How to Kill a Yellow Jacket or Bee

Kill yellowjackets with flyswatters and pesticides.

Yellow jackets and bees can become a nuisance in the backyard or home. Fortunately, effective ways to kill the pests exist. While a rolled-up newspaper or flyswatter is a tried-and-true method of yellow jacket and bee control on an individual basis, purchasing a yellow jacket and hornet spray from the local hardware store will be useful in exterminating nests, too. Always cover as much exposed skin as possible when confronting stinging insects.

Things You'll Need

• Flyswatter
• Pesticide
• Trash bag
• Long stick or rake

Instructions

1. 

   Use a flyswatter to kill yellow jackets and bees found in the home.

   Purchase a sturdy flyswatter from the local supermarket and use it to individually smack yellow jackets and bees. Wear gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, shoes, socks and pants when coming into this close of contact with yellow jackets or bees, as one may survive and come after you.

2. 

   Spray a nest with insecticide spray.

   Remove the nest if at all possible. The best time of day to do this is in the evening, right before darkness falls. Wear eye protection and the same protective clothing used for swatting yellow jackets of wasps and spray the nest with a wasp and bee insecticide spray, which you can purchase from a local hardware store. For ground nests, follow the same instructions, douse only the hole of entry. Allow the spray to take effect, and come back the following day; if bees or yellow jackets persist, treat the nest again.

3. 

   Bag the nest and deposit it in a trash receptacle.

   Remove the nest in the evening after treating it with bee and yellow jacket insecticide spray. Place a bag or trash can under the nest and, with a long stick or rake, hit the tree branch the nest is attached to. When it falls, retreat. Then slowly approach the nest to ensure every last bee and yellow jacket is dead. Bag the nest and deposit it in a trash receptacle.

4. Use a wasp- and yellow-jacket-killing insecticide spray directly on individual insects as needed. Stand a safe distance away from the insect as directed by the instructions on the spray can and spray according to the directions.

Tips & Warnings

• Take caution killing stinging insects, as bees and wasps -- especially yellow jackets -- will go to great lengths to protect the nest.

References

• University of Minnesota: Wasp and Bee Control
• Do-It-Yourself Pest Control: How to Get Rid of Yellow Jackets / Yellow Jacket Control