Hornets

[perrotoro]

I'm new to tractor cutting. I'm sure this has been discussed if I were to dig deep in a search, but if attacked by Hornets on an open tractor, I'm told by one here at work to not panic, nor try to get off the tractor, but to proceed on with head down until the swarm recedes. Any other or better suggestions?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Hold your breath. They home in on CO2 and Infrared/heat. The tractor has both so it confuses their response by camouflaging you to some extent. ... Proceed on quickly.

 

[ning]

Hold your breath. They home in on CO2 and Infrared/heat. The tractor has both so it confuses their response by camouflaging you to some extent. ... Proceed on quickly.

and come back with a flame thrower!

 

[atsah]

I ran over an underground yellow jacket next with my bush hog and they were not happy, I saw them when I was on top of it, I got stung about 8 times, I sat the bush hog on top of the next and ran it at 540RPM for 20 minutes, no more bees,,

 

[RjCorazza]

I have also heard the CO2 and not breathing thing. The one time I was swarmed by yellow jackets I just ran (while stripping almost buck naked).
I suspect the stay on the tractor thing is more so you don’t get injured or killed while bailing off a moving machine.

 

[oosik]

For whatever reason I don't have ground dwelling hornets, wasps or yellow jackets. They all make their nests in the low hanging branches of my largest Ponderosa pines.

About six years ago I became "involved" with a large nest of yellow jackets. Did I sit quietly on the tractor and hold my breath - - YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

I ran like a red-necked reb - heading for his grandma's home style B-B-Q. Between running like a mad man, flailing my arms, swinging and swatting like a fool - I only got stung three times.

Now if you want to talk about our Bald Faced Hornets - - those things are just pure meanness. They will fly clear across my yard - hit me like a paint ball - grab hold - take a BIG bite out the closest flesh near them. Then when they have digested that mouth full - they will sting - just for pure meanness. Some call them Tribal Hornets due to their facial markings.

 

[Deere Dude]

About six years ago I became "involved" with a large nest of yellow jackets. Did I sit quietly on the tractor and hold my breath - - YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

I ran like a red-necked reb - heading for his grandma's home style B-B-Q. Between running like a mad man, flailing my arms, swinging and swatting like a fool - I only got stung three times..

Staying on my tractor was the last thing I did when I crashed into a low hanging nest. I slapped the tractor in high gear and wide open for a couple hundred feet, screeched to a halt and continued running and flailing for another hundred feet. I couldn't hold my breath and scream at the same time.

 

[CADplans]

When I run over ground hornets, I drive away at usual mowing speed, they never chase.

We had a bald face hornet nest on the side of the shed, a couple years ago.
I have a decal stuck on the garage door of the VT Hokie bird, around the corner from where the nest was.

Well, I sprayed that nest with insecticide from 30 feet away, and ran to the screened porch, which is about 50 feet away.
When the hornets started coming out of that nest, They started flying,,, looking for somebody.
They saw the Hokie bird decal, and started slamming into the eyes of the decal, I could see them, and hear the hits on the thin steel garage door.

That encounter taught me to respect those insects,,, future sprays were done after dark
It took three sprayings to eliminate the hornets.

Those hornets were not homing in on CO2,,, they KNEW what eyes look like,,,

I always thought CO2 was a mosquito thing??

 

[Coyote machine]

Spectracide Pro, Hornet and Wasp killer. This ***** works. Drops anything instantly from a live nest. Nothing will move or survive, or exit a nest if you aim at the exit hole and spray the crap out of the nest. It will also kill returning bees/hornets/wasps for up to 4 weeks. I spray a nest from up to 25' away, and the general vicinity in case a hornet is returning to the nest- once they touch the wet surface they are toast. No more having them follow you or chase you, DEAD is all they are, every time! :thumbsup:

 

[Thomas]

Yes hold your breath and protect your eye as much as possible,I carry long sleeve shirt/sweat shirt just in case.

 

[wagne223]

For whatever reason I don't have ground dwelling hornets, wasps or yellow jackets. They all make their nests in the low hanging branches of my largest Ponderosa pines.

About six years ago I became "involved" with a large nest of yellow jackets. Did I sit quietly on the tractor and hold my breath - - YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING.

I ran like a red-necked reb - heading for his grandma's home style B-B-Q. Between running like a mad man, flailing my arms, swinging and swatting like a fool - I only got stung three times.

Now if you want to talk about our Bald Faced Hornets - - those things are just pure meanness. They will fly clear across my yard - hit me like a paint ball - grab hold - take a BIG bite out the closest flesh near them. Then when they have digested that mouth full - they will sting - just for pure meanness. Some call them Tribal Hornets due to their facial markings.

Yeah, this would be me........

 

[mcfarmall]

A quick Google search revealed no indication that a bald faced hornet can BITE. They can, however, sting you repeatedly as their stinger is smooth and not barbed (like a honeybee).

I have disturbed the ground hornets (yellowjackets) with the tractor and my response to the attack was to drive several yards away from the nest, kill the ignition (gasser tractor) and flee the area for a period of time.

Used a paste made of meat tenderizer on the stings.

I believe the "bite" sensation may be the insect grabbing your skin with their legs while posturing to place their stinger. Of course the bite aspect lends a degree of theatrical liberty to the story.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I've gotten lucky two years in a row. Last year I disturbed a nest when moving an old wood pile. I got out of there before they figured out I was the problem. Next day they were all gone, evidently I had broken up the nest or killed the queen or something. A couple weeks ago I ran over another one but got away OK. The next morning I went to check it out, and overnight a skunk or racoon had dug it up and eaten everything

 

[mcfarmall]

I have found several mysterious holes in the pastures that I mow and attribute them to the yellowjacket nests that have been discovered and then devoured by skunks and coons. How else do you explain a soccer ball sized hole about as deep with no dirt anywhere around? One of them was noticed in late fall before the snow fell and I found some of the comb and paper shreds lying about.

 

[/pine]

I understand not wanting stinging insects near living spaces etc...but it needs to be pointed out that bald faced hornets are quite beneficial...

...the bald-faced hornet is beneficial both for pest control and pollination. During early to mid summer when there are many larvae to feed, insect prey are caught, chewed up, and fed to the larvae. Insects preyed upon include yellowjackets (a favorite), flies, caterpillars and many other insects...

Bald-faced hornets: intimidating but not all bad! | Uconnladybug's Blog

 

[RalphVa]

Fortunately, I have yet to run into a yellow jacket nest with my 4wd tractor. Did once with the Gravely. I just ran away and left it running until I could come back with some gasoline or kerosene to pour on the hole (I'm not allowed to officially say this; I didn't). I'm supposed to say I came back with a flying insect spray that I'm supposed to spray the whole lot of very exotic chemicals (nerve gas agents) down the hole.

Late in the summer season, I suit up to run the bush hog and even have on an old Aussie hat with full netting around it. I run the tractor with the netting up on the hat brim in front because the netting obstructs my view a bit. If I run into some YJs, I'd throw the netting down over my face and drive out of there.

Ralph

 

[bunyip]

Yellow jackets we know as european wasps and can roam up to 5km from the nest, I have an allergy to them and carry an epipen in case of a sting, one of these kkilled my grandmother.
Wish we had something that would dig them up and eat them, if I see them I just keep well away.
The last sting had me in hospital for a few days, one wasp, three stings that came up like dinner plates and an inability to breathe.

 

[atsah]

Yellow jackets we know as european wasps and can roam up to 5km from the nest, I have an allergy to them and carry an epipen in case of a sting, one of these kkilled my grandmother.
Wish we had something that would dig them up and eat them, if I see them I just keep well away.
The last sting had me in hospital for a few days, one wasp, three stings that came up like dinner plates and an inability to breathe.

WOW.. You probably have some VERY BAD SNAKES there as well to deal with..

That's why I kill everything in sight and I don't care what anyone thinks about that either..

 

[bunyip]

Snakes don't worry me that much as most get out of your way when they see or hear you, wasps just go where they want and are not bothered by your presence.

 

[Jstpssng]

Bunyip hit on the question which needs to be asked- Are you allergic to them? If not then getting stung is just another price that you pay for being outside.