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I have a nest larger than that on the ceiling of my front porch. It looks like half of a football. I went out the other night with a can of Spectracide® Carpenter Bee and Ground-Nesting Yellowjacket Killer Foaming Aerosol and sprayed it. I thought I had waited too long, and it had gotten too large, but I sprayed about half of the can and the next morning there were about 30 dead hornets on the porch and no signs of any in the nest.
I've used other brands and they all seem to do the job. You can stand back a good distance and it shoots the contents around 12 to 15 feet.
I still have to get a step ladder and get it off the porch ceiling. Hopefully, no other hornets have moved in.
I have to give an update on this. I waited a few days and there were no signs of the hornets. I took a rake and started to yank the nest off the porch ceiling when lots of them came flying out of the nest. I dropped the rake and ran off the porch across my front yard. Now about a dozen of them come out when I close my front door. They don't seem to be as active in expanding the nest.
I only sprayed about half the can of the foaming aerosol, so I'll try the rest tonight. I'm glad I didn't use the step ladder like I originally planned.
Speaking of yellow jackets, not trying to hijack thread, but I found (or rather they found me) a nest about the size of my fist in a hole buried under a piece of wood. They got me 4 times before I could get out of their way. How in the world can I get even with them? I saw at least 50 swarm out, possibly more. I've got a can of gas and a box of matches. Any ideas?
Speaking of yellow jackets, not trying to hijack thread, but I found (or rather they found me) a nest about the size of my fist in a hole buried under a piece of wood. They got me 4 times before I could get out of their way. How in the world can I get even with them? I saw at least 50 swarm out, possibly more. I've got a can of gas and a box of matches. Any ideas?
Speaking of yellow jackets, not trying to hijack thread, but I found (or rather they found me) a nest about the size of my fist in a hole buried under a piece of wood. They got me 4 times before I could get out of their way. How in the world can I get even with them? I saw at least 50 swarm out, possibly more. I've got a can of gas and a box of matches. Any ideas?
PLEASE don't consider using gasoline in the ground. PLEASE. You will endanger yourself, your property, those who live anywhere close to you, and will also contaminate the soil and watershed. That is really, really bad news (plus, any insects you don't kill WILL come after you).
Did the yellow jackets just attack you without being provoked? Or did you disturb their nest? I'm assuming the latter because you knew the size of the nest.
Yellow jackets can definitely be really, really, really nasty, but they generally do mind their own business unless you disturb their nest or they suspect you're a threat to their nest. They also don't like vibration near their nest, so mowing near a yellow jacket nest can also be triggering to them.
I had a nest of yellow jackets near my front door every year for about three years. The final year I had a yellow jacket issue, a nesting pair of scarlet tanagers built a nest in my front door wreath (VERY unusual because they usually live high up in the trees). I went from seeing dozens and dozens and dozens of yellow jackets enter the nest to seeing NONE. The birds took care of the issue!
Since then, I've had no issues with yellow jackets. I do occasionally get a few paper wasps behind my shutters, and I have a MASSIVE number of honeybees, carpenter bees, and bumble bees covering my flowers every day (which makes me super happy!), but otherwise have few issues with stinging insects.
Speaking of yellow jackets, not trying to hijack thread, but I found (or rather they found me) a nest about the size of my fist in a hole buried under a piece of wood. They got me 4 times before I could get out of their way. How in the world can I get even with them? I saw at least 50 swarm out, possibly more. I've got a can of gas and a box of matches. Any ideas?
Gee, I don't know why I did that; I reped you for the can of gas and box of matches - perhaps I have hidden sadistic tendencies?
I would just saturate their home with one of the cans of flying insect killer. Those cans will knock them right out of the air. But; wear protective clothing/gloves - including head and eye protection. Also, if you can drive up close, spray out of a vehicle window - you don't have to run; just wind up the window.
We get ourselves stung because we do not see the yellow jackets; until we step on the hole. If you want to spot bees on your property; look for them (on windless, clear days) at first daylight or just before the sun sets. Many times you can spot them making a beeline from or to their nest. The low angle of the sun makes the bees considerably more visible. That works for hornets and yellow jackets.
PLEASE don't consider using gasoline in the ground. PLEASE. You will endanger yourself, your property, those who live anywhere close to you, and will also contaminate the soil and watershed.
It was a little over half a century ago that I worked as a maintenance 'man' (only 14 at the time) for a hotel close to our home. One of my jobs was to exterminate any yellow jackets. We did not want to get the guest stung. To get the job done they gave me a product called Cynogas. My instructions were to use drop half a teaspoon on the hole and then spray it with water. I was also to be always aware of which way the wind was blowing and to stand upwind. The yellow jackets would fly to their hole and fall dead three feet before they ever got there.
Fortunately, even without the recommended gas mask, I survived the experience. I do know, to this day, what cyanide smells like. I can picture the legal ramification of somebody giving a 14 year old this product today! The hotel is long gone and the owners are now dead: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edge_a...ar/8628939474/.
I read all the info I could find last night. I'll go with the spray. Now if they will just sit still long enough for me to flip the board out of the way and then spray. It's flat on the ground, no way to get under it. Oh well, what's a few more stings. When I was 4 I fell into a hole in the neighbors yard that was full of yellow jackets. I remember being slathered down in mud to ease the pain. Nasty little buggers. I'll keep my bees and wasps any day!
I read all the info I could find last night. I'll go with the spray. Now if they will just sit still long enough for me to flip the board out of the way and then spray. It's flat on the ground, no way to get under it. Oh well, what's a few more stings. When I was 4 I fell into a hole in the neighbors yard that was full of yellow jackets. I remember being slathered down in mud to ease the pain. Nasty little buggers. I'll keep my bees and wasps any day!
Something, like the board cover, you might want to do remotely. Is there anyway, without being stung, to attach a rope to the board? Possibly you could set a rake, with a rope attached, over the board to flip it out of the way? Could you wait a day of two for them to calm down after the board is removed?
Just make sure to cover yourself well. The idea is to not get stung at all. Sometimes people that were not allergic to bee sting; can become allergic over time.
Be careful and if you have doubts; you might want to call a professional.
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