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PRESS RELEASE Date: August 19, 1998 Subject: Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District Yellowjacket Control Efforts Contact Person: John Albright, Biologist and Public Information Specialist, Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District, phone: 365-3768 Text: Yellowjackets may be stinging less children in some local parks due to an experimental program started by the Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District this year. The District is experimenting with a program of trapping and baiting these stinging pests, often misnamed "meat bees", to see if control is practical on land accessible to the public. Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District does not control yellowjackets on private land where their work would compete with private pest control company efforts. City workers report that they are much less bothered by yellowjackets in Redding's Kid's Kingdom Park where the majority of the work has been done so far according to Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District Biologist, John Albright. Traps set in the park by District personnel caught 101 queen yellowjackets between April and July before they had a chance to establish nests. Since each nest produces 4,000 to 10,000 worker yellowjackets these efforts may have had a significant effect. District efforts were probably also aided by the El Niño rains of the late spring and early summer. In normal years queens would be observed in April or May. The Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District traps caught most of their queens in June and July this year most likely due to late rains. Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District and other agencies that deal with yellowjacket complaints report a general decrease in yellowjacket calls this year throughout the area, even where control work has not been done. More yellowjackets may be seen later on after nests have had more time to build up their populations. The best way homeowners can help to lessen yellowjacket problems around their homes is to keep garbage tightly enclosed. Also, the same traps used by Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District are widely available locally in garden centers. In normal years they are most effective when set in April to catch queens before they can build nests. The traps will catch more yellowjackets later in the summer, but will do less to actually control the yellowjacket population. Further information on yellowjackets and other stinging and biting pests is available from Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District by calling 365-3768 or by checking their web site at Shasta MVCD Home Page . Email:
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