Partner with yellow jackets

I was disappointed that Dr. Alisa Hideg in her June 9 column advocated placing yellow jacket traps as a means of protecting yourself from the possibility of a sting.

It has been my experience that if you leave yellow jackets alone they will leave you alone. In return, the yellow jackets, who are very active predators, will keep your yard free of mosquitoes and other bothersome insects. It is estimated that one yellow jacket consumes nearly its own weight in insects, including mosquitoes, daily.

In the past we enjoyed our backyard, which we shared with a number of yellow jackets. Since our neighbors have decided to install traps, however, the backyard is empty of yellow jackets but full of mosquitoes, and there is no enjoying it unless you’re willing to slather DEET all over your arms and other exposed surfaces and drench your clothing with it. And who wants that stuff all over themselves? Too often now we just stay inside.

Of course we can kill everything around us, or walk around wearing DEET, the lemon eucalyptus repellant she mentioned, or spray Listerine around, which a friend advocates. But why can’t we just leave things alone and let nature take care of it for us?

Hosey Horton

Spokane