Should I try to kill or trap yellowjacket queens in the spring?
No. In terms of the number of wasps that will be around in late summer, when it really matters, eliminating queens in the spring has no real effect. Studies have shown that eliminating even 95% of the queens in an area does not reduce the number of foraging wasps later in the summer and the reason is pretty simple. The few queens that survive build larger nests because their competitors have been eliminated. So, don’t waste time trying to trap or kill queens in the spring. Instead, use our management suggestions (see Treating Yellowjacket Nests).
