The Yellow Jacket Hunter

Yellow Jackets are the Bad Girls of the Wasp World! 

Think Africanized bees are bad? Killer bees get all the press. They are nothing compared to yellow jackets. Yellow jackets (yj) can fly faster, sting multiple times, and spit on their victims to mark the victim for other yj to find. Their venom is among the most potent and concentrated of all the wasp family. An extimated 4 million people in this country are deathly allergic to wasp stings. Even one sting can send a hapless victim to the emergency room. Antivenom supplies must be kept on hand by level one trauma centers so that the person can be treated and recover. Health websites estimate that 50 to 150 people die in the USA from wasp stings every year. That is more than the number of shark attacks and lightning fatalities combined. Yet these very mean and deadly insects seldom get any press. In the sourthern states, yellow jacket nests can become quite large and host a quarter million of the stinging insects. Encounters with large nests can be deadly.

What We Do

Marvin Foster and Oliver Vandagriff are bug collectors-two of about fifty in the USA. We harvest yellow jackets and hornets from their nests, chill them down with dry ice; then package, freeze, and ship them to pharmaceutical labs that use their venom to produce the life saving antivenoms. We wear four layers of protective clothing with a hooded bee suit and even then I occassionally get stung. It is hot, sweaty work, but the rewards are worth it. Marvin's territory is eastern Central Florida: Brevard, Flagler, Seminole, and Volusia Counties. I am often asked to destroy nests after harvesting the yjs because of proximity to human habitats. After collecting as many as is practical we often use a 3500 degree blow torch to incinerate the nest and remaining insects. we avoid the use of pesticides or chemicals if at all possible. (Some nests are so close to wood structures that using fire is not advisable.)

Call for ESTIMATE for removal and/or destruction of yellowjacket, hornet, or honey bee nests and swarms. 

Call Us Today!

If you have a yellow jacket or hornet nest you want to get rid of, just call Marvin Foster at 386.756.7398 and leave a brief message with your name and telephone number and I will return your call.

Or cantact me through my email by clicking on the highlighted text in the paragraph above.

STUNG?

Oliver has been stung by yj many times, and have tried various over-the-counter medications. A general antihistamine (like benadryl) and speedy application of a cold pack, will reduce the swelling and redness. Applying cold therapy will also relieve some of the pain. "I carry a venom removal syringe kit that uses suction to draw out some of the venom. These kits are inexpensive and can be purchased at most most large discount and sporting goods stores. For that to work, the suction must be applied within a few minutes after being stung. I have found that by using the venom removal syringe quickly after a sting results in much less subsequent pain and swelling. A copper penny if immediately taped to the wound, will lessen the pain and reduce swelling." If you experience restricted breathing or feel faint - get to a doctor for treatment immediately. People who know they are allergic to insect stings or bites usually carry an epipen kit around with them at all times when outdoors. When injected, the epipen contents generally stabilizes the injured person's respiratory and circulatory system, giving them a window of opportunity to seek emergency treatment. It is not a cure. Only the antivenom injection can reverse the effects of the wasp's venom for someone who is allergic.