Yellow Jackets: Anyone seen this before?

[Kerry]

Have been growing outdoors for years and have never seen this situation and I can't find anyone local who has either.

Yellow jackets eating the outside layer of the stalk.. the first plant, I sprayed the jackets with wasp spray.. yes the plant died.

A couple weeks later, I had two more plants die, I pulled them up yesterday and the stalks look the same as the one that died.

On further investigation, I see that there are more plants that look the same. I am going out to take pics in a bit.. the pic attached is from the first plant.

the pic of the two plants on the bottom the one on the left was doing down when I got back from Italy. the one on the right started a few days later. I thought my house sitter had overwatered them. I pulled them yesterday and they have the same damage on the stalk as the first one.
plant.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

That is strange indeed

 

[Dwight Monk]

Sounds like a paper wasp by their activity, haven't had that problem or heard of anyone that has personally.

Paper wasp - Wikipedia

Not sure if regular wasp/yellow jacket traps would work with them but worth a try w/o doing the chemical warfare.

 

[IGBG]

I would be searching for the nest, it has to be near by, because believe it or not, once they find plants that are good candidates for their nest building they will setup a new nest near by, I have always found them within 25 to 40 yards from the plants they are using to build, or refortify an existing, nest! Really, you won't be able to stop them unless you remove their nest. But you can deter them by using a few habanero peppers ground up and then left to sit in a gallon of water for 24-48 hours. then strain that mix out into a new container. Then take a gallon of water, 1 tsp of dawn dish soap, and 1/4 cup of the habanero pepper concentrate you previously made, and spray your stems down, that will stop them from chewing anymore stems, and it will also take care of the ants that are now there because they smell the sugar the plant is secreting seeing the wasps have opened her up!

 

[Icemann420]

Man that looks ugly. Best of luck.

 

[Blew Hiller]

Never heard of it...they are in my GH and beneficial since they eat other insects (that aren't beneficial)