During the summer, my family eats as many meals as we can outside on our deck. With our short summers, we find ourselves soaking up every last bit of the season. There is a lot to be said for enjoying a meal or drink surrounded by the sounds of nature: hummingbirds whizzing by, night hawks, swallows, and bats providing their insect control services, and the occasional chicken that likes to visit us on the deck.
Especially late in the summer, though, our time on the deck and outdoor picnics get cut short by the bombardment of Western Yellow Jackets and Baldfaced Hornets. Every year is different and at our place, the last couple years haven’t been bad — but this year their numbers have exploded. Why does this happen, what can be done about them, and are they good for anything?
First, you need to know for sure which type of insect you’re dealing, with because some people inaccurately use the term “bees” to describe all species of wasps, hornets, and bees. Sometimes, wasps and hornets can be confused with bees and vice versa, and since we know that most bees are beneficial pollinators, it’s important to know what you have so we can avoid harming our beloved pollinator species.
