underground yellow jackets don't want to die

[EatenByLimestone]

I've worked with boron hydride. Nasty stuff (high vapor pressure, decomposes, and absorption thru the skin if I remember correctly).

The shop vac without filter and with water in the can I know but it won't kill the queens. And I don't have a bee suit to sit next to it, and that'll be an issue for returning ones.

Bee suits are like $40 last time I bought one. They’re worth their weight in gold! If you have lots of nests, it’s not a bad purchase!

 

[sneefy]

I always have to aggressively drown the nest. Use a hose with a jet nozzle, flood it and cut away the earth above it to follow the hive pockets.

Then do it again later same day or the next day. Then again. Kill stragglers with spray and hang traps.

 

[blades]

Diesel works well, don't have to light off. Other wise if you can get your hands on it nicotine powder mixed with water sprayed into entrance or arsenic same application. foaming sprays do not work well in ground nests, windex works if you can spray enough ( ammonia is active ingredient ) in the hole to really soak it down, carb and break cleaner work but evaporates quickly. i always have diesel around so that is my go to for ground nests of insects. Hanging nests in tree get pepperd with a pellet gun until it is pretty shot up. Birds take care of the rest. ( besides its fun to try and pick off the ones climbing around the outside - they have no idea where the air assault is coming from.)

 

[stoveliker]

Thanks all. I'm not going to put diesel, arsenic etc. down in my own soil. (I know sprays are also chemicals, but at least they've been approved for use, so I hope their effect on the cleanliness of my property won't be that severe.)

I have done the pellet gun thing before in a tree. Not nearly as fun when the nest is in the ground

 

[blades]

Pellet gun dosen't work for ground nests, rototiller does though, bit tuff on the hide . ( yep found one putting garden in. Ouch.....)

 

[brenndatomu]

Wonder if an M80 down the hole would affect them? If it didn't kill em it would sure whiz em off!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Long Island is very sandy. It’s tough to flood really fast draining ground!

 

[Pinesmoke]

Pellet gun dosen't work for ground nests, rototiller does though, bit tuff on the hide . ( yep found one putting garden in. Ouch.....)

Been there done that.

 

[begreen]

Wonder if an M80 down the hole would affect them? If it didn't kill em it would sure whiz em off!

As a teenager, I once sought revenge on some ground dwelling yellow jackets that had stung me. Their hole was at the bottom of a depression, a natural funnel. On a cool day, I poured some gasoline down the hole. As if that was not stupid enough, I then ignited it with a rag on a long stick. The earth literally rose several inches with a mighty whoomph! It was enough to knock me back on my butt. I was surprised the neighbors didn't come out to see what happened. Never did that again. I'm lucky I survived some of the dumb stuff I did as a teen.

 

[brenndatomu]

. I'm lucky I survived some of the dumb stuff I did as a teen.

I'd say many of us that are closer to the end than the beginning can say the same!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Another fun wasp story related to fire. I was called for a nest in one of those chimney less wall vented fireplaces. I was treating it with an aerosol fogger. Want to guess how I found out the fireplace had a pilot light? lol.

Life’s full of exciting learning experiences! Without a couple lessons every once in a while, you’ll never figure out what not to do

 

[stoveliker]

As a teenager, I once sought revenge on some ground dwelling yellow jackets that had stung me. Their hole was at the bottom of a depression, a natural funnel. On a cool day, I poured some gasoline down the hole. And as if that was not stupid enough, I then ignited it with a rag on a long stick. The earth literally rose several inches with a might whoomph! It was enough to knock me back on my butt. I was surprised the neighbors didn't come out to see what happened. Never did that again. I'm lucky I survived some of the dumb stuff I did as a teen.

I've seen this happen where some of the yellow jackets survived and got to the culprit that was a bit shaken from the soil that blew in his face....