FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) \u2014 Yellowjackets are becoming a bigger nuisance as fall progresses, with experts warning that dwindling food supplies can make the stinging insects more aggressive and increase the chances of painful encounters across Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.<\/p>\n
The insects typically reach peak population levels in late summer and early fall, when their behavior can become more noticeable around homes, yards, gardens and outdoor gatherings. As natural food sources decline, yellowjackets increasingly seek out food around people, making routine activities such as mowing the lawn, gardening and eating outdoors potentially more hazardous.<\/p>\n
According to Bridge Michigan, which reported on the increase in yellowjacket activity in Michigan, pest control professionals and insect specialists say the seasonal shift in food availability helps explain why people may encounter more aggressive behavior this time of year.<\/p>\n
Dion DeGennaro, president of Sergio\u2019s Pest Control in West Bloomfield, Michigan, told CBS News that several factors can contribute to the increase in yellowjacket encounters. One involves changes in the availability of food as other insect colonies decline.<\/p>\n
Yellowjackets feed on other insects and their larvae, and they also seek out sugary substances and other food sources. As the season progresses and their usual food supplies become less available, they may increasingly turn to human food and drinks.<\/p>\n
The insects use a process called trophallaxis to transfer liquid food and bodily fluids between colony members. Changes in the availability of prey and other food sources can affect their feeding behavior, potentially bringing them into closer contact with people.<\/p>\n
Sarah Hughson, an arthropod diagnostician and plant and pest diagnostics specialist at Michigan State University, said yellowjackets build their nests and increase their populations during the early summer before reaching their peak in late summer and early fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cYellowjackets start to build their nests and populations during the early summer times. They reach their peak during the late summer and early fall and become more aggressive due to stress from declining food sources,\u201d Hughson said.<\/p>\n
That combination of larger populations and changing food supplies can make yellowjackets especially troublesome around outdoor food, garbage containers and areas where people spend time outside.<\/p>\n
The problem has been particularly noticeable in parts of southeastern Michigan, according to DeGennaro. However, the seasonal behavior is relevant to residents throughout the Great Lakes region, including Indiana and Ohio, where yellowjackets can remain active into the fall.<\/p>\n
Farrin Forsberg, a longtime resident of Okemos, Michigan, told Bridge Michigan that she had noticed a substantial increase in yellowjackets around her home.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey seem a lot meaner than previous years,\u201d Forsberg said.<\/p>\n
Forsberg said she had lived in the house since 2016 and had always encountered yellowjackets, but this year seemed especially bad. She also described suffering anaphylactic shock after being stung multiple times, requiring an emergency room visit.<\/p>\n
She said she was subsequently told she had developed a severe allergy following repeated stings over the past several years.<\/p>\n
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention. Anyone who experiences symptoms such as difficulty breathing, throat swelling, faintness or swelling of the tongue after an insect sting should seek emergency medical care. People with known severe sting allergies should follow their healthcare provider\u2019s emergency plan.<\/p>\n
Yellowjackets can build nests in a variety of locations around residential properties. DeGennaro said they commonly nest underground, in gaps in brickwork or siding, and in bushes. Ground nests can be particularly difficult to spot because the entrance may resemble a small hole in the yard.<\/p>\n
That creates an added risk for people mowing lawns, digging in gardens or performing outdoor maintenance. Disturbing a nest can provoke defensive behavior, potentially causing multiple insects to sting.<\/p>\n
Pest control professionals recommend watching for repeated yellowjacket activity around a particular opening or area of the property. Homeowners should avoid approaching or disturbing suspected nests, particularly when the insects are entering and leaving the same hole or gap.<\/p>\n
DeGennaro recommends contacting a professional pest control service to address an established nest rather than attempting to remove it without appropriate expertise.<\/p>\n
For homeowners across Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, precautions include checking yards for signs of nesting activity before mowing or gardening, keeping food and sugary drinks covered during outdoor gatherings, securing garbage containers and avoiding areas where yellowjackets are repeatedly flying in and out of the ground or a building.<\/p>\n
Yellowjacket activity generally becomes less noticeable as colder weather arrives, but until then, experts say awareness and caution can help reduce the risk of stings during fall outdoor activities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) \u2014 Yellowjackets are becoming a bigger nuisance as fall progresses, with experts warning that dwindling food supplies can make the stinging insects more aggressive and increase the chances of painful encounters across Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The insects typically reach peak population levels in late summer and early fall, when their<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50875,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[3462,3460,3458,3461,3459],"class_list":["post-50874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-indiana","tag-indiana","tag-indiana-dining","tag-indiana-food","tag-indiana-grocery-stores","tag-indiana-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117432204891009286","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}