Hi!

We have a wasp/yellowjacket hive in the ground next to our deck. Not sure
which category the bugs fall into wasp or yellowjacket or what. They are
really aggressive and consider our deck as getting too close to the hive.
After two years of not being able to use the deck, I think its time to get
rid of them.

I hate to use insecticides, but feel that's the only choice I've got.

Which pesticide, and how do I do treat the nest? We are zone 5
(Massachusetts) and the ground is currently still frozen.

If I do this treatment, how long should I wait before planting edibles in
that area (I've coveted the spot for a kitchen herb garden).

Thanks!

--
Adelle
[please remove the obvious to respond]

In article ,
says...
We have a wasp/yellowjacket hive in the ground next to our deck. Not sure
which category the bugs fall into wasp or yellowjacket or what. They are
really aggressive and consider our deck as getting too close to the hive.
After two years of not being able to use the deck, I think its time to get
rid of them.


Probably need to wait and make sure they are even there before you do
anything. Unless you are in an area that does not freeze, yellow jackets
nests will die out each year. An area that was attractive to one queen
to set up a nest can be attractive to another queen the next year and
will nest near the same area, but I haven't seen that too often. At the
first hint of Spring like weather you might put out some YJ traps baited
with frozen apple juice concentrate...they will be looking for Sugar
with they first become active and you might be able to reduce the number
of queens that may be a bother later in the Summer. If you find a
ground nest, you can reduce the numbers with screen and making a "minnow
trap" apparatus. Make three, as one fills up, replace it with an empty
one, the nest will die out.
--
Lar

Oh, if only Noah would of been a bit more wise,
he surely would of swatted those two flies.

to email....get rid of the BUGS

"Adelle" wrote in
:

Hi!

We have a wasp/yellowjacket hive in the ground next to our
deck. Not sure which category the bugs fall into wasp
or yellowjacket or what. They are really aggressive and
consider our deck as getting too close to the hive. After
two years of not being able to use the deck, I think its
time to get rid of them.

they'd be yellowjackets, but they don't winter over. if
you've had a nest there for 2 years, it's just because it's a
great place to nest.


I hate to use insecticides, but feel that's the only choice
I've got.

why? boiling water works. a skunk works even better, &
they're a whole lot cuter than an insecticide can
(seriously, we have a bachelor skunk that lives under our barn
& eats catfood with the barn cats. he's been there for 5 years
& we have never had a spray incident. he eats 5-7 ground wasp
nests every year, actually he probably eats even more but
those would be ones i've found)

Which pesticide, and how do I do treat the nest? We are
zone 5 (Massachusetts) and the ground is currently still
frozen.

as soon as the ground thaws, go dig up last years nest. it's
dead.
keep the area cultivated & the wasps won't return (or you'll
be able to destroy the nests before they get a foothold).
lee
--
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
1984-George Orwell

Adelle wrote:
Hi!

We have a wasp/yellowjacket hive in the ground next to our deck. Not sure
which category the bugs fall into wasp or yellowjacket or what. They are
really aggressive and consider our deck as getting too close to the hive.
After two years of not being able to use the deck, I think its time to get
rid of them.

I hate to use insecticides, but feel that's the only choice I've got.

Which pesticide, and how do I do treat the nest? We are zone 5
(Massachusetts) and the ground is currently still frozen.

If I do this treatment, how long should I wait before planting edibles in
that area (I've coveted the spot for a kitchen herb garden).

Thanks!

There was a similar thread last year, and many folks offered up some
nice solutions. One was to take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it about 4" with
very dry sand. Put a sheet of cardboard on top, then flip it over,
centered on the nest, and slide the cardboard out. Supposedly the bees
come up the ground hole, climb up thru the dry sand, only to find
themselves trapped in the bucket & unable to climb back down thru the
sand. On a hot sunny day, it gets too warm in the bucket they die.

Another, along the same lines but more interesting to watch, is to
simply place a very large clear glass bowl over the hole. Basically the
same result happens, only you can actually see if it is working.

Both methods should be done when the bees are nice & active, probably
several months from now in your area.

Thank you all.

The ground traps sound interesting.

The opening to the nest is up against the foundation, and the skirting to
the bulkhead door is too close to let a bucket cover the entire opening.

I'll talk to my husband about digging it up. I can handle surface
cultivation, but not deep digging.

We are in an area with lots of skunks, but while they waddle around the
yard, they don't come right up to the house. Maybe it's the scent of our dog
(or our late cats') that cause the skunks to keep their distance.

Adelle

"newsreader" wrote in message
...
Adelle wrote:
Hi!

We have a wasp/yellowjacket hive in the ground next to our deck. Not sure
which category the bugs fall into wasp or yellowjacket or what. They
are really aggressive and consider our deck as getting too close to the
hive. After two years of not being able to use the deck, I think its time
to get rid of them.

I hate to use insecticides, but feel that's the only choice I've got.

Which pesticide, and how do I do treat the nest? We are zone 5
(Massachusetts) and the ground is currently still frozen.

If I do this treatment, how long should I wait before planting edibles in
that area (I've coveted the spot for a kitchen herb garden).

Thanks!

There was a similar thread last year, and many folks offered up some nice
solutions. One was to take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it about 4" with very
dry sand. Put a sheet of cardboard on top, then flip it over, centered on
the nest, and slide the cardboard out. Supposedly the bees come up the
ground hole, climb up thru the dry sand, only to find themselves trapped
in the bucket & unable to climb back down thru the sand. On a hot sunny
day, it gets too warm in the bucket they die.

Another, along the same lines but more interesting to watch, is to simply
place a very large clear glass bowl over the hole. Basically the same
result happens, only you can actually see if it is working.

Both methods should be done when the bees are nice & active, probably
several months from now in your area.