Yellow jackets are often confused with bees, but they are actually a type of predatory wasp that becomes a scavenger in late summer and fall. Unlike bees, which primarily seek out nectar and pollen, yellow jackets seek both sugars and proteins from human foods. They are drawn to sugary drinks, ripe fruit, and grilled meats, making outdoor dining a target for their foraging. Understanding this behavior is the first step in implementing measures to keep them away from your food and outdoor activities.
Immediate Strategies for Protecting Food
The most effective action is to eliminate the yellow jackets’ access to the food source while you are actively dining outside. Any food items not actively being served should be secured in containers with tight-fitting lids. This physical barrier prevents them from landing and foraging.
Covering food on the serving table is also essential, even for brief periods. Use clear plastic wrap, mesh food domes, or overturned bowls to shield plates and serving dishes from above. For beverages, especially sweet sodas or juices, use cups with lids and straws, which prevent a yellow jacket from crawling inside and posing a stinging risk when someone takes a drink.
Immediate cleanup of all food waste and spills minimizes attractants in the dining area. Sticky spills, crumbs, and meat scraps should be wiped away as soon as they occur, using a damp cloth and a mild soap solution to neutralize the scent. Food waste, napkins, and used plates should be promptly moved at least 20 feet away from the seating area into a securely sealed trash receptacle.
Repellents and Area Denial Methods
Creating an olfactory barrier around the dining space can discourage yellow jackets from entering the area. Yellow jackets are highly sensitive to strong, non-food odors, which interfere with their foraging navigation. Essential oils, such as clove, peppermint, and lemongrass, have demonstrated repellent properties.
Clove oil, which contains the compound eugenol, is a potent natural deterrent. You can diffuse these oils near the perimeter of your outdoor seating area or apply diluted sprays to non-food surfaces like patio furniture and tabletops. This makes the space undesirable to the wasps, forcing them to search elsewhere.
Folk remedies, like placing dryer sheets or burning materials, are also used to deny access through strong scent or smoke. The fragrance of dryer sheets is believed to disrupt the insects’ sense of smell, and placing them under a table may offer a minor deterrent effect. Burning incense or dried herbs like sage or citronella creates smoke, which is a physical and olfactory irritant that can confuse and redirect the wasps’ flight paths.
Trapping and Source Control
A long-term management strategy involves reducing the local yellow jacket population and eliminating non-food attractants. Trapping should be used to divert foraging wasps away from people and food. Commercial or DIY traps are effective when baited with a protein source, like meat, in the summer, or a sugary liquid in the late summer and fall.
Trap placement is a subtle but important detail; traps must be positioned a minimum of 30 to 40 feet away from the dining area. Placing them too close will draw the yellow jackets directly toward your gathering rather than away from it. The goal is to intercept them before they reach the main activity zone.
Sanitation around the home is the simplest form of source control, eliminating the attractants that draw yellow jackets. All exterior garbage cans must have tightly sealed, functioning lids to prevent access to discarded food, which is a prime protein and sugar source. Rinsing recyclable containers, especially soda cans and bottles, prevents residual sugary liquids from attracting wasps.