Want the pros to handle it?
Do Yellow Jackets Nest in the Ground? (Yes. Mow Carefully.)
You’re mowing the lawn, minding your business, and suddenly the ground is angry. Welcome to the underground yellow jacket nest.
How to spot a ground nest
- A small hole in the lawn, garden or under a step with wasps zipping in and out.
- Traffic all day, heaviest in the afternoon.
- No dirt mound needed — it’s often a borrowed burrow.
- Late summer nests can hold thousands of yellow jackets.
What not to do
| Bad idea | Why |
|---|---|
| Pour gasoline in it | Dangerous, poisons soil and groundwater, and often doesn’t work. |
| Flood it with water | They just come out — angry. |
| Block the hole | They dig a new exit, sometimes into your house if the nest is near the foundation. |
| Mow over it | Vibrations = mass sting event. |
Do other bees nest in the ground?
Yes — many gentle solitary bees nest in small holes in bare soil in spring. They rarely sting and are great pollinators. Lots of little holes with calm bees in April? Probably them. A single hole with an angry stream of yellow-and-black wasps in August? Yellow jackets. And no — carpenter bees drill wood, not the ground.
Watch: Silver Bullet bee and wasp work
What to look for
More about bees & wasps
- 20 Fun Facts About Bees and Wasps
- Are Yellow Jackets Bees or Wasps??
- Where Do Yellow Jackets Go in the Winter??
- Do Carpenter Bees Sting??
- Who Do I Call for Bee Removal??
- All pest questions, answered
Fun facts about other pests
- 21 Fun Facts About Ants
- 20 Fun Facts About Squirrels
- 20 Fun Facts About Mice
- 18 Fun Facts About Rats
- 18 Fun Facts About Cockroaches
- Waterbug vs. Cockroach: Fun Facts
Common questions
Do yellow jackets nest in the ground?
Yes. Eastern yellow jackets usually nest underground, often in old rodent burrows.
How do I find a yellow jacket nest in the ground?
Watch for a single hole with wasps flying straight in and out all day.
Should I pour gasoline in a yellow jacket nest?
No. It’s dangerous, contaminates soil and often doesn’t work.
Do carpenter bees make holes in the ground?
No — carpenter bees drill into wood. Ground holes are usually yellow jackets or gentle ground-nesting bees.
Schedule today
Call 973-510-2585, text us or request a free quote online. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed and insured in New Jersey.