The smell of peppermint is a yellow jacket repellant. Combine a few drops of pure peppermint oil, a few tablespoons of dish soap and warm water in a spray bottle. Locate any active wasp nests and carefully spray the concoction around the entrance. Reapply every few days until the wasps have left the nest.

Large numbers of the wasps may be attracted to garbage cans, sweet beverages, fruit, flowery clothing, and perfume. Yellowjackets rarely cause structural damage to buildings, but they may build their nests in attic and wall voids.

Yellow jacket adults feed on foods rich in sugars and carbohydrates such as plant nectar and fruit. They also search for foods high in protein such as insects and fish. These are chewed and conditioned in preparation for larval consumption. The larvae secrete a sugary substance that is eaten by the adults.

While the yellow jacket is aggressive and potentially dangerous to humans, it can be beneficial to you and the environment. Yellow jackets are great pollinators. Many nectar-producing plants depend on them to reproduce. Farmers also can benefit from yellow jackets since they feed on other insects that harm crops.