dcyrilc
Elite Member
Honey Bees won't be at ground level like that. Probably Yellow Jackets.
How to kill bee hive in ground?
- Thread starter beppington
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Honey Bees won't be at ground level like that. Probably Yellow Jackets.
OP
beppington
Elite Member
Yeah, I wish I could change my thread title, but it seems these are probably yellowjackets.
ridefst
Member
When I was young, I discovered a little hole in the middle of our lawn with yellowjackets coming and going. Of course, I ran and got a squirtgun (wouldn't you?) and ended up getting stung a time or two. :confused2:
Dad decided we didn't need this nest in the middle of the grass, so his solution was to fire up the oxy-acetylene torch, extinguish the flame in a bucket, and stick that in the hole for a few minutes.
Pulled the torch out, stuck a rag in the hole, lit it, and got out of the way.
The explosion blew the top off of a basketball sized hole that was at least 10' away from the entrance hole. The hole was full of dead and/or very confused yellowjackets, so he poured a bit of gas on whatever was left.
Not exactly the safest solution, but seemed to work pretty well.
We didn't know that the nest could be so far away from the entrance, do keep that in mind before just dumping gas down a hole; it could go a lot farther than you think.
Dad decided we didn't need this nest in the middle of the grass, so his solution was to fire up the oxy-acetylene torch, extinguish the flame in a bucket, and stick that in the hole for a few minutes.
Pulled the torch out, stuck a rag in the hole, lit it, and got out of the way.
The explosion blew the top off of a basketball sized hole that was at least 10' away from the entrance hole. The hole was full of dead and/or very confused yellowjackets, so he poured a bit of gas on whatever was left.
Not exactly the safest solution, but seemed to work pretty well.
We didn't know that the nest could be so far away from the entrance, do keep that in mind before just dumping gas down a hole; it could go a lot farther than you think.
fisherridge
Member
I am allergic to yellowjacket stings and have had to inject myself with an Epipen more times than I like to remember.
I do not recommend using gasoline. Too dangerous and too expensive (although I have used it).
I have successfully used foaming wasp and hornet spay by attaching vinyl tubing to the nozzle and sticking it in the hole. This is done at night.
I recently found Tempo dust at domyownpestcontrol.com. It is not instant kill.
Using a bellows duster, I dust the hole and in about two days the nest is dead.
I wear a bee suite when I kill nests (even when I use gasoline) and always at night.
I do not recommend using gasoline. Too dangerous and too expensive (although I have used it).
I have successfully used foaming wasp and hornet spay by attaching vinyl tubing to the nozzle and sticking it in the hole. This is done at night.
I recently found Tempo dust at domyownpestcontrol.com. It is not instant kill.
Using a bellows duster, I dust the hole and in about two days the nest is dead.
I wear a bee suite when I kill nests (even when I use gasoline) and always at night.
flyingcow
Veteran Member
This afternoon I was machete-ing away at some vines on my "jungle" property. One vine was laying on the ground across a really dead piece of tree trunk at the base of a living oak tree. I went to cut the vine at ground level, & POW, bees are stingin' me & buzzin' all around. I ran, fast & far, swattin' myself the whole time, but they still got me 4 times (sure thought it was more).
Turns out their nest seems to be a combination of the piece of dead wood & the dirt around the roots at the base of the tree. I got in my truck, rolled up the windows & enjoyed rolling my tire over the wood/ roots makin' 'em mad.Must've been at least 100 of them, probably more.
Needless to say, I want to get rid of them. I'd rather not pour gas all over the oak tree's roots, maybe killing it, so ... Will a towel, sheet, or blanket soaked in gas & thrown over the entire nest area kill them?
Can of the good ether. Stand up wind when spraying. Works very well. Oh yeah, no smoking
NuBota
Gold Member
For yellow jackets, I just use a can of Raid (don't get the kind that foams up).
Watch the nest during the day - find the entrance - mark it - back at night with flashlight and RAID - spray the whole can into the hole. I also did this to a football sized nest of bald-face hornets (actually related to yellow-jackets) in one of my azalea bushes - then nest just soaked up the Raid like a sponge.
Have done this to 5 different nests over the last 3 summers - worked every time.
Also, don't run or flail around - it's tough! Was swarmed 3 times one summer - stung about 10 times each in the first two encounters (running and flailing like a spaz), but in the third, got the first sting and froze. They would bump into me, but not sting - took about 5 mins before they lost interest - it was a long 5 mins!
Watch the nest during the day - find the entrance - mark it - back at night with flashlight and RAID - spray the whole can into the hole. I also did this to a football sized nest of bald-face hornets (actually related to yellow-jackets) in one of my azalea bushes - then nest just soaked up the Raid like a sponge.
Have done this to 5 different nests over the last 3 summers - worked every time.
Also, don't run or flail around - it's tough! Was swarmed 3 times one summer - stung about 10 times each in the first two encounters (running and flailing like a spaz), but in the third, got the first sting and froze. They would bump into me, but not sting - took about 5 mins before they lost interest - it was a long 5 mins!