Hi everyone - need some advice... While I was in the beeyard this weekend, I noticed some yellow jacket activity about 10 yards from the hive. The jackets were not bothering the bees, but I'm concerned they will bother me as the area they were in is my route to the beeyard. Despite looking, I could not locate the jacket nest area, but there were enough of them flying low in one area to be suspicious. Obviously, if I'm suited up, it's less of a deal, but I also garden in this area without my "armor".
Being this close to my hives, does anyone know how to get rid of the jackets without harming my bees?
I know that when the yellow jackets are bad in the late summer, they will really get the bees mad when you are working them. This spring, I put up a few of the jacket traps from Home Depot. There are a few handfuls in there now. Gas them if you can find their hole.
You aren't supposed to pour gasoline out on the ground, so I would never tell you to pour a cup full of it down the hole and walk away, even tho the fumes would kill every YJ in the nest, including the queen.
Remember, I didn't recommend doing it that way. :-D :-D :-D
i know how you can find them. take your bush hog out and start mowing. just make sure you have your running shoes on! :evil:
whatever you do, do it at night or very early in the AM.....and be prepared to run.
Too bad you can't direct a skunk there, they like digging up and eating yellow jackets more than they like bees!! :-D
JC
personally i burn them out whenever yellowjackets encroach upon my house, shed, etc. just wait till dark when they are all in the nest
if you find a ground nest wait till they bed down and place a large glass container over it.
That takes too long, and it assumes that the hole is on flat ground. The one I took out last week was on a slope in the woods under a large limb. I have another nest on the side of the bank in the creek. I am waiting to get the backhoe in there on that one.
Nobody mentioned the flame-thrower... But as I'm a backyard beek, will try the traps from Home Depot first. Thanks!
I usually just turn the garden hose on full force, fill up the yellow jacket hole and then leave it on at a trickle for half an hour or so and they're always gone.
But just flooding them out does not kill them, just makes the nest move, right?
Certainly kills their brood. . .I suppose if the queen survives she moves, but I've never known them relocate anywhere on my property, so I don't know if they died or moved to tell the truth.
I don't believe your bee suit will help much. Every year while mowing oil well locations at work I have run ins with yellow jackets and they sting through heavy clothing easily. Last year I got 7 stings in one encounter. I felt the first sting and started running but fell. They started the battle but I won the war. I always carry wasp and hornet spray which can be sprayed at the nest from a safe distance.