Yellow Jackets under deck enclosed by ceiling.

[mapper]

Had t he same exact deal going on with one of my rentals 2 years ago. Jackets built a nest in an outside wall between the exterior brick and the interior sheet rock at ceiling level and were going in and out between the soffit and the exterior brick wall where the soffit met the brick. Tiny little opening but enough for those buggers.

I'm highly allergic to any bee sting, jackets included so here is what I did.

I took my shop vac. took the bag out and put about 2 inches of water in the bottom and added a squirt of dishwash soap. The I attached the hose and put on the 'crevice tool'. When it was dark, I put a step ladder up by their entrance and attached the crevice tool to the ladder with a bungee cord and positioned it right at their entrance and exit hole. Come dawn I plugged in the vac and let it run continuous. Little buggers got socked into the crevice tool by the thousands, no way could they overcome the suction, I watched them with glee as the got sucked into the abyss, never to get out (the soapy water killed them instantly.

I let it run all day, shut it of at night and started it again at dawn and repeated until no more came out (empty nest). Took the ip off the vacuum and it was loaded with thousands of stinky bee carcases which I dumped in the ditch out back.

That too care of my jacket issue. If it happens again, I'll do the same thing again and it works on the ones in the ground too. It is a joyful thing to watch them get sucked in, never to bee (play on words) seen again.

Not sure you even need the soapy water, just getting whirled around in the canister will beat them to death pretty quickly.
I usually find a lot of queens overwintering in my shop, they wake up when the wood stove is fired in the winter. I suck them up with the vac hose plugged into the dust collector, the picture in my mind of them whirling around in the cyclone separator gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that there are a few thousand fewer Hornets that I won't have to deal with in the summer.

 

[5030]

I use the soapy water to make 100% certain they have went to Yellow jacket heaven. Works on wasps and mud daubers too. That pesky crevice tool is no match for them and it's joyful to observe too. I just don't get too close.

Shop vac's have many uses besides vacuuming the shop floor.

Done a few ground nests too. Same setup. Same results. Always good always lots of satisfaction.

 

[Oaktree]

It will be more than you can imagine and that nest will be huge. Like will not fit in a five gallon bucket huge. Make sure whatever spray you use will down them on contact. They will be very angry and can be on you quick. Hope you get them.

I guess everything's bigger in Texas.
I've never had a yellowjacket nest even close to that size. Maybe the occasional paper wasp nest, but they're nowhere as mean as yellowjackets.

 

[5030]

Jackets are extremely aggressive and always in a bad mood.

 

[Chewwy]

Jackets are extremely aggressive and always in a bad mood.

More so in late summer and early fall.

 

[Buggs67]

Thanks for all for the ideas.

I can only see the side of the nest since it's under the boards.

I am going to try the wet/dry vac idea first. I have two and if the small one dies he gave his life for a good cause.

I think I'll also set up a trap.

I had another one under my stand-up shooting bench. That was a nasty surprise, but I paid them a visit at night with a 20 ounce can of killer and evened the score. I left the dead nest to discourage newcomers.

This is a picture of where the nest is; under the board where the yellow handled broom is. They come and go between the floor boards.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Are you gonna buy him a new house after it burns down?

C'mon people. THINK about what you're suggesting when posting here.

I use gasoline.

 

[CalG]

I use gasoline.

on a wooden deck? Bold!

 

[Torvy]

Napalm! Go big or go home. I'm envisioning a Caddyshack moment.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

on a wooden deck? Bold!

I've put gasoline in 50,000 dollar vehicles before.