Meet the Queen:
Why Yellowjacket Queens Matter (and When to Stop Them)
When most people think about yellowjackets, they picture angry wasps swarming around barbecues, trash cans, or that open can of soda you left on the patio. But those aggressive summer wasps don’t appear overnight—they start with just one insect: the queen.
Understanding how yellowjacket queens operate (and when they’re most vulnerable) can help you stop a full-blown infestation before it even begins.
What Does a Yellowjacket Queen Do?
After mating in late fall, yellowjacket queens find a protected place to hibernate through the winter. Here in the Bay Area, that could be under logs, tree bark, wall voids, attics, or even tucked into the soil.
When early spring temperatures begin to rise, these queens emerge—and they’re on a mission. They search for nest sites and start laying the foundation of a new colony. Each queen builds a small nest, lays eggs, and cares for the first batch of larvae by herself. Once these larvae mature into adult workers, the queen’s role shifts to reproduction only, laying thousands of eggs over the season.
Did You Know?
👉 A single yellowjacket queen can produce 1,000–5,000+ workers in just one season.
👉 Once her colony is established, she never leaves the nest again.
👉 Early spring is your only chance to stop the entire colony before it starts.
Ground Nesters vs. Aerial Nesters
Here in Northern California, we have both ground-nesting and aerial-nesting yellowjackets.
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Ground nesters build their colonies in underground burrows, rodent holes, or cracks in the soil.
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Aerial nesters create their paper-like nests up high—in trees, bushes, under eaves, or inside wall cavities.
Both types can become serious problems for people, especially when nests are hidden in high-traffic areas like backyards, parks, or near doorways.
Why Timing Matters—and How We Trap Queens
In early spring, queens are actively foraging for sugary foods to fuel their nest-building. That’s where our queen trapping strategy comes in: we use nectar- and fruit juice-based baits that mimic natural sources of energy. This lures the queen in—before she has a chance to establish her nest and grow her colony.
As the season progresses and the first round of workers emerge, our trapping approach shifts. We begin targeting worker yellowjackets, using protein-based and sweet-based lures depending on the time of year.
Why Do Yellowjackets Chase Your Food in Summer?
By late summer, nectar sources in nature begin to dry up. At the same time, yellowjacket colonies are at their peak—filled with thousands of workers, all demanding fuel to keep the colony alive.
That’s when their diet shifts: they begin seeking meats and proteins, aggressively targeting picnics, pet food, and outdoor gatherings. If you’ve ever had a yellowjacket dive-bomb your sandwich or crawl into your soda can, you’ve seen this late-summer protein frenzy in action.
Yellowjacket Prevention Starts Now
If you’re seeing yellowjackets in summer, the colony is already established—and much harder to control. The most effective solution? Trap the queen before she gets going.
At ATCO Pest Control, we offer eco-friendly, seasonal yellowjacket trapping programs that:
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Target queen activity in early spring using nectar lures
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Transition to worker trapping as colonies grow
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Reduce the risk of nests around your home or workplace
