Yellowjacket Invasion Halts Outdoor Dining at This Popular Maine Restaurant

Is it me or has this summer in Maine been absolutely miserable on the insect front?

I can't keep my legs clean from mosquito bites every week, and I feel like I'm constantly swatting away a wasp. #MaineLife

This one local restaurant has actually had to shut down its outdoor dining business due to an uncontrollable amount of daily yellow jackets.

Jordan Pond House Restaurant at Acadia National Park could not beat the jackets.

One of the things that attracts people to this cute restaurant is its beautiful outdoor dining area. Customers continued to get bombarded by these pesky yellowjackets while they were eating despite all the efforts to keep them away.

According to Maine.gov, yellowjackets are "responsible for about one-half of all human insect stings; they are easily provoked, and can sting more than once." Yikes.

The state website notes that August through October can be when yellowjackets can be a real problem, so this seems right on for the nasty yellowjackets.

I do happen to know a lot of businesses in downtown Portland that have verbalized this same type of issue, but this is the first I've seen that actually had to halt part of their business because of it.

A statement from the team over at Jordan Pond House:

"Due to yellowjacket activity in the area, out of an abundance of caution, Jordan Pond House lawn is closed for dining until further notice. Yellowjackets, a native wasp species, are especially active in early fall, so please exercise care. Indoor dining is still available."

According to jordanpondhouse.com. the last day of their season is October 26, so hopefully the yellowjacket problem can get better before then.

Sidenote: Here's a beautiful photo of Jordan Pond:

SIDE sidenote: Just the other day at a stop light, a HUGE yellowjacket was just hanging out on my windshield in the middle of the city as if nothing was wrong. To be honest, I think it was quite literally, the Queen Bee... or... the Queen Yellowjacket?