What state has the most yellow jackets?

What state has the most yellow jackets is not definitively tracked with census, as yellow jackets are found in all US states, but warmer southeastern and southern states with long growing seasons, abundant forests, and abundant food tend to have higher yellow jacket populations, though no single state is officially ranked as most. States like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and California have large yellow jacket populations due to warm climate, long foraging season, mild winters that allow more queens to survive, and abundant insects for prey and sugars from fruits and human foods. Eastern states like Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and New York also have high numbers of Eastern yellow jackets and German yellow jackets due to forests and suburban areas with nesting sites in ground, wall cavities, and attics. Yellow jackets are social wasps that build colonies with thousands of workers in late summer, so states with hot summers and mild winters support larger colonies. In 2026, climate change has extended season. No official agency counts yellow jackets per state, so most is based on pest control reports and anecdotal observations. To reduce yellow jackets regardless of state, keep food and sweet drinks covered outdoors, seal trash cans with tight lids, clean up overripe fruits and spills, avoid strong perfumes, seal cracks, and have nests removed professionally in early summer before they grow large, as yellow jackets defend nests aggressively and can sting multiple times.