Bald Faced Hornets

[BlueBee]

What are beeks favorite ways for killing off basketball sized nests of bald faced hornets that don't involve guns or fire? 

I was out mowing this weekend and got stung about a half dozen times after mowing too close to a bush.  Turns out there was a big basketball sized hornet's nest in the bush. 

So I did a search on here and watched some Youtube videos and decided I would try spraying some foam into the nest entrance after dark.  Boy were those buggers buzzing in there after I filled the bottom entrance with foam.  However my first attempt was not totally successful.  Gravity seemed to be working against me.  The foam eventually fell out of the bottom without getting to the hornets at the top of the nest.  So I'm thinking of poking a hole in the top of the nest and pumping foam in from the top to finish the job.  Good idea, bad idea, is there a better way?  At least I didn't get stung while spraying the nest with foam.     

[Steel Tiger]

 A few years ago, my dogs found a football sized nest in a bush. Luckily it was drizzling and most of the hornets where home. I emptied an entire can of raid on them. I completely soaked the nest.
I checked the next morning and there was no signs of life.
I know some people will blast the nest with a hose while dripping dish soap into the stream of water.

Nasty, nasty insects.

[tefer2]

Heavy duty garbage bag with gas soaked shop rag in the bottom.
Enclose nest with bag, pull down, tie off and throw away.
Must be done when dark to get everybody.
The fumes work fairly quick, never look inside to see what happened.

[Intheswamp]

I was out mowing this weekend and got stung about a half dozen times after mowing too close to a bush.  Turns out there was a big basketball sized hornet's nest in the bush. 

As much "Bush" bashing as you've done you should've known better than to get too close to one.   :evil:

[ch.cool]

Torch and hornet spray. Did it twice this year, pretty easy. Don't forget your bee jacket.

[biggraham610]

I like a large garbage bag after dark. Tie it up and shake it good before you give it to your Mother in law.....G....... :pinkelephant:

[BeeMaster2]

I was out mowing this weekend and got stung about a half dozen times after mowing too close to a bush.  Turns out there was a big basketball sized hornet's nest in the bush. 

As much "Bush" bashing as you've done you should've known better than to get too close to one.   :evil:

:lau:

[BlueBee]

Well, I beat that Bush and the hornets.  X:X

At night, I filled the nest up with the hornet spray from your typical hardware store; the foamy stuff.  So the next morning I go out to check on the hornets and something (wild animal?) had gotten into the nest and ate the brood and it seems most of the hornets too.  Now I'm wondering if I ended up poisoning some animal from the insecticide in the foam?  Anybody know how toxic the residue from that foam really is?  Maybe the foam kills primary by plugging up the insects breathing holes, I don't know? 

[BeeMaster2]

Well, I beat that Bush and the hornets.  X:X

At night, I filled the nest up with the hornet spray from your typical hardware store; the foamy stuff.  So the next morning I go out to check on the hornets and something (wild animal?) had gotten into the nest and ate the brood and it seems most of the hornets too.  Now I'm wondering if I ended up poisoning some animal from the insecticide in the foam?  Anybody know how toxic the residue from that foam really is?  Maybe the foam kills primary by plugging up the insects breathing holes, I don't know? 

What is the name of the foamy spray that you used? I have only used the watery type that shoots 12 feet.
I took out 12 paper wasp nests out of my new barn 2 weeks ago in order to work on closing in a workshop area. Still ended up finding another one right next where I was working this past weekend.
Jim

[Intheswamp]

Symptoms of Poisoning with Pyrethroid Compounds
- Irritation of skin and eyes.
- Irritability to sound or touch, abnormal facial sensation, sensation of prickling, tingling or creeping on skin, numbness.
- Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, fatigue.
- In severe cases: fluid in the lungs and muscle twitching may develop. Seizures may occur and are more common with more toxic cyano-pyrethroids

N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide
EPA lists as possible carcinogen

[jayj200]

so if your pron in your area to getting wasps hornets and yellow jackets bait them away from the bee yard.
their happy your happy tomorrow

that gas idea could be dangerous

[BlueBee]

I think I have a queen yellow jacket in a kitchen cabinet trying to over winter!  Saw her motionless on the wood the other day.

Now that the leaves are off the trees, I'm seeing a lot of large yellow jacket nests this year.  Around here, the yellow jackets usually nest in the trees; at least in my experience.  Maybe our mild weather has been good for the yellow jackets too?

[jayj200]

after a cold spell put one on your desk

haha

[GSF]

Blue, around here they nest in the ground or a cavity. Mostly hornets in the trees. Your ground subsurface may not get warm enough for an insect. I don't know, just guessing.

[BlueBee]

I've only ever found 2 yellow jacket nests underground and they weren't very large.  It happens, but most seem to be in the trees here.  Obviously bald faced hornets also make a lot of nests in the trees.  It might be related to the soil temps as you suggest. 

[biggraham610]

Dont yellow jackets cast multiple queens to lay eggs in the fall and start over every year? I thought I read that somewhere. Here, yellow jackets are always in the ground, and dying rapidly as we had a hard frost last night. G

[BeeMaster2]

I've only ever found 2 yellow jacket nests underground and they weren't very large.  It happens, but most seem to be in the trees here.  Obviously bald faced hornets also make a lot of nests in the trees.  It might be related to the soil temps as you suggest. 

Blue,
Around here, I never find them above ground. We find them the hard way.  :(
About 30 years ago I did read in a news paper article of a huge yellowjacket nest that was in an abandoned house that was almost the size of a couch. City brought in exterminators to get rid of it.

Jim

[GSF]

Jim, A few years ago just south of Wetumpka a friend of mine made the front page. He had some old buildings with some old cars in them.
He pulled the tarp off of a 1950 ford ? (big bubble looking passenger compartment). The entire passenger compartment was a yellow jacket nest. We had had three or so warm winters in a row and they never died off.

[BeeMaster2]

Jim, A few years ago just south of Wetumpka a friend of mine made the front page. He had some old buildings with some old cars in them.
He pulled the tarp off of a 1950 ford ? (big bubble looking passenger compartment). The entire passenger compartment was a yellow jacket nest. We had had three or so warm winters in a row and they never died off.

Gary,
That is the same thing that happened here. They just never froze completely.
Jim

[Eric Bosworth]

Note that this probably isn't a good idea in dry climates or if they are attached to a building but in a tree my solution is to soak them with raid and then while it is still wet light them on fire. Not recommended if they are attached to your house or if you live where wild fires are a concern.