Experiment with a homemade yellow jacket trap to ensure a cost-free method of safeguarding your summer picnics and garden gatherings from these pesky insects.
In the heart of summer, yellowjackets can become a nuisance in our homes and gardens. However, there's a simple and effective method to manage these social hunting wasps: a DIY yellowjacket trap.
Materials Needed
- Empty plastic bottle (like a 2-liter soda bottle)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Grape jam or other sweet fruit preserves
- Water
- Liquid dish soap (such as Dawn)
- Twist ties or tape to fasten parts of the bottle
- Optional: Garden twine, an old screw, or a holepunch
Steps to Make the Trap
- Cut the bottle about one third from the top to create two parts.
- Mix the bait in the bottom part by combining water, apple cider vinegar, grape jam, and a few drops of liquid dish soap. The vinegar and jam attract yellowjackets; soap breaks surface tension to trap them.
- Invert the top part of the bottle (with the cap removed) and place it upside down into the bottom part, creating a funnel that leads yellowjackets into the bait.
- Fasten the two parts with twist ties or tape to secure the trap together. You can also use garden twine to hang the trap if desired.
- Hang or place the trap where yellowjackets are problematic.
Adding about 2 tablespoons of dish soap helps immobilize yellowjackets once they fall into the liquid, preventing escape.
Optional Variations
- Use sugar water or non-toxic syrup bait instead of grape jam.
- Add a bit of meat bait late in the season for better trapping, but exercise caution to avoid attracting bees.
This method is simple, economical, and widely recommended for managing yellowjackets outdoors. Once the trap is full, it should be tied in a bag and put in the trash bin at dawn or dusk.
Safety Precautions
- Do not set a yellowjacket nest on fire, as it is dangerous and potentially illegal.
- Do not drown a yellowjacket nest, spray a nest with insecticides, or spray them while they are airborne. These methods can be harmful and ineffective.
- When the yellowjackets go in through the inverted neck of the bottle, they have a hard time navigating back out and drown in the mixture due to the liquid dish soap breaking the surface tension.
- Yellowjackets can sting repeatedly and cause a lot of pain in their victims. People who are allergic to yellowjacket stings can develop anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
- Yellowjackets can become aggressive if their nest is disturbed.
Benefits of Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets are beneficial insects, feeding on other insects like caterpillars and helping to break down decaying animal carcasses. However, when they become a nuisance, the DIY yellowjacket trap provides a safe and effective solution.
Placement Tips
- The trap should be placed outside, away from the nest and away from where people gather, about 4 feet (1.2m.) above the ground.
Kathleen Walters, a Content Editor, shares her experience in making a DIY yellowjacket trap. She has a background in History and worked as a Park Ranger with the National Park Service. She is currently working to turn her front yard into a pollinator garden. By using this method, you can protect yourself and your family from yellowjacket stings while maintaining a harmonious garden ecosystem.
During Kathleen Walters' home-and-garden maintenance, she leverages a lifestyle approach that includes creating a DIY yellowjacket trap to manage pests. By constructing this home-and-garden solution, she effectively keeps her home-and-garden area free from yellowjacket nuisances, promoting a enjoyable and safe outdoor living experience.
