Ground hornets!

[MossRoad]

I found years ago that my tractor at its top speed is slower than ground yellow jackets.... I had to get off and run!

 

[NorTracNY]

I think I'd put on some pants and a $50 bee jacket if I had to do some tractor work where I suspected trouble. I'd rather sweat than get tons of stings.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

We find ground jackets all along. Usually it's the wife who finds them first. I use a gallon or two pump up spray tank and put two Tblspoons per gallon fill to the line shake it a bit. I have sat on my mule only a few feet away and spray each time one comes in/out. They die pretty much right then. I have had some Japanese hornets buzzing on the patio lights near the door entrance. I sprayed them with it one died on the bulb the other fell under it.

We also use this in our fruit orchards. Nothing kills a good picking time like getting stung by a wasp/hornet. Customers don't like that so much.

It works well for fire ants too, only by contact though.

It's safe enough you eat off of your plates each day after using dish soap to clean em, I'd rank that in the "organic" column...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I think I'd put on some pants and a $50 bee jacket if I had to do some tractor work where I suspected trouble. I'd rather sweat than get tons of stings.

I am definitely putting on pants and long sleeves, don't have a bee jacket. Luckily it is unseasonably cool here in the SE this week, so I might not even break a sweat!

 

[BackRoad]

We find ground jackets all along. Usually it's the wife who finds them first. I use a gallon or two pump up spray tank and put two Tblspoons per gallon fill to the line shake it a bit. I have sat on my mule only a few feet away and spray each time one comes in/out. They die pretty much right then. I have had some Japanese hornets buzzing on the patio lights near the door entrance. I sprayed them with it one died on the bulb the other fell under it.

We also use this in our fruit orchards. Nothing kills a good picking time like getting stung by a wasp/hornet. Customers don't like that so much.

It works well for fire ants too, only by contact though.

It's safe enough you eat off of your plates each day after using dish soap to clean em, I'd rank that in the "organic" column...

I may have missed it Mr. PT Farmer, what do you mix in at 2 TBS per gallon?

 

[ponytug]

I may have missed it Mr. PT Farmer, what do you mix in at 2 TBS per gallon?

Dish soap...

 

[groundcover]

Was weed whacking along a stone wall, wasn't a ground nest but a paper wasp nest in a tree that I bumped with my forestry helmet, that didn't impress them one bit !
Luckily I was wearing my Insect Shield overalls (https://www.insectshield.com/collections/shop-insect-shield)
Helmet , safety sunglasses and gloves.
They quickly found the gap between overalls and helmet though ! Left a trail through the field, running weed wacker, helmet, glasses and gloves! Only got a few stings but still not very enjoyable!

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I may have missed it Mr. PT Farmer, what do you mix in at 2 TBS per gallon?

I use Dawn dish soap. I'm guessing they don't know the difference but it's a proven killer and not expensive either.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Was weed whacking along a stone wall, wasn't a ground nest but a paper wasp nest in a tree that I bumped with my forestry helmet, that didn't impress them one bit !
Luckily I was wearing my Insect Shield overalls (https://www.insectshield.com/collections/shop-insect-shield)
Helmet , safety sunglasses and gloves.
They quickly found the gap between overalls and helmet though ! Left a trail through the field, running weed wacker, helmet, glasses and gloves! Only got a few stings but still not very enjoyable!
View attachment 3989010

OUCH!! Cool stone wall! You obviously live along a creek.

 

[Duds13]

I bought a bee suit off the A-zon earlier this year for brush hogging. Inexpensive and while I probably look like a fool, I don't care. Getting lit up by bees SUCKS! I discovered a couple ground nests a few weeks ago near my firewood stacks and in a pile of chunks that need to be split. I'm either going to let them die off with the colder weather coming, or suiting up and spray the sh*t out of the hole

 

[1 Old Man]

I vote for, suit up and spray the sheet out of them!

 

[kenmbz]

Look what I found the hard way with my forks while trying to move a pile of wood.
Luckily they just swarmed the forks and up to the hood and I was able to retreat back a bit after shutting down the tractor.
Powdered them last night, mostly quiet today.
Last night the hive was covered in YJs and had to get close to powder, just dark/cold enough I got it done.

Looks like I ripped the top right off when I lifted. They were quit angry.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I was weedeating around a large oak tree surrounded with ground cover. I felt a sting on my wrist and looked back to see I had just walked over a swarm.

After dark, I mixed a sprayer of bifenthrin and stuck the wand in the hole and pumped about a quart into it and then covered it with a wet towel.

I removed the towel this morning and saw only a couple wasps moving really slow.

My grandkids play around this tree often and I wanted them gone asap.

 

[BX23S-1]

I hate`em! They are NASTY sumb!tches! I kill every nest i find.

 

[MossRoad]

Went to take care of some yard issues at my mother in-law's house Saturday and walked around the corner of her house like I always do. Wife followed me. We get to the back yard, assess the situation, turn around and see a volleyball-sized hornet nest 5' off the ground that we both had moved our heads around without even noticing.

I killed it with spray.

 

[ponytug]

Went to take care of some yard issues at my mother in-law's house Saturday and walked around the corner of her house like I always do. Wife followed me. We get to the back yard, assess the situation, turn around and see a volleyball-sized hornet nest 5' off the ground that we both had moved our heads around without even noticing.

I killed it with spray.

Time to buy a lottery ticket?

Glad that you both survived the encounter.

All the best, Peter

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

40 ish years ago, I had a guy at work who had an old oak tree split stirring up bees. For several days every time he and his elderly father went outside they would get stung. We worked night shift and he said to me I'd give $500 to have them bees gone. I told him I'd be over after work. Got a pump up sprayer put diesel in it and went to town. About 30-40 mins later they were all dead. I never got stung once. Next day he said I reckon I owe you $500. I said naw, it was the challenge for me.

Those were some aggressive honey bees. In hindsight I would have tried to save them although he really, really wanted them gone.

 

[SpringHollow]

Dawn dish soap works extremely well as others have mentioned. Better than commercial sprays. I use old water fire extinguishers - lets me get them from 20' away. For ones where I can not get to the nest directly, I have used Drione, a shop vac, or a bug light right at the entrance.