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 Yellowjacket is the common name for a variety of different wasps. They're a perennial summer picnic nuisance and occasionally a deadly menace (about 60 people a year in the U.S. die from insect stings -- the majority of which are from yellowjackets). Yet these wasps also play an important role in the ecosystem. Some are scavengers, while others prey on insects such as caterpillars and flies. Here's how to avoid getting on the wrong side of a stinger during yellowjacket season:
Because many species are scavengers, yellowjackets are naturally attracted to garbage as well as to Aunt Edna's lime jello. Keep a clean camp and avoid leaving sweet foods or meats in open containers. One way to manage wasps at a picnic is to hang a piece of meat or fish over a gallon container of soapy water. When yellowjackets leave the hanging bait, they often drop down a short distance before beginning to fly -- landing in the water. Braunschweiger sausage supposedly works well, and if it doesn't you can always make a sandwich.
Keep drinks, especially juice and soda, covered. Use straws.
Don't sit on or handle wet towels, washcloths, or clothes, without first checking to make sure that no yellowjackets are drinking the moisture.
Yellowjackets will not sting or bite a person at rest if they have not been disturbed by some agitation of their nest or threatened by swatting or fast movements. They may land on your skin to inspect scent or to get water if you are wet, but they will leave if you stay calm and don't panic. You can brush them off gently with a piece of paper as long as you move slowly and deliberately.
Don't wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt to a summer picnic. And avoid wearing perfumes and other scents, including scented hair spray, suntan lotion, cosmetics, deodorants, and shaving lotions. You'll not only attract fewer yellowjackets but also earn the thanks of allergic humans.
Never swat at or squash a yellowjacket. Squashing a yellowjacket releases a chemical alarm that signals other wasps and yellowjackets in the area to attack.
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