Yellow Jackets in siding... help?
 

Hello all,

I've got a colony of Yellow Jackets residing in the siding of my house
right next to my front door (nice, huh?). All of the sprays I've found
are expecting to be sprayed at an exposed hive, soaking it and killing
the residents. The only one I found to sound at all promising
(supposedly "foamed" to stay in contact longer) failed to do much more
than run down the house really fast. I really don't want to spend $200
- $300 to have someone come out and kill the little nasties, but
reading the labels in the pest control aisle of Lowes is about the
depth of my knowledge on the subject. Anyone have any suggestions?

- John

John, I had them go into a hole under my front storm door once. When ever
we went in or out and the door closed we tkook a change of pushing them into
the house. I soaked a piece of cloth in gasoline and stuffed it into the
hole. The funes got those that were inside and kept those outside from
getting in. You might try it and then after a few days, remove the cloth.

Or you might tape something over the entrance for a few days until they give
up. You can remove it later.

Dwayne

"John" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

I've got a colony of Yellow Jackets residing in the siding of my house
right next to my front door (nice, huh?). All of the sprays I've found
are expecting to be sprayed at an exposed hive, soaking it and killing
the residents. The only one I found to sound at all promising
(supposedly "foamed" to stay in contact longer) failed to do much more
than run down the house really fast. I really don't want to spend $200
- $300 to have someone come out and kill the little nasties, but
reading the labels in the pest control aisle of Lowes is about the
depth of my knowledge on the subject. Anyone have any suggestions?

- John

I have the same problem. The one thing that worries be is that where
there's a hive, there should be honey. Even If I kill the bees, I need
to remove the hive, or have a huge ant problem later.

So should I spray, wait, and then pull off the siding to get to the
hive?

Had the same problem last year...

I researched it and it sounded to me that nothing short of ripping the
siding off (wearing protective gear, of course) and treating the hive
would work. Wasp/Hornet sprays are not effective on yellow jackets -
they just make them angry.

I *did* find that the indoor foggers are toxic to yellow jackets. So,
with nothing to lose but $5 on a pack of indoor foggers and perhaps an
additional sting or two, I tried the following:

- I took an 8' piece of dowel (2x4 would have worked nicely as well)
and used duct tape to affix one of the foggers to the end,
strategically angling the outlet so the spray would shoot up under the
siding

- I practiced leaning this contraption against the siding - well away
from the bees - to see if I could do it quickly and if the fogger
would stay in the right position

- I waited until dusk. All my research said that dusk was best
because the majority of the bees would be in the hive.

- I opened the fogger, leaned the contraption against the house, and
ran like hell

The next day, there were *hundreds* of dead yellow jackets on the
ground below the siding. I repeated my treatment once more the
following evening, just to be sure.

Result - no more yellow jackets.

Try at your own risk obviously - I am not a professional exterminator,
and indoor foggers were never meant to be used in this fashion. If you
do try it, make sure the fogger list "yellow jackets" in the pest it
can exterminate.

-Mike


On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 02:46:54 GMT, John wrote:

Hello all,

I've got a colony of Yellow Jackets residing in the siding of my house
right next to my front door (nice, huh?). All of the sprays I've found
are expecting to be sprayed at an exposed hive, soaking it and killing
the residents. The only one I found to sound at all promising
(supposedly "foamed" to stay in contact longer) failed to do much more
than run down the house really fast. I really don't want to spend $200
- $300 to have someone come out and kill the little nasties, but
reading the labels in the pest control aisle of Lowes is about the
depth of my knowledge on the subject. Anyone have any suggestions?

- John

Michael Russell wrote:
Wasp/Hornet sprays are not effective on yellow jackets -
they just make them angry.

My experience is that the wasp/hornet sprays *are* effective against
yellowjackets. I've "nuked" several nests this way, the most recent
being within the past month.

Daniel B. Martin

I don't believe that yellow jackets make honey but a certain
someone can tell us all with certainty.
Raleighgirl
"meexie" wrote in message
oups.com...
| I have the same problem. The one thing that worries be is that
where
| there's a hive, there should be honey. Even If I kill the bees,
I need
| to remove the hive, or have a huge ant problem later.
|
| So should I spray, wait, and then pull off the siding to get to
the
| hive?
|

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:13:10 GMT, "Daniel B. Martin"
wrote:

Michael Russell wrote:
Wasp/Hornet sprays are not effective on yellow jackets -
they just make them angry.

My experience is that the wasp/hornet sprays *are* effective against
yellowjackets. I've "nuked" several nests this way, the most recent
being within the past month.

Daniel B. Martin

Slightly off topic, but I had some yellow jackets in their usual
place... in the ground. I discovered it by getting stung while mowing
my lawn. I kept procrastinating on spraying them at dusk, and after
about a week (I could see them coming and going every day), my dog
decided to go pee on the yellow jacket hole. I was yelling at him to
"COME HERE", afraid he would be stung, but he kept peeing away. His
feet must have been placed far enough from the hole to not get them
going after him, and after depositing about a gallon of liquid, it
must have all run into the hole. I haven't seen a yellow jacket
since.
Well, if you have a very tall male dog, maybe this isn't off topic.
Kira

On 2005-08-26, Kira Dirlik !! wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:13:10 GMT, "Daniel B. Martin"
wrote:

Michael Russell wrote:
Wasp/Hornet sprays are not effective on yellow jackets -
they just make them angry.

My experience is that the wasp/hornet sprays *are* effective against
yellowjackets. I've "nuked" several nests this way, the most recent
being within the past month.

Daniel B. Martin

Slightly off topic, but I had some yellow jackets in their usual
place... in the ground. I discovered it by getting stung while mowing
my lawn. I kept procrastinating on spraying them at dusk, and after
about a week (I could see them coming and going every day), my dog
decided to go pee on the yellow jacket hole. I was yelling at him to
"COME HERE", afraid he would be stung, but he kept peeing away. His
feet must have been placed far enough from the hole to not get them
going after him, and after depositing about a gallon of liquid, it
must have all run into the hole. I haven't seen a yellow jacket
since.
Well, if you have a very tall male dog, maybe this isn't off topic.
Kira

To the person thinking they had bees, you need to observe and find out
if they are bees or yellowjackets. Most likely they are yellow jackets.
To both of you, you need to locate the access hole. That is where the
spray has to go. Wait until night fall - I mean dark not dusk. They
don't fly much at night. Have someone hold a flashlight - and have a
clear exit in case some do take flight.

I agree with Dan the hornet spray takes them down pretty fast. because
it is a stream you should be able to aim carefully and shoot the stream
into the access hole. Make sure there is on ly one hole there may be
another if the siding is warped. When you spray come at it from all
angles to get as much coverage inside as possible.

Instead of hornet spray you may find the gallon of ortho home pest
control roach and ant spray will work. THe new containers now have a
pump built into the handle. You pull it firmly back and adjust the
nozzle to stream and it will spray a stream for 5-10 seconds.

Now if they have gotten behind the insulation you may also have to stick
a small stick or wire in the hole to push it back and that will allow
you to get more in. The stick or wire should be thin but ridgid since
you still need room to get the stream of insecticide in also.

There is danger of getting stung but the odds are lessened at night. If
you have reactions then it might be better to pay someone.

I had some in a wall many years ago and I may have even used some WD40
since you can put that little spray tube on it. I can't remember
exactly what I used. They were near a wall outlet and when I removed
the cover to it I could see them and I think I blasted them from the
inside also. That is the othere danger is that they find a way inside
the house.

I don't think the house bombs someone suggested will do much in the
walls.

Plug up the hole once you have sprayed. Good luck and be careful.

Try these suggestions at your own risk - so if you have any doubts call
a professional as it may be cheaper in the long run.

Oh, and if it is bees, you probably would not have ants from the honey
since the insecticide would get the ants.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

Just saw this on another news group, you might consider giving
it a try.

http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Depa...wjacket50.html

Regards, Daniel


--
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| |
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On 2005-08-27, Daniel Barton wrote:
Just saw this on another news group, you might consider giving
it a try.

http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Depa...wjacket50.html

Regards, Daniel


Now that is clever. I wonder if you could rig up a very small fan to
create down draft if you would get more or less? The down draft would
increase the odds of them hitting the soapy water, but it might also
keep them away from the fish.

Or possibley make it a vacuum. I have seen that used with a buglight of
the kind used in the bug zappers. The bugs fly to the light and get
sucked in the water and become fish food.

But just by it self this seems like it would work just as the author
said.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

I had learned of a less toxic method, although applying it to house siding
would be a challenge.

You cover the jacket nest entry hole (yes, at night as previously mentioned)
with a glass bowl. The jackets can't escape, but as they see daylight, they
can't figure out to dig a new entry hole. They eventually starve to death.
This worked for me for a ground nest. Normally I'd just let them do their
thing while I do mine, but we each had a serious claim on the same patch of
ground.

-Todd


wrote in message
. ..
On 2005-08-27, Daniel Barton wrote:
Just saw this on another news group, you might consider giving
it a try.

http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Depa...wjacket50.html

Regards, Daniel


Now that is clever. I wonder if you could rig up a very small fan to
create down draft if you would get more or less? The down draft would
increase the odds of them hitting the soapy water, but it might also
keep them away from the fish.

Or possibley make it a vacuum. I have seen that used with a buglight of
the kind used in the bug zappers. The bugs fly to the light and get
sucked in the water and become fish food.

But just by it self this seems like it would work just as the author
said.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 16:40:38 GMT, wrote:
Or possibly make it a vacuum.

What about just using a vacuum? Late at night, armed with a shop-vac
quarter-filled with soapy water, nozzle firmly placed (duct-taped)
over the (only?) entrance. Flip the switch and suck the little buggers
right out of the siding! Sound feasible? I've got all the parts... no
raw fish and no waiting...

- John

On 2005-08-28, Mister Sensitive wrote:
I had learned of a less toxic method, although applying it to house siding
would be a challenge.

You cover the jacket nest entry hole (yes, at night as previously mentioned)
with a glass bowl. The jackets can't escape, but as they see daylight, they
can't figure out to dig a new entry hole. They eventually starve to death.
This worked for me for a ground nest. Normally I'd just let them do their
thing while I do mine, but we each had a serious claim on the same patch of
ground.


My only concern with that in the siding is if you close their exit then
they may find another exit that leads in your house, or attic or
crawlspace. If I close the exit I want something in there that will
make them die quicker than starvation.

One thought for relatively non toxic would be a carbon dioxide blast
from a small fire extinguisher to freeze them to death. Well I just
googled and a small co2 extinguisher costs over $100. So much for that
idea.
-Todd


wrote in message
. ..
On 2005-08-27, Daniel Barton wrote:
Just saw this on another news group, you might consider giving
it a try.

http://alaskaoutdoorjournal.com/Depa...wjacket50.html

Regards, Daniel


Now that is clever. I wonder if you could rig up a very small fan to
create down draft if you would get more or less? The down draft would
increase the odds of them hitting the soapy water, but it might also
keep them away from the fish.

Or possibley make it a vacuum. I have seen that used with a buglight of
the kind used in the bug zappers. The bugs fly to the light and get
sucked in the water and become fish food.

But just by it self this seems like it would work just as the author
said.


--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.




--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

On 2005-08-29, John wrote:
On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 16:40:38 GMT, wrote:
Or possibly make it a vacuum.

What about just using a vacuum? Late at night, armed with a shop-vac
quarter-filled with soapy water, nozzle firmly placed (duct-taped)
over the (only?) entrance. Flip the switch and suck the little buggers
right out of the siding! Sound feasible? I've got all the parts... no
raw fish and no waiting...

- John

Interesting. Don't know if it is practical to do, but worth a try. I
know there is a guy in the mid west that catches Praire dogs with a real
big vacuum and they land in a foam lined container because he wants them
alive.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

Yellowjackets have bright, shiny yellow with black stripes, slim,
with no 'fur'. Honeybees have fatter bodies, duller stripes, are
rather fat and fuzzy looking, and are getting extremely rare around
here.
Yellowjackets are related to wasps and hornets. Their nests are paper,
often underground, and there is no honey. Also, they don't have
barbed stingers, so they can sting over and over, unlike honeybees
which sting once, and leave their barbed stinger along with their
innards behind ....

We killed a huge nest of 'em in our yard a year or two ago, as I
reported on this list. Went out at night with a flashlight and large
glass bowl, sprayed the entrance hole for a good 5 seconds with a
heavy-duty hornet killer, and covered it with the bowl. Next day there
were hundreds of dead yellowjackets around the entrance, including one
or two queens. No survivors. A few nights later, some critter (possum
or coon) dug up the nest, perhaps looking for larvae to eat... I could
not believe how huge the nest was, with big slabs of paper
constructions and thousands of chambers containing dead larvae. The
whole thing has since sunk in, creating a depression in the lawn that
I'll have to fill in one of these days...

If you manage to kill off your nest, I expect the ants will carry away
the remains eventually.

Sue
Sue

On 26 Aug 2005 07:58:37 -0700, "meexie" wrote:

I have the same problem. The one thing that worries be is that where
there's a hive, there should be honey. Even If I kill the bees, I need
to remove the hive, or have a huge ant problem later.

So should I spray, wait, and then pull off the siding to get to the
hive?