Giant yellow jacket nests found

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Alabama residents should be on the lookout in 2019 for “giant” yellow jacket nests that could be several feet across and contain hundreds of thousands of workers, according to entomologists at the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

Researchers with the Extension and Auburn University have already confirmed two such nests in Alabama this year, and issued a news release Friday warning that there are likely others out there.

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Sometimes the workers do survive the winter, which can lead them to create the massive perennial nest complexes that can contain multiple queens and hundreds of thousands of yellow jackets.

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However, one nest in South Carolina was documented with more 250,000 workers.”

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Ray said that in 2006, Alabama researchers documented 90 perennial yellow jacket nests in various locations across the state, reaching as far north as Talladega County. With two confirmed nests already in May and a third suspected nest found, Alabama is already ahead of the 2006 pace. The first perennial nest that year wasn’t reported until June 13.

“If we are seeing them a month sooner than we did in 2006, I am very concerned that there will be a large number of them in the state," Ray said. "The nests I have seen this year already have more than 10,000 workers and are expanding rapidly.”

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Ray said first and foremost, don’t go near it.

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Next, Ray wants people to contact him so he can document the nest and collect insect specimens. People should contact him by email at raychah@auburn.edu.

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