SIMSBURY, Conn. — An aggressive stinging insect from the south has moved up north and made its way to Connecticut.
Southern yellowjackets are a more vicious kind of yellowjacket, typically found in the eastern U.S. and as far south as Mexico and Guatemala. They bite and sting, usually more than once.
“This is the type of yellowjacket that you hear people say, 'I ripped off all my clothes running inside because they would not leave me alone,'” Norman Patterson, owner of The YellowJacket Expert LLC, an organic stinging pest removal service, said.
Patterson has over 30 years of stinging pest removal experience. He said this summer is the busiest he has ever been with southern yellow jacket removal in Connecticut. The higher activity is something some pet owners have noticed, too.
“My sister and brother-in-law unfortunately just lost their dog this summer to a yellowjacket. He had an anaphylactic reaction to a yellowjacket and died,” Roberta Garceau of Avon said. “I’m not into being alarmist about things, I still come out and we have to live our lives but it’s concerning."
Patterson said people might not be able to spot a physical nest itself in an area like a bush or hidden in a hole in the ground, but that they will be able to see those yellowjackets.
“Just stop and take a look because yellow jackets nests have a consistent flow of traffic in and out of one hole,” Patterson said. “Now that they’re here, we have to remain vigilant for all stinging insects, but particularly for the southern yellowjacket.”
Kaelee Collins is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kcollins@fox61.com. Follow her on X, and Instagram.
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