Ground hornets, Not honey bees

[Midniteoyl]

diesel

 

[PhysAssist]

Hey Francessca,

Sorry that you're having problems with the yellowjackets, ground bees or hornets, as you say.

I had the big reaction called anaphylaxis that requires the epi-pen when I was in my early 20's, and have avoided them since.

You should probably do the same, because even though it is actually fairly normal for the stung extremity to swell as you describe, no one can tell for sure how bad or how fats your next time will be.

In addition to the epi-pen, it is good to keep some of the OTC antihistamine Zyrtec (generic= cetrizine) because it lasts longer, and faster than benadryl, and is also much more aggressive at blocking the reaction and even reversing it.

My epi-pen had expired a couple of years ago, and I keep forgetting to get it refilled, so when I got stung while clearing the pad for our barn last year, I immediately took 2 of the 10 mg zyrtec and some prednisone we had left over after my wife had poison ivy.

Within 5 minutes of being stung I was already starting to itch all over and get blotchy, but within about 15-20 minutes of taking the pills, it all began to fade, and except for a sore bump on my leg, I never had any further problems.

I did repeat the dose the next AM to keep any late reaction from occurring.

We used the Blackflag Wasp and Hornet spray that sprays 20 feet out and foams to cover the entrance in the late evening when most of them were already back in the nest and they died quickly as it kills on contact and residually.

We used the wally world brand on another nest under and in a hollow cedar tree trunk and it took about 3 applications to finally kill them all.

Please avoid all the up-close and personal methods, we don't want to find out how it went by having an obit posted here.

Keep tractoring in good health!
Thomas

 

[Ken45101]

When i have encountered them, it was bush hogging taller weeds. Too rough to find the holes. I just dont mow that hillside unless i get it early in the year. Last time i treid mowing it i got stung nine times.

 

[francessca135]

Update: last night 3 of the 5 nests sprayed with BF hornet and wasp spray, another with diesel and yet another with moth balls...it rained during the night. This morning hot and humid..no signs at all 5..will wait and see when the sun comes out later. Thanks for all the advice. I agree I would rather not have to do the epi-pen, and we have the meds.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

When i have encountered them, it was bush hogging taller weeds. Too rough to find the holes. I just dont mow that hillside unless i get it early in the year. Last time i treid mowing it i got stung nine times.

The sting of those little devils is the worst. I got stung on the ankle twice; my foot swelled up such that I couldn't get my shoe on. The point of the stings ended up making a couple large scars, with deep pits. Bad boys, those hornets. Been stung by a bumble bee; it's bad enough, but can't compare to the hornets. Oh, BTW, juice from an onion will stop the pain from a bee sting almost immediately...no joke. Won't do anything for the swelling, but it does take care of the pain.

 

[Tdog]

What you describe would be yellow jackets around here, not hornets. I have found at least one or two nests a year for the 20 summers I've lived here - - happily, most of the time I see them 1st. It's not at all fun when you mow over them! The worst I've encountered was 12 stings. They can definitely out fly a BX-22 at full throttle.

And, there's no waiting for temperatures at 55 degrees or below to treat them, unless you want to wait till October. I treat them as soon as it is dark with a quart or two of gas. Usually works with one application. if it doesn't, that probably means there is more than one entrance.

Good luck.

Jack

 

[EMcPhee]

Diesel is much safer then gas, and it wipes them out.

 

[tcreeley]

I parked my lawn tractor over a yellow jacket's nest in the lawn, with the mower on. After a few minutes there a weren't any left alive. No stings, no chemical, no gas.

 

[Coyote machine]

Recently got stung once in each leg by what are referred to as white face or bald faced hornets. They can sting multiple times and only the females sting. I was out in shorts cutting a path for a new pasture electric fence with my Dr. mower with HD string trimmer line and must have hit a nest. They got me at the same time one on my left sock and the other on my right calf. OW!
Went back a day or so later to retrieve the mower which, I had abandoned when stung, and sprayed two Black Flag large cans from as far away as possible. Moved the mower ahead by hand then started it after it was far enough there was little risk of any strays getting me. The google info says they can swarm as an entire 100-400 hornet sized nest and that's not anything I ever want to see or experience. Gas is NOT the way to go. It is best to use a spray that is designed to get the ones in the nest and any that come back to it.

 

[TomSeller]

I parked my lawn tractor over a yellow jacket's nest in the lawn, with the mower on. After a few minutes there a weren't any left alive. No stings, no chemical, no gas.

Well, a lot less gas anyway, unless it is electric. Creative, I like it. Pull it over the top with a rope?