Any advice on getting the yellowjackets out of my backyard?

[Sluggo]

Last year we had a couple of medium sized (baseball sized) yellowjacket nests in our backyard. I didn't notice them until late in the year and we had a live and let live policy last year since they never bothered us.

Early this spring i knocked the nests down and figured they would go live somewhere else this Summer.

Well, they are back, starting the nests in the same place as last year. We came home a week or so ago and one of our dogs looked like a Shar-Pei all swollen because she probably got stung and is presumably allergic.

Any ideas for making them leave permanently. I assume its a good time since the nests aren't as large, so maybe its still just a queen inside?

 

[irishScott]

http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_w_h_k.asp
http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_d_y_t.asp

Or comparable products.

 

[olds]

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

not much to do other than hit them with the foam sprays. Do this in the evening or early morning, after they have all returned to the nest (wasps can't fly very well below 50 degrees, so assuming it's getting cool at night, they will be in the nest)

 

[Colt45]

soak the nest in diesel, or get the raid stuff...

 

[BoomerD]

Nuke them from space...it's the ONLY way.

Which type of "yellow jacket" are we talking about?

There are several species that are called yellow jacket.

We have wasps here that are nasty, aggressive sumbitches...and LOOK like yellow jackets, but technically aren't. These bastages build paper nests everywhere...under roof tiles, under overhangs, inside the bottom cabinet of my BBQ...inside pipes...and do NOT take kindly to being disturbed.

If what you have are "ground-dwelling" terrorists, then pouring some gasoline into the nest is usually a pretty easy way to kill them. (no fire needed, the fumes do the work)

Paper wasps can be killed with the long-range sprays, but unfortunately, there's no way to prevent them from coming back. (a new colony/nest) There's no kind of residual spray that will kill new infestations.

BTW, for the dog...benadryl is a safe way to treat bee/insect stings.

http://www.vetpets.net/animaltimes/humandrugs.html

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl&#174 – Dogs and cats can be given 1-2 mg/lb every eight hours. This can be used to treat allergic reactions, and it also has some anti-anxiety and anti-vertigo effects. As a general rule, it is pretty safe stuff. The primary side effect is drowsiness, so please do not allow your pet to drink alcohol or operate heavy machinery while taking it.

 

[lxskllr]

They aren't yellow jackets. Yellow jackets live underground. It's probably paper wasps you're talking about, or maybe hornets?

 

[Colt45]

I should mention, do the nest soaking at night.

 

[duragezic]

I hate all those fuckers. There's been wasps as well as bees on my balcony during the day. I've not seen any nest around. One nice thing about winter is being able to go out there to smoke without those fuckers around. Today this big mammajamma was bashing against the sliding door quite loudly.

 

[Sluggo]

They aren't yellow jackets. Yellow jackets live underground. It's probably paper wasps you're talking about, or maybe hornets?

Maybe hornets, but I had always thought hornets had the cone shaped nests.

The nests look like wasp nests, but the residents appear to have the yellow bands, of course I haven't inspected them too closely, just what i can see from them flying around. most of the wasps I have seen around here in all my years have been much more all black, not much yellow.

They are generally non-aggressive. I think the dog got stung from eating one. Occasionally the dogs will catch one while its on the patio, but this is the first time eiyher of the dogs has been stung.

 

[danzigrules]

bounce dryer sheets placed in strategic locations will run them off.

 

[Sluggo]

BTW, for the dog...benadryl is a safe way to treat bee/insect stings.

http://www.vetpets.net/animaltimes/humandrugs.html

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl&#174 – Dogs and cats can be given 1-2 mg/lb every eight hours. This can be used to treat allergic reactions, and it also has some anti-anxiety and anti-vertigo effects. As a general rule, it is pretty safe stuff. The primary side effect is drowsiness, so please do not allow your pet to drink alcohol or operate heavy machinery while taking it.

My wife called our vet's 24 hour number, and that's what they suggested. I guess it worked OK, it was still almost 24 hours before all the swelling went down. The dog did sleep like a baby though.

 

[wischeez]

http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/yellowjackets.htm

 

[ahenkel]

Propane brush torch. Kill with fire.

 

[Kreon]

If what you have are "ground-dwelling" terrorists, then pouring some gasoline into the nest is usually a pretty easy way to kill them. (no fire needed, the fumes do the work)

Best method for any ground dwelling wasp/bee/etc. I usually like to have a nice rock to put on top of the hole (I find a flat patio tile works well), and a quick getaway.

If they're in the eaves or something, I suggest using the foam sprays. Do it at night after the temperature has dropped below ~50. Most wasps find it harder to fly. I also suggest you have someone with a hose farther behind you, to spray you down if they get out of the nest and attack you.

If this is a recurring problem, you may also want to think about reducing things that attract them to your yard. Keeping trash covered is a really good method, or eliminating other food sources. iirc, true yellow jackets eat other bugs, so keeping the bug population around your house low may be a good idea

 

[Demo24]

Just go to a store and buy bee killer for whichever ones you have. They aren't yellow jackets because they live under ground so you'd find them if you accidentally stepped on one. Then wait until nearly dark because the bees go into the nest and are unlikely to swarm, spray the nest good, see what happens in the morning. Repeat if necessary.

edit: these things spray like 20ft, so you'll have enough time to make a get away if they do start coming out.

 

[Jeff7]

Call in NuclearNed. They'll flee in terror.



If you've got underground nests, there's an easy solution: Place a reasonably heavy clear glass bowl upside-down over the entrance. (Heavy enough to ensure a decent seal with the ground.)
The hornets will see sunlight through the glass, and thus it doesn't register to them "Warning: Nest blockage, begin digging."
So they'll just crowd underneath the bowl, trying to fly out, but none of them attempt to dig a new nest entrance. Result: A dead nest.

 

[dougp]

No need to buy anything if you have a fertilizer spreader attachment for your graden hose. Fill it up with dish soap, and then spray it onto the nest - as someone said, it's best to wait until dusk when they start to settle in for the night. Your results may vary, but mine went like this:

Before:

After:

 

[Leros]

An explosion is the only solution.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2243176

 

[KaOTiK]

I use carburetor spray. Just wait till night time when they are all in the nest and spread it good. Easy, effective, and cheap method. It has never failed me.

 

[Jeff7]

An explosion is the only solution.
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2243176

Sucks that he killed honeybees though, their populations are in pretty serious trouble, from what I've read.
Or at least, they're in trouble as far as having adequate numbers to pollinate our crops.


We should probably commission some Japanese scientists and engineers to build us some sort of tentacled pollinator robots.

 

[guyver01]

Call Billy the Exterminator.

 

[Rubycon]

So it's so cold the bees are wearing yellow jackets, eh? :twisted:

Do you have pictures of the nests? Sounds like bald faced hornets.

http://www.vespa-crabro.de/baldfaced-hornet/baldfaced.htm

EDIT: Professional removal is recommended if these are a nuisance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKSA-s6-pDQ

I would expect ATOT to take action more like this, however!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yVouNUGekc&NR=1

 

[irishScott]

So it's so cold the bees are wearing yellow jackets, eh? :twisted:

Do you have pictures of the nests? Sounds like bald faced hornets.

http://www.vespa-crabro.de/baldfaced-hornet/baldfaced.htm

EDIT: Professional removal is recommended if these are a nuisance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKSA-s6-pDQ

I would expect ATOT to take action more like this, however!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yVouNUGekc&NR=1

Nah, a true ATOTer would place a pool under the nest, then throw an alternator sized chunk of dead insects laced with ambien.

 

[Sluggo]

Best pic I could get, these are 25 feet up on an eve, finally an excuse to use a 300mm lens.

You can see the spot next to the new nest, that's where the nest was last year.

An explosion is the only solution.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2243176

I always thought about that thread when I saw the wasps or whatever they are last year. Thanks for finding it.