Ground Wasps

MoonRiver · #1 08/26/14, 12:50 PM

I found, or maybe I should say it found me, a ground wasp nest last time I cut the grass. I didn't get stung, but hundreds of wasps took to the air when I ran over their hole.

Give me your opinion on my attack plan. The nest is on the back of my property and there is no shelter near it. I could get my SUV within 30' or so.

I'm thinking of filling a couple of balloons with kerosene and lobbing them at the hole. I think putting a pin prick in each balloon might be good in case they don't burst.

How far from the nest do I have to be to go unnoticed? When I walk near them, say about 10', they ignore me. When I ran over the nest, I stopped the lawn mower about 30' away and they didn't come after me. So if I get behind a tree about 10' from the nest and lob balloons, what's my chances of getting away stung free?

I know it is best to do at night, but I hate to have to run a hundred yards or so to get back to the house in the dark. They don't seem very active in the morning, so maybe a dawn attack would work.

bigjon · #2 08/26/14, 12:56 PM

cool nite just b4 dawn.i use charcoal lighter fluid in a suirt can.squirt in hole (a lot)match light and RUN

o&itw · #3 08/26/14, 01:27 PM

I am assumbing these are the little "yellow jacket" wasps/bees that are normally the problem. Go out at dawn (the earliest you can see OK) if you know where the hole is, you can simply walk right past it and dump about a half gallon of diesel, kerosene or gasolene into it as you walk by. You don't need to light it.

You want a wide mouth container, a # 10 restraunt can about half full will do fine.

Kerosene or diesel will do best, gas will do in a pinch.

Harry Chickpea · #4 08/26/14, 01:34 PM

Trap a skunk or armadillo and bring it to the hole. It'll have a feast.

You can also just place the top half of a 2 liter soda bottle over the hole and weight it to stay in place. The wasps will fly up into it and die from heat/dehydration/starving.

MoonRiver · #5 08/26/14, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

Trap a skunk or armadillo and bring it to the hole. It'll have a feast.

You can also just place the top half of a 2 liter soda bottle over the hole and weight it to stay in place. The wasps will fly up into it and die from heat/dehydration/starving.

I still like the idea of bombarding them with kerosene balloons.

Echoesechos · #6 08/26/14, 01:54 PM

You can buy the spray that would shoot that far easily. I'm fighting taking out a hornets nest right now. Cool night time temps helped me get the first assault done.

Not sure what your fire danger is like but it and fire might nit be a good combo.

MoonRiver · #7 08/26/14, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echoesechos

You can buy the spray that would shoot that far easily. I'm fighting taking out a hornets nest right now. Cool night time temps helped me get the first assault done.

Not sure what your fire danger is like but it and fire might nit be a good combo.

No Molotov cocktails. Just kerosene.

susieneddy · #8 08/26/14, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o&itw

I am assumbing these are the little "yellow jacket" wasps/bees that are normally the problem. Go out at dawn (the earliest you can see OK) if you know where the hole is, you can simply walk right past it and dump about a half gallon of diesel, kerosene or gasolene into it as you walk by. You don't need to light it.

I did light the gas since I wanted to make sure the 2nd entrance caught fire. They usually have 2 entrances

Echoesechos · #9 08/26/14, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoonRiver

No Molotov cocktails. Just kerosene.

Always was curious about them though. LOL

handymama · #10 08/26/14, 04:51 PM

We fixed one up at sunset the other nite. Squirted half a bottle of lighter fluid in hole. Wadded up paper towel and lit it. Sat beside hole and squirted a path to hole. None of the yellow jackets even made it out. All burned to death trying. After it burned out we filled in the hole with dirt, because I've had some come back after burning. I've done that to prolly ten over the years. Never seen but one that had s second entrance...

big rockpile · #11 08/26/14, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o&itw

I am assumbing these are the little "yellow jacket" wasps/bees that are normally the problem. Go out at dawn (the earliest you can see OK) if you know where the hole is, you can simply walk right past it and dump about a half gallon of diesel, kerosene or gasolene into it as you walk by. You don't need to light it.

You want a wide mouth container, a # 10 restraunt can about half full will do fine.

Kerosene or diesel will do best, gas will do in a pinch.

This is what I always did.

big rockpile

Smitty0560 · #12 08/26/14, 05:25 PM

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. I am at best, a redneck. These are not instructions, but only a method that I have had good luck with. Anything you choose to do is at your own risk.

Any who, I like using a nice full can of brake clean. One with a straw attached that shoots a good distance. (Wally-world house brand SuperTech is my go to). That and my propane torch unit. I'll simply light the torch and lock it to the continuous on position, approach hole and begin to douse hole with brake clean only for a very brief second. Then whilst spraying, place torch flame in line with stream. Voila, flammage.

Let the critics commence...

Smitty

littlebitfarm · #13 08/26/14, 05:30 PM

I just dump some Sevin on the hole. Not an instant kill but they carry it back into the nest with them and all die. Sorry, no explosions......

BlackFeather · #14 08/26/14, 06:48 PM

We had one right outside our house I poured boiling water down the hole, a couple of large pans worth, it steam cooked them. When I was young we had one across the driveway, we poured gas down and lit it an it didn't kill them, we did it several times and some how they survived. One night my father dug it up, wasp stings never bothered him.

seedspreader · #15 08/26/14, 07:16 PM

Absolute best thing to kill ground bees/wasp.

Takes very little and a single use. Squirt it in the hole at night, and guaranteed gone in the morning.

http://www.amazon.com/Spider-And-Gro...ide+ground+bee

Rick · #16 08/26/14, 07:30 PM

I planned all day Monday on using gasoline after the second bugger nailed me in my cheekbone. I was banging on fence staples 3 feet from the hole, and I guess I wasn't sending good vibes to the nest.

After reading this: http://hinessight.blogs.com/hinessig...g_yellow_.html

we marked the hole, sprayed half a can of spray in 30 minutes past dark, stamped the dirt in place and took off the hot, unneeded protective clothing.

They were helpless.

Now if my arm would stop itching!

ct01r · #17 08/26/14, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

I just dump some Sevin on the hole. Not an instant kill but they carry it back into the nest with them and all die. Sorry, no explosions......

Ditto. Any powder/granular bug killer will work. I used to use diazanon, but it's hard to find these days. No offense, but I wouldn't use any flammable liquids, brake fluid, etc. if you have well water; and I've seen to many field fires (and one garage fire) because the homeowners didn't think there'd be any concequences of lighting off flammable liquids. I'd use the proper insecticide, and let it work fo a few days. Apply well after dark, or in the early AM before the sun comes up. Curt

handymama · #18 08/27/14, 02:36 AM

So any molotov cocktails??

MoonRiver · #19 08/27/14, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handymama

So any molotov cocktails??

I did reconnaissance about 7 am this morning. They were starting to leave the nest, so looks like I need to be a little earlier.

handymama · #20 08/27/14, 07:09 AM

Don't they start coming out at dawn? Which is at like 5:30 am here in TN...