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I set those yellow cylindrical traps out in the spring. This spring, nada. Summer, nada. Found a few small nests but nothing major. Then, last week, we had the smoke from the fires in Canada, Washington, and Oregon (I'm in northern Idaho). In 48 hours the traps were half full, flying activity all over the place, not a nest to be found. Seriously weird. I asked a friend who's an entomologist and he said that it was thick enough actually to smoke them out of their nests, like the beekeepers do with their little flocks. The air cleared over the weekend and there isn't a one to be found.

We have two types hereabouts: the bigger ones, the Western yellowjackets, who will respond to a threat to the nest but not bother you otherwise. Then there's the mean little SOBs, maybe half their size, the German yellowjackets, who will sting you for no flippin' reason at all. They don't lost their stingers like bees do and can sting multiple times, and the little bastidges bite too. They'll nest in cracks in structures and can be very difficult to find. Spectracide is your friend.

I have an oriole feeder that uses jelly and it's been taken over by yellow jackets and bald faced hornets so I stopped feeding them.

I've searched all over the place for their nests but I'll be darned if I can find them.

This is the time of year when the pesky bees have hatched and they start foraging for food and it's certainly doesn't warrant calling the cops..........LOL!

I allow my barn swallows to nest anywhere the want. They are natures answer to these bastards. I keep a can of wasp spray handy to spray the hives in the rafters but they don’t stand a chance flying around my farm. Those swallows swoop right in a pick them off.

We were at Hayden Lake last weekend and having breakfast on the deck. It didn’t take but 90 seconds for one of them to find my bacon. Luckily, he didn’t go invite his friends to breakfast and we had only the one guest. Interesting how the smoke was heavy enough to get them out of their nests. We arrived on Weds which was the worst day. It was a lot better by Sat.

There are two yellow jacket nests on the Betsy Crowder Trail at Windy Hill in Portola Valley. The district put up two small “Caution” warning signs, but it looks like a disaster waiting to happen for some poor soul. Those buggers don’t like vibrations and just walking lightly by their nests is troublesome. The district won’t destroy them, I’m sure, because they are “nature.”