The end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness. Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung. Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now. Why? Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer. “It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.” Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do. “There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.”
According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips: Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat. Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid. Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away. If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient. Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall. Hornets are not bees All yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees. A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn. A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012653","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]] Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies. If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin. How to make a hornet trap [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012654","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"355","title":"","width":"750"}}]] A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle. Step 1 - You need: A bottle Utility knife 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup warm water A drop of dish soap. Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid. Tweets by @DLNewspapersThe end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness. Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung. Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now. Why? Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer. “It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.” Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do. “There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.” [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012650","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]] According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips: Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat. Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid. Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away. If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient. Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall. Hornets are not bees All yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees. A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn. A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn.
Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies. If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin. How to make a hornet trap [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012654","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"355","title":"","width":"750"}}]] A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle. Step 1 - You need: A bottle Utility knife 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup warm water A drop of dish soap. Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid. Tweets by @DLNewspapersThe end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness. Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung. Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now. Why? Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer. “It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.” Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do. “There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.” [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012650","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]] According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips: Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat. Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid. Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away. If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient. Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall. Hornets are not bees All yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees. A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn. A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012653","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]] Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies. If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin. How to make a hornet trap
A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle. Step 1 - You need: A bottle Utility knife 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice) 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup warm water A drop of dish soap. Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid. Tweets by @DLNewspapersThe end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness.Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung.Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now.Why?Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer.“It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.”Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do.“There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.”
According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips:Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat.Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid.Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away.If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient.Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall.Hornets are not beesAll yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees.A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn.A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012653","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]]Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies.If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin.How to make a hornet trap[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012654","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"355","title":"","width":"750"}}]]A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle.Step 1 - You need:A bottleUtility knife1/4 cup white vinegar1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice)1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup warm waterA drop of dish soap.Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid.Tweets by @DLNewspapersThe end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness.Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung.Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now.Why?Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer.“It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.”Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do.“There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.”[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012650","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]]According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips:Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat.Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid.Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away.If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient.Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall.Hornets are not beesAll yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees.A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn.A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn.
Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies.If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin.How to make a hornet trap[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012654","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"355","title":"","width":"750"}}]]A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle.Step 1 - You need:A bottleUtility knife1/4 cup white vinegar1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice)1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup warm waterA drop of dish soap.Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid.Tweets by @DLNewspapersThe end of summer signals many species of animal, bird and insect to start to prepare for the upcoming winter. Nuts are gathered, migrations followed and nutrition is sought to survive the cold and darkness.Hornets are no exception, and if you’ve taken a walk, attended an event or tried to have some outdoor family time in the lakes area lately, you’ve noticed them. You’ve also probably been bothered by them and possibly gotten stung.Yellowjackets that went mostly unnoticed earlier in the summer seem to be everywhere now.Why?Jeff Hahn, an entomologist with the University of Minnesota Extension, wrote an extensive report called, “Social wasps and bees in the Upper Midwest.” In it, he says some species of yellowjackets can become aggressive scavengers at the end of summer.“It’s pretty typical for the yellowjackets to be aggressive this time of year,” Hahn said. “Another factor in this is that their numbers are at their highest abundance this time of the year.”Worker yellowjackets, who were once tasked with gathering bugs, insects and other sustenance for the young grubs of the hive, have all gotten the last couple months of summer off and are looking to fatten up on sugar, meat and anything else delicious they can find. The queen has stopped laying eggs and there is no more work to do.“There are some species of yellowjacket that get a little more aggressive and are more interested in our food. That’s part of what makes them more visible,” Hahn said. “So if you’re out at a picnic or any outdoor activity that is serving food and drink, you’re much more likely to see yellowjackets now compared to earlier in the summer.”[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012650","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]]According to Hahn, the best preventative strategy is to minimize attracting yellowjackets. Here are some tips:Wait to serve food and drink until people are ready to eat.Promptly put away food when done and throw garbage into a container with a tightly fitting lid.Examine glasses, cans and other containers before drinking from them to check for yellowjackets that may have flown inside. If a yellowjacket flies into your food, wait for it to fly away or gently brush it away.If only a few yellowjackets are bothering your activity, ignoring them or capturing them with a net and crushing them may be sufficient.Traps may catch many wasps, but not enough are captured to noticeably reduce their activity in the fall.Hornets are not beesAll yellowjackets, which are the most common hornet in this area, are in the wasp family and are cousins to the ant. They are about ½ inch long, yellow with black stripes and markings on their abdomen. Their body is shiny and lacks hairs. According to Hahn, they are often misidentified as honey bees.A bee is about ½ inch long with black and yellow stripes but is generally “fuzzy in appearance,” according to Hahn.A hornet’s stinger, like that of a wasp and bumble bee, is smooth and does not come out when it stings. These insects can sting multiple times, according to Hahn.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2012653","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"325","title":"","width":"750"}}]]Honey bees have barbed stingers that are connected to the bee’s digestive tract. When the bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and digestive tract are torn out and the bee soon dies.If stung by a hornet, wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin so there is no need to try to pull it out. If stung by a honey bee, remove the stinger with one finger nail. According to Hahn, pulling the stinger out with two fingers will force more venom from the venom gland into your skin.How to make a hornet trap
A hornet trap can be easily made from a two-liter bottle.Step 1 - You need:A bottleUtility knife1/4 cup white vinegar1/2 cup fruit juice (I used pineapple juice)1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup warm waterA drop of dish soap.Step 2: Cut the top of the bottle off. Step 3: Add sugar to the bottle. Step 4: Add warm water. Step 5: Add white vinegar. Step 6: Add fruit juice. Add one drop of dish soap to remove the surface tension of the liquid. Stir the concoction and replace the top upside down. Push the top down to make a tight seal. The hornets will be able to get into the trap but not escape it. The dish soap ensures that the trapped insects drown in the liquid.Tweets by @DLNewspapers
