Hornets --- OH NUTS!!

Turbys_1700 · Sep 22, 2018

I got stung 3 times last week from wasps while messing around in the barn. Both ankles and back of the left thigh. Finally healed up and itched like crazy. I take allergy shots twice a month, use a daily nasal spray, and take Montelukast. I guess it helps. I am so fearful of yellow jackets. Had several bad experiences with them. They are nasty and can be deadly.

Ortimber · Sep 22, 2018

Ground hornets are a problem where I live.

Every year since I was a kid I’d get my fair share of stings. Over the last few years, I’ve started getting major swelling when I do get stung. I talked to doc about this and he said you are developing allergies. Great!

Wife insisted on an Epi-pen and a cabbed tractor.

oosik · Sep 22, 2018

I've seen articles where the researchers indicate that insects such as hornets, wasps and bees can sense fear in another animal. It is felt that fear can increase your chances of being attacked and stung. That must be why I get stung quite often. And they dive bomb me all the time - I think that is more of an attempt to drive me away. Man - I be gone.........

For whatever reason I've got no ground dwelling bees, yellow jackets or hornets.

Diggin It · Sep 22, 2018

oosik said:
Most are "open comb" nests about the size of your fist. I burned that big one at night and almost burned the carport down in the process.

The really sad thing - I continue to see fewer and fewer wild honey bees every year. Thirty five years ago I quit using any type of spray in the orchard - concerned then about the wild bees. I can see that the majority of any pollination is now done by yellow jackets, bumble bees or hornets.

I hit those with wasp spray or carburetor cleaner.

I noticed the honeybees this year were going after my hummingbird feeders rather than the wild flowers and clover. Not sure why.

Ortimber said:
Ground hornets are a problem where I live.

Every year since I was a kid I’d get my fair share of stings. Over the last few years, I’ve started getting major swelling when I do get stung. I talked to doc about this and he said you are developing allergies. Great!

Wife insisted on an Epi-pen and a cabbed tractor.

I have those big rust red wasps. First few times I got hit, they didn't really bother me much. The last couple of times, I gotten a bigger reaction, swelling, itching, etc. I don't think I want to find out what might happen if one got me in the upper chest or neck.

ruffdog · Sep 22, 2018

Who knows....if the honey bees disappear, we may wish we had more wasps and hornets to help pollinate plants.

WranglerX · Sep 22, 2018

Oldoak said:
Just yesterday I discovered a Yellow Jackets' ground nest while weed whacking around our pole building.
OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!

Got stung 7 times before I could get far enough away. Not near as bad as a hornets sting though.

For YJ ground nest, go out after dark when the all in nest for the night and put a pyrex mixing bowl upside down over nest opening being sure to seal all around bowl.... 10-15 days no yellow jacket problem.... Have eradicated 4-5 nests this way... And at some point later on one of the night critters has come by and digs up the nest and enjoyed the tasty morsels...

Other issue seems to be small "paper" wasps that like to build nests under eaves of house.... Wasp Spray makes quick work of them....

Dale

Thomas · Sep 22, 2018

Pressure washer I found works the best...nest gone and clean area also keeps nasty hornet at bay.

smiley · Sep 22, 2018

Diggin It said:
My understanding is that Hornets abandon their nests in the fall before the weather gets cold. A few years ago, I had a very large one in a tree down the road. They never bothered anybody walking past and sure enough, it was empty by November.

That is true and I have a couple hanging in the garage and one as decoration in an upper corner of my living room taken down in Nov or Dec. This one is so unusual I'll try to cut it down after they move out and don't know what I'll do with it but will figure something out, I have given some to a friend that does taxidermy and uses them in mounts.

Several years ago when I was using this garage a lot, I had one about 8 ft above this one, inside the building and they were harassing and stinging us. I decided I'd go up at night , cut it loose into a paper bag, take it out and burn it. I found out the hard way, they leave guards out at night, After 3 or 4 stings I believe I set a record for going down a ladder.

MitchellB · Sep 23, 2018

My wife just discovered yellow jackets flying in and out of a crack in the cider block wall under our front porch. I guess they have a new nest under there somewhere that we need to deal with soon, before someone get stung coming up to the front door.