Getting rid of Yellow Jackets?

[SmokeyJoe]

I've gathered so far that I should kill them after dark on a cool night (I'm thinking Sunday as the low is supposed to be 46 degrees) but I'm not sure what method to go with.

The majority of articles/posts I've read say to either pour 10+ ounces of gasoline into the hole and cover it up. The idea is that the gas fumes are heavier than air and it suffocates the hive.

I have used this method on two occasions (two different yards) with great success... hope it works well for you!

[xxwaldoxx]

Originally Posted by txdyna65

All good methods, but what we do is take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it 3/4 full with warm to hot water and add a couple of cups of liquid soap to it (dawn, palmolive). Pour it down the hole, end of story.

Just curious though, are you sure the nest is in the ground? All the yellow jackets around here build nests on the underside of eaves of houses and such places. I use the spray for that, it has long range

Positive, I have looked at the hole in the ground and saw them flying in and out.

They haven't been aggressive so far, but after reading all the stories while doing research I don't want to wait around and find out first hand just how aggressive and territorial they get as the weather gets cooler.

I think my best bet is going to be to take care of it on Sunday, we are supposed to get a low of 46, so they should be a little more docile than a night like tonight (low 70's right now.)

John, Thanks for pointing out the gas killing the plants. I have a bunch of Ivy on that side of the yard and it would look petty bad if a big patch of it died for the house warming party.

Thanks for the help!

[TideRoll]

I've heard the hot water and mild detergent solution can be very effective without the possible problems associated with gasoline or insecticides. Very Mother Earth News-ish, if the magazine is even still published.

Of course, nothing quite gives the visceral and wonderfully vindictive thrill of gassing the little bastar@rds. Almost as much fun as dripping flaming plastic milk jugs on an upturned ant hill. Then there was the ether starter fluid experiment that didn't work out, the blasting cap episode, and the unwise use of a magnifying glass... Ah, childhood was such a wonderful, unrestrained time; it was a wonder I got out of it alive, with full vision and normal sensation in all ten fingers.

[RGD]

Originally Posted by txdyna65

Just curious though, are you sure the nest is in the ground? All the yellow jackets around here build nests on the underside of eaves of houses and such places. I use the spray for that, it has long range

On the east coast here we have a ton of ground nesting yellow jackets. In my current business - at least a few times a year my guys get attacked. Up through the PA area - yellow jacket traps are real popular. Empty plastic bottle, little bit of PVC and some sugar water and home made ones are easy.

Ron

[wharfrathoss]

guess it depends if ya wanna have fun or not-i've had good luck w/sprays & heard some of the other methods work well-guess gas bombs are out from what ya said, but are you familiar w/a shaped charge?-basically a pipe bomb w/one end designed to give b4 the other-black powder & matchheads work well for filler, green fireworks fuse-you can use either metal pipe w/one metal cap & one pvc cap or pvc pipe w/one pvc cap & the other end wrapped in duct tape-use a long fuse, jam the end designed to give 1st in the ground-one end blowing b4 the other sends the flash/minor explosion in that direction

or you can be boring if ya want i guess

[rusty pittis]

dumping ammonia down the hole will work too...no wait thats for groundhogs

[txdyna65]

Originally Posted by RGD

On the east coast here we have a ton of ground nesting yellow jackets. In my current business - at least a few times a year my guys get attacked. Up through the PA area - yellow jacket traps are real popular. Empty plastic bottle, little bit of PVC and some sugar water and home made ones are easy.

Ron

I hear ya Ron. I did some reading after I read the thread and learned something. I wasnt aware they nest in the ground. They dont do that down here. Ive killed tons of them this year on my back deck. They like building nests on the underside of the roof.

[Fumioso]

Originally Posted by rusty pittis

dumping ammonia down the hole will work too...no wait thats for groundhogs

Hollow point .22 LRs don't work on em either. Bees, no. Gophers, yes.

[Mad Hatter]

good grief. Just dump a gallon of gasoline on the nest area and walk away. Kills them deader than a hammer and after just a few mintues theres no danger of catching the gasoline on fire 'cause it all soaked into the ground and went down the holes into the nest.

I might as well join the fray here

Central Alabama, yellow jackets nest in the ground. I take an empty long neck beer bottle, fill it with gasoline, wait til evening, turn the bottle upside down into the hole, walk away. Remove the bottle the next morning. No need to burn the nest. They will be dead regardless, and why risk the fire for no reason.

If I'm dealing with above ground stingers, I haven't found anything that works better than Raid Wasp and Hornet spray. Kills on contact, and has a great spray distance.

Good luck!

[RGD]

Originally Posted by rusty pittis

dumping ammonia down the hole will work too...no wait thats for groundhogs

Actually the best method for groundhogs is to put broken glass in their holes . . . the problem is holding their little legs apart.



Sorry - old exterminators joke -




Ron

[Dzrtrat]

Originally Posted by RGD

Actually the best method for groundhogs is to put broken glass in their holes . . . the problem is holding their little legs apart.



Sorry - old exterminators joke -




Ron

You're a sick man.................a sick man.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

I might as well join the fray here... I take an empty long neck beer bottle, fill it with gasoline, wait til evening, turn the bottle upside down...

This is about killing bugs, Cliff - not what to serve a visitor from Georgia Tech who accidentally stumbles into Alabama. It was an easy mistake to make.

(Shouldn't this beer in "Food and Bev" Forum?)

[txdyna65]

Originally Posted by RGD

Actually the best method for groundhogs is to put broken glass in their holes . . . the problem is holding their little legs apart.



Sorry - old exterminators joke -




Ron

Originally Posted by Dzrtrat

You're a sick man.................a sick man.

yeah but ya gotta love him, sick and twisted but funny as hell

Originally Posted by Fumioso

Hollow point .22 LRs don't work on em either. Bees, no. Gophers, yes.

I once cut open a bald face nest with a shotgun so i could spray it.

Worked well.