Ground hornets!

[JohnP3616]

I hooked up my trailer, backed it up to my shop door, and was slowly driving my mower up the loading ramp when - BAM - a hornet nailed my wrist. I smashed it and continued loading the mower. My wife came out and I cautioned her just as she took off running. We went in the house and put baking soda poultices on our stings. We very carefully went back out and discovered a hole in the ground about three feet from my trailer tailgate that was crazy with hornets. I had a tiny amount of wasp spray that I sprayed directly down the hole. Ticked them off. They buzzed so loudly it sound like a magma about to erupt. Lacking anything else I poured about two gallons of diesel down the hole. Went back the next day and didn’t see a single hornet. They were very aggressive, mean, nasty little pests.

This is the second nest I’ve encountered. The first one I filled with expanding foam that had insecticide in it. I need to keep it on hand, it worked very well. Spraying it down the hole was very satisfying, too.

For several years we were bee keepers, but my wife became increasingly allergic each time she was stung and this hornet sting caused her hand to swell and was painful for 2-3 days. My sting was just an itchy red spot.

You can’t be too careful.

 

[mapper]

Two gallons of diesel is a tad overkill, about a half cup of gasoline works really well. The fumes go down the hole and kill them instantly. Cover the hole to hold the fumes in to be absolutely sure to get them all.

 

[kenmbz]

I use tempest or sevin powder, takes a day or so to get them all, but it works.
Was out trimming bushes, got to the last one and got hit in the back, YJ under the bush I was trimming. Hole big enough for a golf ball.
I stayed calm and walked away so they did not chase me, this time.

3rd nest I wiped out this year. nasty little demons.

 

[DarkBlack]

Only good yellow jacket is a dead yellow jacket

 

[Alan W.]

Only good yellow jacket is a dead yellow jacket

Amen

 

[ponytug]

I use baby powder loaded into a turkey baster. The local parks pump me on to it. It's less toxic, and just works, at least around here.

All the best, Peter

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I used to use gas, but as I got older, I became more mindful of my land. Now, it's soapy water. As effective as anything else. I will say, burning them was much more fun and satisfying...

 

[Jstpssng]

I don't bother them unless they are in some critical area. Everything has it's purpose, even if we don't like it.
Well, except cancer, smallpox, diptheria and other diseases.

For some reason I don't get stung as often as other people do. I can walk past a nest and they will fly past me to sting somebody else. When I do get stung it only bothers for an hour or so.
I'm sure that will change someday and I'll become deathly allergic.

 

[RjCorazza]

Yellow Jackets in the ground are a landscapers bane. I mow over a nest, and if I'm lucky I see them on my next pass hovering around looking for something to attack. The other scenario that gets me is string trimming... They seem to really hate the sound of a 2 cycle engine.
On my property I generally use a product called Drione, which is an insecticide with diatomaceous earth. Couple of puffs in the ground and cover it up. Works very well on Bald Face Hornets in the large paper nests, as it doesn't seem to bother them for about 20 seconds or so, then they drop out incapacitated in droves.

 

[kenmbz]

We leave plenty of YJ, mud daubers and cicada killers alone to control other pests. but when they get close to where I need to be, they are gone.
I had a bald faced hornet come 10 feet into my garage where I was just moving stuff around and attack me. I won't let them within 100' of my house since then.

I try to be careful not to harm bees, and have plenty of plants they love to cover. Lots of bees that I walk past every day, no reaction from them at all, like the mud daubers, as long as they are happy and can find food, they don't bother anyone.