Yellow Jackets under deck enclosed by ceiling.

[mapper]

Had t he same exact deal going on with one of my rentals 2 years ago. Jackets built a nest in an outside wall between the exterior brick and the interior sheet rock at ceiling level and were going in and out between the soffit and the exterior brick wall where the soffit met the brick. Tiny little opening but enough for those buggers.

I'm highly allergic to any bee sting, jackets included so here is what I did.

I took my shop vac. took the bag out and put about 2 inches of water in the bottom and added a squirt of dishwash soap. The I attached the hose and put on the 'crevice tool'. When it was dark, I put a step ladder up by their entrance and attached the crevice tool to the ladder with a bungee cord and positioned it right at their entrance and exit hole. Come dawn I plugged in the vac and let it run continuous. Little buggers got socked into the crevice tool by the thousands, no way could they overcome the suction, I watched them with glee as the got sucked into the abyss, never to get out (the soapy water killed them instantly.

I let it run all day, shut it of at night and started it again at dawn and repeated until no more came out (empty nest). Took the ip off the vacuum and it was loaded with thousands of stinky bee carcases which I dumped in the ditch out back.

That too care of my jacket issue. If it happens again, I'll do the same thing again and it works on the ones in the ground too. It is a joyful thing to watch them get sucked in, never to bee (play on words) seen again.

Not sure you even need the soapy water, just getting whirled around in the canister will beat them to death pretty quickly.
I usually find a lot of queens overwintering in my shop, they wake up when the wood stove is fired in the winter. I suck them up with the vac hose plugged into the dust collector, the picture in my mind of them whirling around in the cyclone separator gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that there are a few thousand fewer Hornets that I won't have to deal with in the summer.

 

[5030]

I use the soapy water to make 100% certain they have went to Yellow jacket heaven. Works on wasps and mud daubers too. That pesky crevice tool is no match for them and it's joyful to observe too. I just don't get too close.

Shop vac's have many uses besides vacuuming the shop floor.

Done a few ground nests too. Same setup. Same results. Always good always lots of satisfaction.

 

[Oaktree]

It will be more than you can imagine and that nest will be huge. Like will not fit in a five gallon bucket huge. Make sure whatever spray you use will down them on contact. They will be very angry and can be on you quick. Hope you get them.

I guess everything's bigger in Texas.
I've never had a yellowjacket nest even close to that size. Maybe the occasional paper wasp nest, but they're nowhere as mean as yellowjackets.

 

[5030]

Jackets are extremely aggressive and always in a bad mood.

 

[Chewwy]

Jackets are extremely aggressive and always in a bad mood.

More so in late summer and early fall.

 

[Buggs67]

Thanks for all for the ideas.

I can only see the side of the nest since it's under the boards.

I am going to try the wet/dry vac idea first. I have two and if the small one dies he gave his life for a good cause.

I think I'll also set up a trap.

I had another one under my stand-up shooting bench. That was a nasty surprise, but I paid them a visit at night with a 20 ounce can of killer and evened the score. I left the dead nest to discourage newcomers.

This is a picture of where the nest is; under the board where the yellow handled broom is. They come and go between the floor boards.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Are you gonna buy him a new house after it burns down?

C'mon people. THINK about what you're suggesting when posting here.

I use gasoline.

 

[CalG]

I use gasoline.

on a wooden deck? Bold!

 

[Torvy]

Napalm! Go big or go home. I'm envisioning a Caddyshack moment.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

on a wooden deck? Bold!

I've put gasoline in 50,000 dollar vehicles before.

 

[DGZRT]

So they are under the deck boards and the frame under is sheeted ? Could you cover the top of deck in plastic maybe hold down with bricks and see if there is an opening underneath. Maybe use a hole saw close to the nest from underneath and get a couple of foggers and fog the whole deck . I use two foggers in each of our inclosed tree stands each season to make sure the pest are dead .

 

[lpakiz]

A variation on the shop vac strategy is to use a length of Sched 20 PVC for a 10' extender. The little buggers never figure out what the guy way over there has to do with the whistling stick that they are all disappearing into.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have used a slightly different approach with success.

Mixed up jar lid with Termidor and bait... Raw Meat, Soda... etc.

It took a few days but the yellow jackets took the mixture back to the nest and that was the end...

No hunting or putting myself in harm's way...

 

[AWSubie]

I use Tempo dust.

 

[marhar]

I have a second floor deck where the bottom is sheeted with steel siding to make a roof over the patio under the deck. I have used several cans of yellow jacket spray on the nest from above but they are still there and very active.

Any ideas how to kill this nest? I got stung 4 times in about 3 seconds.

Try to kill them at night, they are less active and they will all be in the nest. If they only have one or two entrances use great stuff foam to seal the entrance.

When I have killed a nest during the day I continued to have yellow jackets that were out of the nest come back and circle. It took a few days for these yellow jackets to go away; I wish I would have waited until night.

 

[CalG]

A variation on the shop vac strategy is to use a length of Sched 20 PVC for a 10' extender. The little buggers never figure out what the guy way over there has to do with the whistling stick that they are all disappearing into.

can yellow jackets "Hear" and discriminate dangerous sounds? I doubt it.

 

[Erik M]

Thanks for all for the ideas.

I can only see the side of the nest since it's under the boards.

I am going to try the wet/dry vac idea first. I have two and if the small one dies he gave his life for a good cause.

I think I'll also set up a trap.

I had another one under my stand-up shooting bench. That was a nasty surprise, but I paid them a visit at night with a 20 ounce can of killer and evened the score. I left the dead nest to discourage newcomers.

This is a picture of where the nest is; under the board where the yellow handled broom is. They come and go between the floor boards.

I have the YJ building nests under the deck and I use a spray foaming wasp blaster with the pipette that I can poke thru the cracks between the deck boards and into the nest at midnight and give the nest a fill of insecticidal foam. Works every time and no risk.

 

[Popgadget]

Sevin powder works very well, I’ve eradicated many nests both inside structures and ground nests. I rigged up a small blower to suck it out of the bag and blow it into the nest or opening. The insects then track it deep into the nest killing all of the occupants in short order. You can add a section or sections of pvc pipe to the discharge, and flexible hose to the suction.

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As far as bees and flashlights, while they don’t generally fly at night, your flashlight will give them a highway directly to you, if you are holding the light.

 

[5030]

I've put gasoline in 50,000 dollar vehicles before.

In and on are 2 different things entirely....lol

 

[5030]

I have the YJ building nests under the deck and I use a spray foaming wasp blaster with the pipette that I can poke thru the cracks between the deck boards and into the nest at midnight and give the nest a fill of insecticidal foam. Works every time and no risk.

Problem with that is, the dead ones left behind will stink. My method (vacuum) eliminates all the inhabitants so no stinking bodies left behind. All the inhabitants are in the shop vac, dead and drowned.