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REDUCING THE SPRINGTIME STING OF YELLOWJACKETSPosted on: 2010-03-05Have you ever been stung by a yellowjacket? If you have, no doubt you remember it because unlike a bee that stings once, the yellowjacket can sting multiple times. Because yellowjackets can swarm and sting repeatedly, the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District offers a free service for yellowjackets in keeping with the District¡¦s mission to protect public health.
In Contra Costa County, there are four types of yellowjackets ¡V two that nest above ground and two that nest below ground. The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District¡¦s free service is for the ground-nesting yellowjackets in particular. ¡§We only treat ground-nesting yellowjackets because we are not licensed to provide service in or to structural buildings and homes and that¡¦s where the above-ground yellowjackets tend to nest,¡¨ says Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control Supervisor Sheila Currier.
Ground-nesting yellowjackets most commonly appear as the weather warms in spring, building their nests in abandoned rodent holes, railroad ties or in soil cavities underground. The queen begins the building process, laying eggs through the spring and summer to produce the colony. The colony members then chew wood from fences or structures into a paper-like pulp in order to expand the nest. There can be as many as 5,000 yellowjackets in a single colony! The workers¡¦ primary job is to protect the queen, build the nest and support the colony¡¦s growth by foraging for food.
Yellowjackets do eat smaller pest insects, so they can provide natural insect reduction in many landscapes. Because they can also do incidental pollination through this process, yellowjackets can be viewed as beneficial to some extent. However, their principal source of food in the spring and early summer is meat to provide protein to the growing colony. That preference changes to fruit, soda and garbage in late summer as the colony¡¦s dietary needs turn to sugar. That¡¦s why these insects have gained a reputation for ruining countless picnics; because they are looking for the same things that are on the typical picnic menu.
Once yellowjackets make their presence known, the next step for homeowners is to identify the insects¡¦ nest. One way is by spotting them as they enter or exit the nest in search of food. Yellowjackets will exit at dawn returning to the nest repeatedly during the day until their final return at dusk to stay in the nest overnight. More often than not though, folks tend to find nests by accident ¡V usually disturbing them while doing yard work.
Now that the nest has been located, marking it by placing a garden tool, hose or any clearly visible object at the location, then drawing a simple map describing the location is the last thing the homeowner must do before contacting the District for free yellowjacket service. To request service, contact the District at www.ContraCostaMosquito.com or dial 925-771-6184. A District employee typically responds to the call within one business day. A state-certified employee will then visit the location, verify the nest location and treat the nest with a plant-based powder insecticide that should be left alone for one day to make sure any yellowjackets that have exited the nest have had time to return and be exposed to the treatment. Twenty four hours after the treatment, the homeowner will be instructed to cover the nest with dirt and tamp it down to ensure the nest is not used by another colony.
In cases where homeowners experience yellowjackets, but cannot find a nest, it is possible the insects are only foraging for food at the location and not setting up residence. These simple, steps can reduce the risk of yellowjackets.
„« Keep garbage cans covered with tight-fitting lids to prohibit the insects¡¦ access to the garbage.
„« Pick up fallen fruit that will attract yellowjackets late in the summer.
„« About 15 minutes prior to a picnic or outdoor barbeque, place a plate with samples of everything on the menu in the furthest corner of the yard to attract the yellowjackets away from the picnic. They will typically stay very loyal to the plate and leave the cook-out alone.
„« If yellowjackets have been a persistent problem, pheromone-baited traps purchased from hardware or home improvement stores can be installed following the last hard freeze of winter. The purpose is to capture the queen to minimize the establishment of new colonies in the area. The trap should be located in the furthest location from the house because it will attract yellowjackets. It should also be checked regularly to maintain effectiveness.
The bottom line is yellowjackets are looking for the same thing we are ¡V food and shelter. And while they can be beneficial in some situations, if they have taken up residence on your property, they can pose a potential health hazard. Simple steps can reduce the risk of yellowjackets on your property. For homeowners that find a nest on their property, contact the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District for free inspection and service.
The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District ¡V Protecting Public Health since 1927!
For more information or to schedule a free presentation for a community group, contact Nola Woods at 925-771-6158 or nwoods@ccmvcd.net.
Website:www.ContraCostaMosquito.com -
More Rain Means More Mosquitoes in 2010Posted on: 2010-05-132010 is quickly going down on record as one of the wettest years in recent memory. And like it or not, the longer the rainy season, the more mosquitoes we are likely to see this year. That’s the word from the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District. “The late rains will extend the season for Western Treehole Mosquitoes and create additional breeding habitats for the typical carriers of West Nile Virus,” says the District’s Entomologist Steve Schutz, PhD.
All mosquitoes must start their lives in standing water, and just two tablespoons of water can support up to 300 developing mosquitoes. So the more rain that falls on Contra Costa County, the more possible locations where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. The female Western Treehole Mosquito, Aedes sierrensis, most commonly lays her eggs along the rim of the holes that can develop in older trees. When rainwater fills the cavities, the eggs develop into young mosquitoes, flying away as the weather warms. With each subsequent period of rain followed by warm weather, the process repeats itself.
This aggressive black and white, day-biting mosquito is a nuisance to humans, but a health threat to animals because it is the primary carrier of Canine Heartworm disease. Due to this year’s late rain, District inspectors expect to find these mosquitoes in Contra Costa County well into the summer months and possibly even into the early fall. The District recommends pet owners take proper precautions to protect man’s best friend and reduce the likelihood of these mosquitoes by filling the tree holes with an absorbent material to soak up the water or work with an arborist to have the holes removed.
While the Western Treehole Mosquito typically stays very close to where it emerged as an adult, the mosquitoes most commonly associated with West Nile Virus (WNV) have a flight range as long as five miles, so one neighbor’s mosquito problem creates a problem for an entire neighborhood. WNV transmitting mosquitoes, Culex pipiens and Culex tarsalis, can lay their eggs in many different locations containing still water. This includes cans, buckets, sedentary fountains, unfiltered ponds, neglected swimming pools, discarded tires, the catch plate on flower pots and any other item that can hold approximately two tablespoons of water or more. Dumping or draining that standing water is a very important step in reducing the risk of WNV, because anyone of any age is at risk of this mosquito-borne illness, especially those with a compromised immune system. WNV is a disease that can leave people with low level infections feeling as if they have a strong case of the flu. In more aggressive cases, WNV can create brain inflammation and can be fatal, so prevention is key. Dumping standing water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs and wearing repellant when mosquitoes are present near sunrise and sunset are important ways to prevent WNV.
The fact of the matter is Contra Costa County is home to 23 different kinds of mosquitoes. Some pose a risk to animals, other pose a health threat to humans. But we all play an important role in reducing the risk by dumping out standing water where mosquitoes can develop, reporting neglected swimming pools to the District for inspection, and contacting the District for more information on the free services available to county residents to fight mosquitoes and the other disease-transmitting animals and insects of Contra Costa County.
The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District – Protecting Public Health since 1927!
For more information dial 925-771-6184 or to schedule a free presentation for a community group, contact Nola Woods at 925-771-6158 or nwoods@ccmvcd.net.
Website:www.ContraCostaMosquito.comEmail:nwoods@ccmvcd.net
