A New, 'Vicious' Kind Of Yellowjacket Has Arrived In CT: Report

CONNECTICUT — A new, 'vicious' variety of yellowjacket previously not seen in Connecticut has arrived — and populations are growing quickly, a Simsbury man known as "The Yellowjacket Expert" told the Hartford Courant in a report published over the weekend.

Norman Patterson Jr., who says he is not an exterminator but an insect remover who has been working with stingers for over 50 years, said the southern yellowjacket was never among the insects he found in Connecticut until two years ago, according to the outlet.

That summer, he found two southern yellowjacket nests, then five or six last year, Patterson added. This summer, he found 10-15 of them.

Southern yellowjackets are more aggressive than and other species of yellowjackets and other types of stinging insects, and will 'sting several times without dying if need be,' making them dangerous to humans, according to Turner Pest Control.

"They bite and sting at the same time," Patterson told the Courant. "They are absolutely vicious ... All yellowjackets are dangerous. The southern yellowjackets are particularly dangerous, and their nests are bigger."

He added that southern yellowjackets are about twice the size of eastern yellowjackets and are "so creepy looking," with nests the size of a Volvo.

"If you have a hive on your home or in your yard, you should not try to remove it yourself," Turner Pest Control said. "A professional pest control specialist can do it safely for you."

The Yellowjacket Expert, which mostly operates in New England, "provides organic and all-natural services to private homes, schools, businesses, and commercial properties," according to its website.

It continued: "Because the insects we remove are often used for sting allergy patients, we cannot and do not use any pesticides, poisons, and chemicals ... If at all possible, we remove stinging insects alive and freeze them for medical purposes."

Southern yellowjackets, also called vespula squamosa, are found in the eastern United States and parts of Mexico and Central America, according to a report published by the University of Florida.

Yellow jacket stings cause pain, swelling, redness, and itching that is usually helped by antihistamines and ice, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

However, if you’re allergic, yellow jacket stings can cause anaphylactic symptoms. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately, the clinic added.