Yellowjackets are pretty stupid

[Scarpozzi]

SO...I was out on my ATV the weekend before last driving around on the beach by the lake. I've got a big picnic shelter near the docks that has an old tree stump on the corner. I drove the ATV by that and hopped off...started walking up the hill away from the lake when I felt this sharp burning pain on my left arm. I knew I got stung, but wasn't anywhere near the stump. I took my kids out a few minutes later for a ride and followed the same path when we returned....well, I got stung again on my right elbow and twice on my ankles through my socks. It was pretty obvious at that point where the nest was.

Had they left me alone, I wouldn't have poured $1 worth of gasoline into their nest and they would still be having lots of bee sex in their nest with their family members (not really sure how that works).

 

[sdifox]

I am not sure who is the dumb one. You got stung once, then you went back to the same spot so you can be stung again?

 

[Scarpozzi]

I am not sure who is the dumb one. You got stung once, then you went back to the same spot so you can be stung again?

I was 20 feet away from the nest when I got stung the first time. I couldn't figure out where they were and didn't see anything swarming. Trust me...my kids were around there, so I thought it was just an isolated sting. I wouldn't have gotten them near a nest and I'm certainly glad I got stung 4 times rather than them getting stung at all.

We mow out there every other week, so any nests usually are found pretty quickly, but I've not been stung in 15+ years. I forgot how much it hurts.

 

[sdifox]

I was 20 feet away from the nest when I got stung the first time. I couldn't figure out where they were and didn't see anything swarming. Trust me...my kids were around there, so I thought it was just an isolated sting. I wouldn't have gotten them near a nest and I'm certainly glad I got stung 4 times rather than them getting stung at all.

We mow out there every other week, so any nests usually are found pretty quickly, but I've not been stung in 15+ years. I forgot how much it hurts.

Take an antihistamine right away when you get stung.

And nepalm the nest.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Take an antihistamine right away when you get stung.

And nepalm the nest.

This happened Sunday before last and I didn't light the gasoline...would have been fun, but I poured a pint or so over there.... The vapors alone killed the nest off.

Yeah...I took a few antihistimines and took a nap. Those stings hurt for a solid 2 days afterwards. I only posted this because one of them that had the most venom is still healing and it reminded me of the event. The venom really killed all the flesh in that spot.

I still consider myself a winner this year. Not only did I kill off that yellowjacket nest, I took to the carpenter bees on my property with a tennis racket. Over the course of 2-3 days in April, I killed off about 100 of them in mating season behind my house. That should hopefully keep their numbers down next Fall when they start hatching. I don't mind honeybees and bumblebees.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Lol reminds me when there was a hornet (or wasp, or similar insect) nest somewhere under the stairs at camp. Me and my cousin were trying to find it so we can destroy it, as people often got stung going up those stairs. We had a general idea where it was but could not see it so we were just dive bombing buckets of sand and water in the opening in hopes we manage to destroy it, perhaps bad enough that they just leave.

Grandpa just laying back watching us and probably laughing. He shows up and shoves his arm under the stairs and starts feeling for the nest. "Oh wow this is a big one I can feel it" as he is literally wrapping his hand around the damn thing lol. Me and my cousin standing back thinking how crazy my grandpa is. The hornets start coming out and we both got stung and somehow my grandpa did not get stung. He eventually took a plastic bag and put the nest in it and brought it to the lake. He did that like nothing and never got stung.

As a side note going after a nest with an electrified racket would be kinda fun. Might want to up the current and voltage so they explode on contact and don't just jam the thing though.

 

[local]

The first sting was a declaration of war and no measure would be spared in their total annihilation.

 

[quikah]

Had they left me alone, I wouldn't have poured $1 worth of gasoline into their nest and they would still be having lots of bee sex in their nest with their family members (not really sure how that works).

Yellowjackets are wasps not bees.

 

[lxskllr]

There Are Wasps in the Yard. You’d Better Get to Know Them.

They buzz. They hover. Sometimes they sting. But how much do you really know about these insects that can menace our summers?

www.nytimes.com

 

[BoomerD]

The house next to me is the vacation house for a family from the Seattle area. They MIGHT visit 3-4 times a year. They currently have this on the front porch:

Not my property, so I won't nuke it...but I'd like to...

 

[Red Squirrel]

That will be a pleasant surprise when they show up lol.

 

[sdifox]

The house next to me is the vacation house for a family from the Seattle area. They MIGHT visit 3-4 times a year. They currently have this on the front porch:

Not my property, so I won't nuke it...but I'd like to...

Burn down the house but leave the nest. Explain you were trying to burn the wasp nest when the house bust into flames.

 

[BoomerD]

That will be a pleasant surprise when they show up lol.

I called and left a message...I need to discuss a couple other things with them anyway...we're both getting ready to fence our yards...I need some kind of timeline on their project so I don't have to pay the whole price for the piece between our lots. We're supposed to split that.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Yellowjackets are wasps not bees.
View attachment 26382

 

[Ajay]

Take an antihistamine right away when you get stung.

And nepalm the nest.

Yeah, I have to take Benadryl when I get stung, otherwise I get some serious swelling (plus the pain). Seriously hate all hornets - they sting you because you came 'near' their nest - motherfuckers!

 

[NuclearNed]

yellowjackets are the devil

 

[sdifox]

Yeah, I have to take Benadryl when I get stung, otherwise I get some serious swelling (plus the pain). Seriously hate all hornets - they sting you because you came 'near' their next - motherfuckers!

This has happened to me twice. I was already on antihistamine and I get stung.
Just felt the initial pain, not much swelling. Not sure if you would call it lucky or unlucky.

 

[BoomerD]

When I was a little kid...maybe 4 years old, I was playing with some friends in an old car on their farm. Somehow we disturbed a wasp nest..."red wasps?" I was stung around 400 times...nearly killed me. Doctors said I would most likely develop an allergy to bee stings as a result...and I did. Fortunately, I "grew out of it" somewhere in my 40's.

 

[Scarpozzi]

When I was a little kid...maybe 4 years old, I was playing with some friends in an old car on their farm. Somehow we disturbed a wasp nest..."red wasps?" I was stung around 400 times...nearly killed me. Doctors said I would most likely develop an allergy to bee stings as a result...and I did. Fortunately, I "grew out of it" somewhere in my 40's.

BTW....I just noticed your sig. No no no....you were voted "SEXIST" man of AT 2007.

 

[BoomerD]

BTW....I just noticed your sig. No no no....you were voted "SEXIST" man of AT 2007.

Sexist is a title I'll gladly claim...but...

*OFFICIAL* First Annual AT Sexiest Person Pageant. *CONFIRMED*

RESULTS So comes the inevitable, where we announce the winner and losers (actually, we'll just announce the winner). As with any elections, there were a lot of scandals and conspiracies, but we came through. The votes spoke for themselves and there will be no recount. Mrs. LolaWiz will...

forums.anandtech.com

 

[Scarpozzi]

Sexist is a title I'll gladly claim...but...

*OFFICIAL* First Annual AT Sexiest Person Pageant. *CONFIRMED*

RESULTS So comes the inevitable, where we announce the winner and losers (actually, we'll just announce the winner). As with any elections, there were a lot of scandals and conspiracies, but we came through. The votes spoke for themselves and there will be no recount. Mrs. LolaWiz will...

forums.anandtech.com

Don't try to ruin my joke with proof. I was proud of that.

 

[snoopy7548]

I read a tip on the best way to kill yellow jackets and wasps, and it works. Fill up a pump sprayer with water, add a few tablespoons of dish soap, shake it up, then go to town.

The dish soap coats their bodies and, since they breathe through their skin, instantly suffocates them. They just drop to the ground and die. No messing around with crappy spray cans or chemicals.

You can even wait until night and dowse the nest.

 

[stargazr]

Lol reminds me when there was a hornet (or wasp, or similar insect) nest somewhere under the stairs at camp. Me and my cousin were trying to find it so we can destroy it, as people often got stung going up those stairs. We had a general idea where it was but could not see it so we were just dive bombing buckets of sand and water in the opening in hopes we manage to destroy it, perhaps bad enough that they just leave.

Grandpa just laying back watching us and probably laughing. He shows up and shoves his arm under the stairs and starts feeling for the nest. "Oh wow this is a big one I can feel it" as he is literally wrapping his hand around the damn thing lol. Me and my cousin standing back thinking how crazy my grandpa is. The hornets start coming out and we both got stung and somehow my grandpa did not get stung. He eventually took a plastic bag and put the nest in it and brought it to the lake. He did that like nothing and never got stung.

As a side note going after a nest with an electrified racket would be kinda fun. Might want to up the current and voltage so they explode on contact and don't just jam the thing though.

Sometimes you should listen to the old timers. When I was a kid I was being chased by a bumblebee outside my grandfather's barn. He just goes about his business and says "if you don't bother them they won't bother you". Somehow it sunk in and I never had a problem since. Well, except the time I tried to set up a tent over a bee's nest in the ground.

 

[BoomerD]

I read a tip on the best way to kill yellow jackets and wasps, and it works. Fill up a pump sprayer with water, add a few tablespoons of dish soap, shake it up, then go to town.

The dish soap coats their bodies and, since they breathe through their skin, instantly suffocates them. They just drop to the ground and die. No messing around with crappy spray cans or chemicals.

You can even wait until night and dowse the nest.

Fuck that...

Wilmar - The Home Depot Pro Multifamily - Maintenance, Repair and Operation Supplies - Details

www.wilmar.com

 

[IronWing]

This happened Sunday before last and I didn't light the gasoline...would have been fun, but I poured a pint or so over there.... The vapors alone killed the nest off.

Yeah...I took a few antihistimines and took a nap. Those stings hurt for a solid 2 days afterwards. I only posted this because one of them that had the most venom is still healing and it reminded me of the event. The venom really killed all the flesh in that spot.

I still consider myself a winner this year. Not only did I kill off that yellowjacket nest, I took to the carpenter bees on my property with a tennis racket. Over the course of 2-3 days in April, I killed off about 100 of them in mating season behind my house. That should hopefully keep their numbers down next Fall when they start hatching. I don't mind honeybees and bumblebees.

You killed carpenter bees? What an asshole.