These Traps Will Rid Your Yard of Yellow Jackets—and They're Only $5 Apiece

While counting down to spring and summer, many people focus on the return of outdoor living. But spending more time gardening, reading, playing, and barbecuing on your porch and in your backyard also means you might be in close proximity to a wealth of pesky critters. And one of the worst seasonal offenders is already out and about: yellow jackets. Luckily, Amazon shoppers have discovered these handy traps to keep them at bay. After all, there are few things that can take the joy out of relaxing in the sun quicker than swatting away a wasp—or worse, getting stung by one.

The Rescue! Disposable Summer Yellow Jacket Traps are a seasonal essential that will help you set yourself up for a swat and sting-free summer. They contain an easy-to-activate liquid inside that attracts yellow jackets. Simply open the cap to reveal the opening, attach a string or wire to hang the trap, and add water to the powder that comes inside the trap. (Note: The brand recommends hanging them at least 20 feet from any known yellow jacket nests.) Once the liquid is ready, wasps will fly inside the trap and drown. The best part? The wasp traps last for weeks, and you never need to refill them; simply toss them in the trash once they're full. Plus, they come in a pack of six for between $28 and $31, which means each one is only around $5 apiece.

Buy It: Rescue! Disposable Summer Yellow Jacket Traps Eastern Formula, ($28, Amazon)

"The packing says the pheromones take two to five hours to dissolve and become active, but within one hour, each trap had collected at least 50 yellow jackets," one five-star reviewer said. "We've tried different types of yellow jacket traps, and this one worked better by far," wrote another shopper who added that the traps are "so easy to set up."

When you're deciding which Rescue! wasp trap to purchase, the most important thing to do is to keep your location in mind. The United States is home to two kinds of yellow jackets—those that live west of the Rocky Mountains, and those that live east of the Rockies—so the brand developed two formulas: the Eastern Formula and the Western Formula. Make sure to purchase the right one for your home to get the best results.

Buy It: Rescue! Disposable Summer Yellow Jacket Traps Western Formula, ($31, Amazon)

Shoppers also suggest considering sunlight when you're planning where to hang the traps: "Each time, within minutes of hanging the trap, yellow jackets were circulating, entering, and meeting their demise," wrote a reviewer who said they found the traps were "much more effective" in a sunny spot.

For $5 per trap, you can keep your outdoor oasis stinger-free with a little help from this easy-to-use wasp solution. After all, the last thing you want to do after a long winter wait is let yellow jackets spoil your spring and summer fun.