It Bee That Time of Year Again

Highbeam · Sep 16, 2005

I have another bee issue. The buggers enter my attic through the bottom piece of lap siding above a gable. There is just a crack where they go in and for all I know they could have a huge hive within the 16" of insulation. I have wasted a couple of cans of spray which only kills the ones heading in or out of the nest, my theory was that they would bring it into the hive and kill it. I even tried to fit one of the red wd-40 tubes to the wasp spray to inject it into the siding but it doesn't fit.

I have bought some foggers to fog the attic in case that might get them but I am at a loss otherwise. I could go up there and caulk the crack shut but them wasps can dig, maybe they would find there way into the house!

I also am thinking about a small dish of diazanon granules below the entrance crack. Maybe the fumes will get them.

Any other ideas?

Farwell · Sep 16, 2005

I had a similar problem with stinging critters. I am still not sure if the critters were building a nest under my siding or removing small chunks of wood for the cellulose to build a nest else where. I used up four cans of the foaming wasp spray and I only noticed less critters flying in and out of my wall. After spraying, the activity would stop for a day or two and then start up again, so the last time I sprayed I waited until the flying stopped, I filled all of the cracks in the area with steel wool and I have not seen any critters in the area since.
Most of the stinging insect spray manufactures make a commercial strength formula that works much better than the ones we can buy over the counter. I have not found a supplier of the products yet but I did have a neighbor that works for a nursery help me with a very large stinging critter nest that was hanging from one of my apple trees. He was using the same product that I had used, mine did not work too well but the can he used had the word commercial written on the label, his spray did the trick.
I do not use the spray foggers indoors any more, instead I use a product made by Black Flag that comes in a can that you lower into another can that has water in it and instead of fog, it puts out a smoke like fume that has worked very well for me. It really does get into every nook and cranny and kills everything.
Farwell

Highbeam · Sep 18, 2005

I loaded up the 1 gallon sprayer with some of my stockpiled Diazanon and repeatedly sprayed the crack today. Each time bees went in my hope is that they took some with them. I also shot the crack with wasp spray when the bees were thick for instant kill gratification. Tonight I climbed a ladder and injected the diazanon under the lap siding at the apparent entrance.

We'll see tomorrow how lucky I am.

Next step is the attic fog.

Farwell · Sep 18, 2005

Sounds like war!
I am having a new roof put on my house and the roofers haven't sprayed the wasps that have built their nest underneath the peak of my second story. Hope they don't get driven off the roof. The visible nests do not worry me, its the nests in the ground that get me every time. Something I have learned about the ground nests, they try to warn you away, in many cases, by a few flying at you while you are still a distance away but most of us do not pick up on the warning and get nailed. After the fact, as I am recalling my horrible experience, I remember a few flying things coming at me aggressively but it never registers at the time.
Good luck with your war, hope you don't get any Purple Hearts.
Farwell

BoneheadNW · Sep 18, 2005

I just got back from a multiple yellow jacket sting call and saw that this thread is still going strong. Same story- a man is cutting back blackberry bushes with a brushcutter, hears the buzzing, starts getting stung, runs and gets stung a half dozen more times before he reaches the house. He never knew he was allergic. I had to go back to shut off the brushcutter for him and the yellowjackets were still P.Oed. A few mg of benedryl and a trip to the hospital and he is doing better. I guess it is still the season for stinging insects, although I would have thought the cooler temps would have them in decline.

Bonehead

ByronBob · Sep 19, 2005

I read this link and I got jinxed. Found a ground nest after they stung me yesterday. I had no remorse putting eliminating chemicals in the hole after they stung me a few times.

Jstpssng · Sep 20, 2005

Bonehead, you may be able to answer this. I knowit is possible to suddenly become allergic to bee stings or other agents; my first aid kit includes over-the-counter Benedryl.
Does this work, or just an old wive's tale?

P.S. A fellow timber cruiser discovered a couple years back that he is now allergic; he tells a quite dramatic tale about his last thought just before losing consciousness was of his baby daughter. Fortunately he recovered, as he was working alone at the time.

Highbeam · Sep 21, 2005

OK folks, on allergies. Every time I have been stung the swollen area get s a little biggger, the reaction a little worse. I understand this is how it works with most reactions. It is now where a sting in my forearm leads to a good swell between my wrist and elbow. I got to thinking about how people get stung 6 or more times before they can get away when they run over a hive with a brushhog. I further thought about how I wear a hat and long sleeves usually so my exposure is the face and neck, yes neck. That would stink, a swollen shut throat or eyes. Today I go to the doctor for the emergency shot in the leg bee sting allergy killer stuff. I have given one of these to a guy afraid of needles when stung at work and they are pretty slick.

Basicly, I want to get home after enjoying a nice day of mowing.

ByronBob · Sep 21, 2005

I think your talking about an Epi-pen. Their a great alternative to have when your allergic.

I got hit again last night. Dumb me walks out in the area of a ground nest with flip-flops on. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

This is my 3rd /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif ground nest in the same area of the yard.

TBrown · Sep 21, 2005

Two weekends ago I was bored craving seat time, so I decided to fill in a low spot near my woodpile. I'd dumped a few gator loads of sod that I'd peeled up when installing some pavers next to the hole last year but never pushed it off. I'd been working for maybe 20 minutes when I backed into the bank and saw a wide streak of gray smearing beneath the blade. I hadn't even seen a ground hornet up to then, but I swear in less than a second the air was thick with them. The river is maybe 500 feet from where I was working and I ran for it with everything I had, whipping my hat around like a madman all the way. I planned on jumping in, but that was a really bad plan. Normally at this time of year the river is way down and nothing to be afraid of, but the remnants of Katrina had recently gone through and the water was roaring. I can barely swim... enough to dog paddle across a swimming pool but that's about it. In my panic I'd forgotten, but when I drew close I realized that I couldn't jump in, though there were still some buzzing me. So I made a big loop and ran back to the house where my wife and daughter were watching TV, barged in and tore off my clothes. There were only two underneath my shirt and none in my jeans. I only got stung about 20 times.

I think the fella who said they're attracted to red is right. My tractor is red and they seemed to focus on attacking that. My hat was red also, and I wonder now if I shouldn't have dropped it. Also, the tractor was still running while I was booking for the river, and I think that might have kept their attention as well.

Also, I am allergic. I spent three days in the hospital when I got stung by a wasp as a boy, before the ambulance here carried epinephrine. I have an epi-pen, but liquid Benedryl works better for me. I swear by it. My arms swelled up like two balloons, but I didn't have to go to the hospital. Benedryl is good stuff.