Description: The shiny yellow and black body of a yellow jacket measures up to 3/4-inch long. A stinger is located at the rear of the body.

Habits: Yellow jackets live in organized colonies within carefully constructed multi-combed "paper" nests. These nests are found underground as well as in trees and under roof eves. At the end of summer, the queen must mate before all others die. A mated queen than locates winter shelter under bark, shingles or in abandoned rodent nests. In the spring, the queen starts collecting decaying wood to build a new nest and then, lays her eggs. By the end of summer, this nest and colony can contain thousands of cells and workers. Yellow jackets are attracted to sweet food and strong scents. They eat other insects, such as flies and caterpillars.

Potential hazards: Because of attraction to foods and scents, yellow jackets buzz around backyard gatherings and children's play areas. When provoked, yellow jackets sting and inject venom into human skin. Unlike a bee who is known to sting once and die, yellow jackets can sting more than once. These stings can be painful. In small children, or allergic adults, yellow jacket stings can become a medical emergency.

Control: If you can find a yellow jacket nest, control is fairly simple. Use an insecticide to treat the nest and the surrounding area. If you cannot immediately located the nest, a residual insecticide may be used to repel and kill yellow jackets.

Prevention:

• Keep trash and garbage in sealed containers and away from the house.
• Clean up decaying wood, trees and landscape areas. Stack wood piles away from the house.
• When relaxing outside, avoid wearing perfumes or hairspray. Keep all drinks and food covered.