Yellow Jackets

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I would get the exterminator and let them worry about all that and get rid of them...I be too afraid to even try to get rid of them...clancey
 
Had a nest in the woodshed last year. It was protected by the palette floor which made it impossible to reach. I left is alone until cooler weather when I could lift the palette out more safely. That one was dispatched at night, with me wearing a bee suit which I still have from my beekeeping days.
 
Had a nest in the woodshed last year. It was protected by the palette floor which made it impossible to reach. I left is alone until cooler weather when I could lift the palette out more safely. That one was dispatched at night, with me wearing a bee suit which I still have from my beekeeping days.

We (me and my dad) used to dispatch of yellow jackets when we (he) was called to remove a "bees nest" in double wall homes in the old country. He is a beekeeper too.
Honey that has not been mixed (as in stores) is so much better. And one (me) takes much more nuisance from bees (and bumble bees) than yellow jackets...
 
Unlike some wasps and hornets, bees are pretty passive. I'm around lots of bumble and honey bees daily in the garden. They are welcome and never have bothered me, even when we are inches apart.
 
91% Isopropyl alcohol works great. Kills them pretty much instantly on contact. Wait until dusk/dark and pour into the hole. If the tunnel runs horizontal more than a few inches you'll need to use more, or if the spot is in a safe area, you could light it carefully without as much alcohol. Just use a lighter at arms reach and make sure your container is closed. You could end up with spurt of flame whooshing from the hole depending on air mix in the hole and or nest cavity. Alcohol fires can burn invisibly in daylight and can still be hard to see in the dark depending on the circumstances. Make sure flames are extinguished before leaving.
I will be dousing a nest I found earlier today this evening.
 
Unlike some wasps and hornets, bees are pretty passive. I'm around lots of bumble and honey bees daily in the garden. They are welcome and never have bothered me, even when we are inches apart.

Unless it's a thunderstormy day or they swarm (and have been out for a while, so their bellies are not full anymore) and you're close enough to the path they fly from their hives.
Anyway, I am getting a bit beyond the topic here.
 
But some in the neighborhood might. This is not better living through chemistry. I like the old screen door idea if they can not get out. What would happen if it was just left there for a week or two? And I like the dish soap solution if you just want to be done with it.


They will find/dig a new way out. A few times a year we go to a house where somebody keeps plugging the hole. We end up asking which was the original hole, because that's where the nest is.
 
Unless it's a thunderstormy day or they swarm (and have been out for a while, so their bellies are not full anymore) and you're close enough to the path they fly from their hives.
Anyway, I am getting a bit beyond the topic here.
I have been in the middle of swarms and collected a few. They are amazingly docile at that time.
 
I have been in the middle of swarms and collected a few. They are amazingly docile at that time.

Only if they are fresh; they eat themselves full before they leave (another reason to prevent swarming...). But if you discover a swarm hanging that is 2-3 days old they are cranky, dive bombing your suit. (Carnival bees are more docile but still start stinging then.)
 
Last night I killed this colony with 91% rubbing alcohol. Four to eight ounces, then ignited as it appeared nest was too deep. Too bad it was close to where people walk or I would have left it. They kill flies and other nuisance insects.
 

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They are fine now. But become super aggressive once the 1st frost kills the flowers and they start to starve.
 
Well, today the bee suit arrived. At 9 PM, I went out (the lady took some pictures to make fun of me with the family abroad) and squeezed a full bottle of dish soap into the entrance of the nest. Followed with about 5 gallons of hot water.
I will check tomorrow morning if there is any activity.
 
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Was working on an old building and foundation last night. I moved a pc of siding, and dozens of flys started coming out. I thought it was curious why there would be flys, there, behind a wall and near the foundation, and so many. Hmm. Then I noticed they were yellow. The hmm part was over in a split second, stung only once, got the heck out of there. Their entrance is right next to the main entrance, and wonder why they haven't been a bother up to this point. The wall can wait till fall when they die off. But the entrance part is used daily. Will need to either watch to see this fall if they get ornery, or make them go away. I do have a bee suit - maybe I could just march back in there and get the job done. Should probably do it early before it gets to hot and humid. All suited up, sweat, makes any stings "sting" way more, like putting salt on a wound.
 
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had to deal with German hornets behind the siding on house last year- oh what fun.
 
Well, today the bee suit arrived. At 9 PM, I went out (the lady took some pictures to make fun of me with the family abroad) and squeezed a full bottle of dish soap into the entrance of the nest. Followed with about 5 gallons of hot water.
I will check tomorrow morning if there is any activity.
Well done. Any activity today?
 
Good deal. I hope that's the end of the story.
 
This year is going to be a tough year for yellow jackets and wasps. It's rained almost every day this month so far. Nobody has been outside mowing lawns, trimming bushes, and working on their houses to spot the nests. Those nests have been growing the whole time unnoticed and are getting pretty good sized by now. Tgeyre volleyball sized here. I expect a lot of surprises this weekend. I've had a tech assigned to just ants during the rain and now she's transitioning over to wasps. I bet ill be hitting the overflow pretty soon. It just dawned on me that I gave my bee suit to another tech this year. I'll have to get another one before I get surprised, lol.
 
One of the little bastards was just in my drink. And stung my lip