DE to kill bees?

[SJSFarm]

I found a wasp nest under a piece of wood my kids had used last year playing in an area of my property. The nest was still active, but only a few wasps were there. I sprinkled DE because its what I had.

Will they pick up enough of the powder when flying into and out of the nest to kill them the same way it does other insects?

I know if I spray it when there is a lot of bees, I'm gunna get attacked. That not how I'm planning to use it. I have some type of bee that lives in the ground by my pine trees. I found the hole and is like to sprinkle it down there as well.

By the way, I'm using the generic term bee, there are NO honey bees. I'd never take them out. These are wasps and hornets I'm scared of.

Thanks everyone!

[bryncalyn]

We had a swarm of ground bees in our flower garden a year or two ago. We just avoided them and they went away within a month or so.

My dad always sprayed wd40 on wasp nests. Whatever you do make sure to do it at night or from a distance.

[Pony]

Best time to destroy the nest is at dusk/night. I don't know if DE will be effective on them. We found out (quite by accident) that brake parts cleaner will destroy a nest, if you don't have an issue with using it.

91% isopropyl alcohol would also work, but it doesn't come in a nifty spray can.

[oregon woodsmok]

Buy a can of hornet spray. Wait until night and stand way back and soak the entrance with the horner spray.

Diatomaceous earth kills bugs with a hard exoskeleton. I very much doubt that it will affect hornets.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by oregon woodsmok

Buy a can of hornet spray. Wait until night and stand way back and soak the entrance with the horner spray.

Diatomaceous earth kills bugs with a hard exoskeleton. I very much doubt that it will affect hornets.

Huh. I thought it killed soft-bodies bugs, but can kill hard-bodied bugs if it gets between the exoskeletal plates...

[xymenah]

Hot soapy water will kill them quickly, cheaply and without too many chemicals.