offer pest control services for residential, commercial, and multi-family services and TAP insulation. 

Contact us now for a free inspection and estimate.

Why Ladybugs are Beneficial Insects for Your Garden

ladybug on leaf
ladybug on leaf

When you start a garden, it won’t be long before pests arrive. Don’t panic; insects that feed on your plants can never be fully eradicated. They’re part of the ecosystem, and that’s okay!

A healthy ecosystem also includes natural predators of plant-eating bugs. 

Ladybugs are beneficial insects– perhaps the most beneficial insects you can introduce to your garden. Learn more about these naturally beneficial insects and discover how BugTech can help you with pest management!

Natural Aphid Control

ladybug is eating aphids: Why Ladybugs are Beneficial Insects

Aphids are a common pest in gardens. They reproduce rapidly and feast on plant sap. This can weaken your garden plants and cause illness or infection. Aphids are soft-bodied, which means they can be treated with soapy water. 

However, introducing ladybugs is a much easier and more eco-friendly solution. These beneficial insects’ favorite food is aphids. They’ll munch through aphid populations swiftly and deter other aphids from arriving. An adult ladybug will consume green, black, and wooly aphids cheerfully.

Once you establish a nesting ladybug population in your garden, their larvae will feast on aphids like there’s no tomorrow. Ladybug larvae can consume dozens of aphids each day. Once they grow up, they’ll keep eating!

Dealing with Mites and Other Hard-to-Treat Pests

Ladybugs are beneficial insects and are among the few natural predators of spider mites and other resilient pests. A healthy ladybug population will happily feast on tough mites and even tiny spiders, so you won’t have to resort to insecticides.

Mites and small flies avoid areas where ladybug larvae grow, so cultivating a population in your backyard is a great idea. These pests are difficult to treat with homemade solutions, and ladybugs are often your best bet.

How to Introduce Ladybugs To Your Garden

beautiful, urban front yard spring garden features a large veranda, brick paver walkway, retaining wall with plantings of bulbs, shrubs and perennials for colour

When you start a garden, the best outcome is that pests and their natural predators arrive independently. You may not need to do anything. However, if you’ve noticed an abundance of aphids on your plants and not a ladybug in sight, you can introduce a population. 

Here’s how:

  • Ensure that there’s a flourishing population of aphids. They’ll only stay if there’s food!
  • Introduce ladybugs in the evening or early morning to help them establish themselves.
  • Mist the plants before introducing a ladybug population.

Ladybugs are beneficial insects but they may not always stick around. They’ll typically feast on the aphid population if introduced properly, but there’s no guarantee they’ll nest in the same area. 

The best way to encourage ladybugs to nest is with a diverse, vibrant garden. This gives them options for nesting away from their feeding grounds.

Identifying Visiting Ladybugs

Note that not all visiting ladybugs are welcome visitors. While they still eat aphids, the Asian Lady Beetle or Harlequin Ladybird can rapidly become a household pest and even kill native ladybugs.

If you notice an abundance of new ladybugs in your yard, check the markings on their backs to help you identify them!

Create a Healthy Garden Ecosystem by Introducing Ladybugs!

Introducing a flourishing ladybug population to your garden is a great way to control pests naturally. Introduce these beneficial insects to keep your garden balanced and healthy!

People also ask :

Ladybugs are incredibly useful insects that help regulate populations of plant-eating bugs. Most importantly, these winged beetles have an unstoppable craving for aphids!

As soon as they hatch, adult ladybugs can begin to reproduce in several days. In fact, a single bug may even mate multiple times during its lifespan of 1-2 years! Not only are these cute critters interesting creatures to observe – but they also have quite an impressive life cycle.

If you are looking to attract ladybugs, growing herbs or flowers such as cilantro, dill, fennel, caraway, yarrow, tansy, angelica, scented geraniums, coreopsis, and cosmos is a great way to do so. These plants provide an excellent source of pollen for the insects – making them more likely to come your garden’s way!

Ladybugs are typically harmless to us humans, as they don’t sting, and the bites that may occur from them do not inflict serious harm or spread any illnesses. Often these so-called “bites” can be felt more like a pinch than anything else. With that being said, nevertheless, it is possible for some individuals to have an allergic reaction when in contact with ladybugs.

As the weather warms up from spring to fall, ladybugs become more active and can often be seen buzzing around. When temperatures dip in winter’s chill, however, they seek shelter in dark crevices like decaying logs or beneath rocks close by—or even inside homes!

How to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets and Save Your Summer

A portrait of a yellow jacket on a white background.
A portrait of a yellow jacket on a white background.

There is nothing sweeter than family get-togethers, grill-outs, and the warm Minnesota sun on your skin. For a brief moment, it seems as though nothing can get in your way of a perfect summer. That is until the flock of bugs emerge, and worst of all, the dreaded yellow jackets. 

Insects can dramatically hinder your happiness this season. If you find an infestation in your yard, here’s how to get rid of yellow jackets safely. 

Environmental Pest Management offers pest control services in the Metro Twin Cities area and surrounding suburbs. We use safe products for both the environment and your family. Make your summer the best yet with a yellow jacket-free yard and home when you give us a call

How to Identify a Yellow Jacket

A closeup side view of a yellow jacket.

To the untrained eye, a honey bee and a yellow jacket might be the same. While they look similar, their behavior can be very different, with yellow jackets being more aggressive. There are several things to look for to spot a yellow jacket. 

The first thing to keep in mind is that a yellow jacket is less furry than a honey bee and a bumblebee. The fur on a bee helps it pollinate plants. Yellowjackets rely on hunting insects and even seeking out human food instead of feeding from plants.  

The predatory nature of yellow jackets also leads them to travel in larger groups than other types of stinging insects. If you see a swarm, you are much more likely to be looking at a yellow jacket. You are more likely to see them swarm in the summer season when their preferred insect meals become less plentiful.  

The final and most obvious way to tell is by the black and yellow bodies that motivated the name. It’s true that bees also have striping, but it is more visible on a yellow jacket due to having less fur. You can notice the striping more when looking at the head of the insect. 

Yellowjackets don’t exclusively nest underground but are the most likely to do so. They are most likely to occupy a hole dug by a rodent. If you see many insects flying out of a hole in the summer, you are likely observing a yellow jacket nest.

Yellow Jacket Nests

A yellow jacket nest underground. The first thing to consider when figuring out how to get rid of yellow jackets is locating their nest.

The unfortunate thing about yellow jackets is that they can pretty much be found anywhere humans are located. This is because they prefer eating many of the same foods that we do. 

Yellow Jackets fly in a straight line, known as a beeline, useful if you try to locate a potential nest location. Look for an area in your yard that is hit directly by the sun, and see if you can notice any insects flying by repeatedly. If you see this, you are likely to be close to a hive.

It is a common misconception that bees and yellow jackets only create hives above ground. This is, unfortunately, not the case. Check rodent holes for nests, and if they are empty, make sure to fill these holes. Be careful and watch your step in case there are other nests nearby. 

You are most likely to notice a yellow jacket nest in late summer and early fall. The rest of the year, the low overnight temperatures are still too low for active bugs.

How to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets Safely

A single yellow jacket building a small nest

If you feel like you have a Yellow Jacket nest nearby, locate and mark the yellow jacket nests in broad daylight.

It is not recommended for you to try to get rid of Yellow Jackets yourself. Yellow Jackets are highly aggressive, and even seasoned technicians get stung when trying to treat this pest.

If a Yellow Jacket gets squashed, it releases a pheromone that attracts and incites others of its species. Because of this, people often find themselves getting stung multiple times.

For these reasons, it’s recommended you get a professional to get rid of the nest. Then, you can take preventative measures to deter them from coming back.

How to Prevent Yellow Jackets

A lemon tree with fallen fruit on the ground. Rotting fruit can attract yellow ajckets and other pests to your yard.

When gathering outside, there are ways to prevent those pesky yellow jackets from joining you in the first place. Inspect your yard frequently to stay on top of everything. 

If you have pets or problems with other kinds of pests, you may have a yard full of several holes. Work on filling the holes with dirt to prevent yellow jackets from creating underground nesting hives.

Scraps of cardboard and old wood should be discarded or stored securely. Yellowjackets will frequently build nests out of this kind of material. 

Outside trash containers should be regularly cleaned and sprayed with insecticides before filling the bin. Double-check that the lids fit tightly, so there is no room for the bugs to sneak in. Don’t carelessly dispose of food, be sure to put food in air-tight bags first. Keeping the outside of the bins clean will also help prevent them from looking around this area for a food source. 

If you have a garden or fruit trees in your yard, keep an eye for falling produce. Rotten fruit lying around is a big attractor for yellow jackets, and clearing them out of the way will go a long way. 

Who Can I Call if I Need Assistance to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets?

Three yellow jackets in a glass of lemonade

Environmental Pest Management offers pest control services in the Metro Twin Cities area and surrounding suburbs. We use safe products for both the environment and your family. Contact us today for a free quote, and spend the rest of your summer relaxing.