Help - bee or hornet problem

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OK - these might be bees or hornets or whatever…I don’t know…

They are nesting in the ground…about 1/2 to maybe 3/4 inch long. yellow and black and there are a TON of them. They’ve built a nest against my foundation next to my back steps and right this minute are pounding against my back like something out of a Hitchcock movie…

They seem to be somewhat aggressive. I went around the house from the front to the back to find out their location and - standing still - at least 12 feet from the hive entrance I got stung on the arm.

Anyone know what these are and how to get rid of them???

Thanks

James
 
Actually, it sounds like yellow jackets. They like to nest in the ground and are very aggressive. Do an internet search on ways to get rid of yellow jackets.
 
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JRKH said:
Anyone know what these are and how to get rid of them???
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The easiest solution would be to do any little kid’s dream… 😃

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OK… come to think of it, I don’t really know how to do it, but I hope you can get around that problem. I have apiphobia, so I may not be the best answerer to that question… I’d probably just stick to my suggestion of the flamethrower if I had that problem. :rolleyes:
 
JRKH said:
OK - these might be bees or hornets or whatever…I don’t know…

They are nesting in the ground…about 1/2 to maybe 3/4 inch long. yellow and black and there are a TON of them. They’ve built a nest against my foundation next to my back steps and right this minute are pounding against my back like something out of a Hitchcock movie…

They seem to be somewhat aggressive. I went around the house from the front to the back to find out their location and - standing still - at least 12 feet from the hive entrance I got stung on the arm.

Anyone know what these are and how to get rid of them???

Thanks

James
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We used to kill bees at the fire dept with our firefighting foam. Basically soapy water. The soap clogs their breathing and kills them really quick. I’m not sure if yellow jackets are the same but I imagine so.

Cover yourself head to toe with thick clothes. Duct tape ankles and wrists. Get a bee net or mosquito net that you wear over a hat. Then duct tape that around your neck but keep it baggy.

Get a hose attachment sprayer (like a weed and feed thing). Attach it to your hose after filling it with dish soap or some other high foam soap. Get the soap flowing away from the bees and then hit them hard and fast with the soap solution. Keep spraying them and they should die.

DISCLAIMER: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK-YOU COULD GET STUNG TO DEATH

Or call an exterminater
 
Those sound like yellow jackets. Also, wouldn’t it be best when you do approach them to make it at night?
 
ClearWater said:
Those sound like yellow jackets. Also, wouldn’t it be best when you do approach them to make it at night?
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Excellent idea. They don’t fly when it is too dark for them to see. I have used this method for above-ground hornet nests (in a tree).

However, if they live underground, you would have to apply something (insecticide, or foam?) that will kill them when they surface the next day. I’m not sure how that would work.
 
You really should just call a pest control company to take care of it if there are a lot of them. I encountered a yellow jacket nest when I was a kid and it was pretty bad. There can be a lot more of them than you see flying around and they can kill.
 
Rete said:
You really should just call a pest control company to take care of it if there are a lot of them. I encountered a yellow jacket nest when I was a kid and it was pretty bad. There can be a lot more of them than you see flying around and they can kill.
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Undoubtedly a good idea.

All the same, I will say that nothing kills them faster than gasoline. Not insecticide. Not anything. Hit a nest with it and they won’t even fly off the nest. They die right there.

Don’t light it, of course.
 
Just yesterday, I bought Raid Wasp and Hornet Spray to kill some wasps which had built a nest in my storage building. I stood back about 6 feet, pushed the button, and killed 'em all with a 1-second spray.

I realize you said yours are in the ground, so it may not work for you. You could call the Raid company to see if it will work.

However, my cousin was killed a few weeks ago when she had an allergic reaction to a wasp sting, so be very careful!!!
 
We’ve been having issues with paper wasps. Go to a regular discount store or home improvement store and get a canister of wasp/hornet spray. These things can spray from up to 25 feet away. Stand upwind when you spray, and be prepared to run. It will instantly kills the eggs, larvae, and most adults that try to escape. You’ll need to run like the dickens to get away from the few individuals that make it away.

The poison stays in the best and will kill any others that return to the nest later. Go back the next day to spray it again from afar just in case. Most products say you can remove/dig up the nest after 24 hours from the first spray, but we do a second just in case. When you remove the best, try to put it in a sealed grocery bag in an outdoor trash can to encapsulate the eggs. You shouldn’t have a problem in that spot, but be sure to check the rest of your yard.
 
First, for wasps, hornets, and bees just go buy the spray killer that Raid makes. Wear a mask.

But they will likely come back. The best way to prevent them from nesting anywhere near your home is orange oil. VERY effective. Mix with water about 3:1 ratio. Then spray a few times a year everywhere you don’t want them

CAUTION: Orange oil sounds safe but is very nasty. Wear a mask (especially if you have asthma) and gloves. It’ll cause a chemical burn on your skin. Keep off any clothes you care about. It’s safe around dogs and cats since they will avoid those areas like the plague till it dries. And don’t spray directly onto flowers you’d like to keep.

All sounds like common sense but people hear orange oil and think natural. Which it is. But it’s nasty till it dries. So spray in the evening and by morning it’s perfectly safe. Once dry, it won’t hurt you at all.
 
Raid. I blow through about 2 cans a year but your situation sounds pretty nasty.
 
Well - I went out last night and spayed most of a can of Hornet and Wasp killer down the hole and along the foundation wall on either side - so we’ll see.
I’ll pick up another can when I’m out today…Just in case.

When locating the hive yesterday, I got stung once about midway between my shoulder and elbow - this morning my elbow is slightly swollen, stiff and sore. :mad:
Strange because normally I don’t have any problem with stings.

Oh - well…🤷

Peace
James
 
Joints located close to a sting/bite commonly swell. It’s nothing to worry about unless it gets worse over the next 24 hours, or you feel like you’re having trouble breathing.

Now go find the orange oil and keep them away. If you have a hobby lobby close by, that’s where I get mine.

And yes, I’m man enough to admit I shop at hobby lobby! 😃
 
pira114 said:
Joints located close to a sting/bite commonly swell. It’s nothing to worry about unless it gets worse over the next 24 hours, or you feel like you’re having trouble breathing.

Now go find the orange oil and keep them away. If you have a hobby lobby close by, that’s where I get mine.

And yes, I’m man enough to admit I shop at hobby lobby! 😃
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Hobby Lobby…A good Catholic run place
 
pira114 said:
Joints located close to a sting/bite commonly swell. It’s nothing to worry about unless it gets worse over the next 24 hours, or you feel like you’re having trouble breathing.
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No trouble breathing…
The swelling in the arm did seem to get a bit worse during the day yesterday and then go down some overnight so I think it will be OK.
I just never had this much of a reaction before. Kinda caught me off guard.
Now go find the orange oil and keep them away. If you have a hobby lobby close by, that’s where I get mine.
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I’ll look into that.
And yes, I’m man enough to admit I shop at hobby lobby! 😃
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No problem. So do I.

Peace
James
 
pira114 said:
…Now go find the orange oil and keep them away. …
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I’ve never heard that orange oil keeps away hornets and bees. :confused: Once I used lemon oil on a wooden swing and a wooden wind chime-- and it attracted bees to those objects like I’d never seen before!

We found hornets recently. If the area had been hard to reach, we would have called a professional but it was easy to get to. I bought two different kinds of spray. My husband sprayed them one night with one can, and again the next night with the other just to be sure. They haven’t been back.
 
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