Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

[Moody Blue]

Any suggestions on how to get rid of these pests. Had two nests. One in the ground beneath a shrub and the other in the eaves of the roof. Got rid of the ground nest by flooding it everynight for several days. The nest in the eaves is proving much more difficult to get rid of. I can't actually get inside the eave to locate the nest but I see the wasps entering and exiting all the time. Systematically I have been caulking and taping any openings that I see them entering and exiting. Each time they seem to find a new opening. The wasp and hornet spray cans are no good because I can't actually see the nest, only where they come and go. The nest could be anywhere inside the eave. Any helpful hints ?

 

[NathanY]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Throw a fogger in the attic. Burn the bush.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Pour kerosene/diesel in the nest in the ground. You don't even have to light it. I've gotten rid of the varmints in obscure places by flooding with starting fluid (ether). It's very flammable so be careful, but it might do the job. Best be done at night to catch them all at home.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

This won't help you much, but I use a machine to gas the void the wasps/yellowjackets are in. Makes fast work of it. The alternative is if you can somehow gain access to the void from a different area and use an over the counter bug bomb and put it up in there. That will kill them, but finding a way to get the bomb in could be hazardous. Another alternative is to call an exterminator, they'll get it done for less money than if you run around buying all sorts of weird stuff and spend days fighting the darn things. Good luck.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Plug the holr there goinging into at night,The ones in the ground put gas in and light but you should find the hole there going into and at night spray some of that stuff that shoots 20' in the hole it should take care of them.

 

[Black69]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Brake cleaner seems to clean them out also. Used it many times when working on an old car and happened to find a nest under the hood or inside the doors.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

I usually get rid of them by taking out some ground beef laced with rat poison.They carry small pieces of it to the nest and feed it to the entire nest including the queen.No matter where the nest is, the poison gets there.

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

for ground wasps the easiest way I have found is to wait until winter - a long time I know...then on a cold cold night just go out and dig up the nest..it is right under the surface all you have to do is expose the nest and they will all be dead the next day..<br /><br />the cold makes the bees very very sluggish - they wont even be able fly.<br /><br />As far as the eave is concerned - I would make sure they have no entrance into the house and then spray the nest and run like heck...

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

All good suggestions, thanks. The ground nest is gone and not a single sting . The nest in the eave is proving to be a worthy adversary but I'm not finished with them yet. I crawled up into the attic and couldn't see them. Must be right at the eave under the insulation or something. I have aluminum vented eaves and am not able to lift or remove them easily so access is difficult. I like the idea of the laced ground beef. Let the wasps themselves be the master of their own destruction

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Originally posted by RodC:<br /> .... I like the idea of the laced ground beef. Let the wasps themselves be the master of their own destruction

Just make sure you put it somewhere that pets can't get at it. Maybe you could put it not only in a hard to reach place (for anything that doesn't fly, that is), but also in some kind of container that would easily allow wasps in but keep animals out (perhaps a beer or soda can with some medium sized holes drilled in it)?

 

[eeboater]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Ugh I feel your pain RodC... I have a wasps nest about size of a large watermelon hanging out on a branch that is ~3/4 inch in diameter. The nest is about 25-30 feet up in a tree. Sucker is HUGE and I am puzzled as to what to do with it. I don't want it to fall when my dog is outside or when I'm mowing the lawn beneath it. I may break down and pay to have it removed. It seems to be my only choice.<br /><br />Sean

 

[txswinner]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

burn the house!!

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Reminds me of the vonage commercial (cable phone) where people do stupid things....guy has a ladder trying to swat down a nest, other guy is waiting down below with open trash can with lid to catch said nest. <br /><br />guy on ladder knocks down nest, then he too falls into trash can....

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

"Just make sure you put it somewhere that pets can't get at it"<br /><br />Absolutely. Good point. Safety first.<br /><br />"I have a wasps nest about size of a large watermelon hanging out on a branch that is ~3/4 inch in diameter. The nest is about 25-30 feet up in a tree"<br /><br />Wait till dark (dark dark) and blast it with a power washer then run like he!! <br /><br />"burn the house!! "<br /><br />The thought has crossed my mind Recently heard of some guy about 40 miles from here that decided to 'smoke out' a wasp nest in the attic. His house is now a pile of ashes but the wasps are gone . Luckily nobody was hurt.

 

[rayjay]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

I got nailed by 15+ a couple of weeks ago out of a ground nest. No fun. I was in such a hurry to get the heck out of Dodge that I left the weedwhacker there running. About 30 mins later I went out and zapped the nest with an aerosol wasp spray and then retrieved the ww. There was a yj still trying to sting the ww.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Those sprays work well.. just watch out for yourself... I was using some last year to get a nest around my house and the spray splashed back off what I was spraying (15 or so feet away) and got on my face. When I came inside, my girl freaked out because she didn't know what happened and only saw foam on my face - she thought I got stung and had a reaction. <br /><br /><br />That beef idea sounds good - I wonder how much they can bring up there before the problem is solved though? ... Enough to make it start to smell?<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[woodrat]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Non Toxic alternative to getting rid of the ground nests:<br /><br />If you just cover the entrance, they will dig out elsewhere. Instead, put a clear glass bowl upside down over the entrance and seal the edges good with dirt. (do this at night!) <br /><br />The yellow jackets will keep trying to fly out until they expire. A friend got rid of a big nest right next to his sheep paddock like this, it does work!

 

[Ron G]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

eeboat do you have wasp or a big hornet nest?size of watermellon sounds like hornets.<br />The meat idea sounds good ill have try that one day.<br />Whatever you do do it at night when there all in tne nest.

 

[eeboater]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

It must be hornets... It is quite a ways up and I can't really tell what it is. All I know is it is HUGE.<br /><br />Sean

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Troubles with yellowjacket wasp nests

Originally posted by eeboater:<br /> It must be hornets... It is quite a ways up and I can't really tell what it is. All I know is it is HUGE.<br /><br />Sean

Can you get a clear shot at it with one of those foaming wasp sprays? If so, how far to the nearest 'safe' shelter and how fast can you run? I'd probably wait till well after dark, fix a spotlight on the nest so I could see what was happening up there, and keep everything else as dark as possible. I'd light my path of retreat (don't need a broken leg out of the encounter), but with as little light as possible, preferably on the ground only.<br /><br />Then I'd spray the nest until I saw the first wasp/ hornet and hightail it out of there. Repeat the next night or wait a day or two & repeat until you've got the nest covered with the foam. I'd wear eye protection in case of falling wasp spray. Some might want to wear a protective hat, heavy coat & pants as extra security in case you don't run fast enough. <br /><br />Others might think I'm a nut, but to me it would almost seem like sport; enough risk to get the adrenaline going but, but also opportunity to control the risk by setting up conditions where I would be pretty sure I wouldn't get stung...