Yellow jackets missing?

I live in Indiana and it seems ever since I moved here back in 1995 the yellow jackets have shown up in the summer. And frankly they are annoying and aggressive. They would be everywhere. The unofficial start of fall is a week and a half away and I haven't seen the first one this year. Anyone else noticed this?

Yup, same here. It has been an unusually cool summer here. What about there? Could have something to do with it.

We have 'em in SE Michigan.
I can't say if there is a lot less, maybe a few less.
If you like, I'll tell 'em to head south and east. You can have 'em.

hey... now that you mention it, here in NW Ohio, I have not seen many bees, wasps, etc...

hmmm last year, I couldn't go outside without at least seeing 1 or 2 of something or the other....

very strange...

hmm smae here in NC. I also have not seen one butterfly or even a mosiquito in a year

In connecticut where i live. I've only seeen bee's at my local pool club and no where else. That's alot less than usual.

Been about the same out here. Just enough to be annoying. They don't seem to be as agressive though.

Umm i live in florida a wile the mescto poplation isent having problems I have seen no bees and no butter flys but have seen plenty of wasp.O and the fire ant poplation is droping FINLY.

I live in CT and about a week ago I found a nest of those little buggers while mowing my lawn. The stung me more than a few times little bastards.

Maybe those dang cicadas ate them

we dident have a singal cacita umm thoes 17 year bugs here in florida.

They eat the brains of sleeping children in Florida, so they have to be stealthy.

I have only seen big bumble bees in IL and IN.

SpittinCobra, maybe they are afraid of you
Actually, I have lots and lots of those sweet, fat, striped bumble bees happily gathering pollen in my flowers. They are very gentle and polite. I can work in my garden with them in peaceful co-existence.

I just thought of a yellow jacket theory.
From what I know, yellow jackets die off each winter, EXCEPT for the queen. In the spring, she begins growing her family and by the first killer frost, she has greatly multiplied. That's why you see more as the summer progresses.
Perhaps the heavy rains in many areas drowned some queens or some early workers and kept the number low?????

I know this is an old thread but I just remembered it today. It was when I first noticed a problem with the bee population. I don't think what we had was a yellow jacket. I looked at Google Images and it didn't match. Not sure if it was a honey bee problem or what. Whatever the case they were gone. They didn't come back last year. This year the neighbor's lawn is filled with dandelions and I haven't seen a single bee flying around.

I haven't seen a yellow jacket in Texas in years. Although, I don't ever remember them being real plentiful here anyway; I'd see one once in a great while when I was a child, but I can't remember the last time I saw one. It has been quite some time ago.

[edit on 21-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Oldish thread bump it seems.. but better late than never so...

Have seen 1 dead bumble bee, 2 live bumble bees and 1 yellow jacket (nearly stepped on it earlier). In SW VA, but with the late freeze here it probably killed off a few.

Not to concerned atm though, as the spiders havent appeared in mass as of yet. Thankfully!

Anyways thought I'd share my bumble bee sightings since they seem to be in trouble.

i heard a thing on the news one night very short seg. that cell phone waves and the waves from the towers mess with there radar.. i think its true but u never know it could be a million things made by mand kind that gets released into/onto the envir.

I have seen two bee type insects so far this year. Thats it. Just two.

if the whole world world dies it will be MY REVENGE for being swarmed by yellowjackets and wasps umpteen times as young boy.

those people and bees will think twice about what they did to me when they're all dead.

relax, everyone. dying is EASY. it's living that's hard.