Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?  (Read 9491 times)

Offline Mklangelo

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 403
  • Gender: Male
Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« on: September 06, 2007, 07:38:59 am »
I discovered one next to my sister's shed.  Do they normally have just the one entrance?

<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/miniStates_both/language/www/US/WI/Milwaukee.gif" border=0
alt="Click for Milwaukee, Wisconsin Forecast" height=100 width=150>


If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.
  - Robert X. Cringely

Offline Scadsobees

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3198
  • Gender: Male
  • Best use of smileys in a post award.
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2007, 09:14:45 am »
I dont' know about the one entrance...but I think so.

At this time of year, you might just leave them be.  They are pretty much done raising brood for the year, and the workers are basically cut loose to do whatever they want before they die, that is why they are all over sweet stuff this time of year, nothing else to do but enjoy enjoy themselves.

Although if you want to get rid of those foragers....

They don't re-use nests (although cavities?) year to year so they probably won't be back there next year.

Rick
Rick

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2007, 09:31:03 pm »
One cup of gasoline down the hole.  NO MATCHES. Just let the fumes get them.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline TwT

  • Senior Forum
  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3396
  • Ted
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2007, 12:25:21 am »
after poring gas i would cover hole with a bucket or something also
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline Patrick

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 114
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2007, 02:55:43 pm »
I remember reading once that you take a clear glass bowl and put it over the hole with the edge of the bowl down in the dirt a few inches.  The hornets fly out of the hole and because the bowl is clear glass do not recognize the hole is blocked or anything is wrong with the entrance.  They then fly back into the hole with no food.  They keep doing this until they starve. The theory here is if you block the hole they will recognize that and make a new entrance; with the glass bowl they do not realize the hole is blocked and just keep flying in and out.  Never tried it.  Just read it.

Cheers.
Patrick

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2007, 12:55:30 am »
For ground hornets, you can place clear plastic over the area. I would use a minimum of 2 mil. Then fog or liquid treat the entrance. Treat before light, early morning or night. Pyrethrins work good for this.
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline Moonshae

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 988
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2007, 09:32:15 pm »
Michael, I'm amazed that you recommended pouring gasoline into the ground. Why not use 5 gallons of carefully poured soapy water? As long as it is poured carefully, it won't pollute the soil and will drown out the nest.
"The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer." - Egyptian Proverb, 2200 BC

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2007, 12:43:27 am »
Michael had stated that the fumes from the gas would have a fumigating effect. I would tend to agree but never tried it. If I did use gas I would more than likely light it. Most of the gas would probably evaporate but I'm not certain for sure.
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19805
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2007, 08:48:01 am »
Lighting it is a bad idea.  Seems like everyone I know who tried that got burned, and it doesn't work as well.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Scadsobees

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3198
  • Gender: Male
  • Best use of smileys in a post award.
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2007, 09:18:15 am »
Lighting gasoline in a hole...let's see...

Highly explosive fumes concentrated in a container (hole in ground).  If you light it, those suddendly hot, much larger gasses have only 2 places to go...back out the entrance, or through the roof.

Don't light it. :roll:

Rick
Rick

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2007, 10:38:48 am »
Lets see, you take a long stick which you get burning on one end to light the hole in the ground where the hornets are (you use a pole so you have distance from the possible combustion) and you light the nest on fire. Its not rocket science. You just use common sense and don't light yourself on fire. See the key is to light the hornets on fire and not yourself or friends or relatives, etc... Btw, I didn't suggest gasoline in the first place, but this would work.  :-D
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline rdy-b

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2286
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2007, 09:34:54 pm »
I get calls from people that dont want pesticide on there property period- cant go polluting the boxwood hedge with gas. so I use a shop vac there have been times when i have encountered some very large nest they can be as big as the shop vac believe it or not :-D RDY-B

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2007, 01:09:48 am »
I discovered a hornet's nest in the ground on the back end of our property in Mississippi. I was working right next to them and they could care less. The cold weather (if we get any this yr, uck!) will more than likely do them in. We had three days last yr that I know of that were 21, and 27 two different days, that should take care of them.
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2007, 10:56:49 pm »
Lighting it is a bad idea.  Seems like everyone I know who tried that got burned, and it doesn't work as well.

Gasoline is the best way to kill bees and wasps.

To burn gasoline fume is a bad idea. You do not know, where that fume is and it may get it's place under your rear.

Offline ImLovinAllBees

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 7
  • Gender: Male
  • Bees are amazing
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2007, 09:19:34 pm »
I dont know that this is "the best way" to deal with subterranean hornets, but it worked well for me!

My wife and I had a very aggressive and mean nest in our back yard.  So, I decided to try something a little different.  I gathered up some of our compost (mostly potato skins) and covered the entrance in a small pile.  That night a raccoon, opossum, or some other animal had completely dug up the soil and most of the way down the hole.  The hornets never came back.

True Story!
Honey is delicious

Offline acepestdetective

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 40
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #15 on: October 30, 2007, 04:32:02 pm »
 Wasps will never re-use a nest but just to make you aware hornets have been known to depending upon how well they can survive over the winter.

 The easiest (and possibly the least polluting) way to kill off the nest is place a few tablespoons of ant treatment powder in and around the entrance. Unless you're feeling brave i would do this at night when they're tucked up in bed tho.

 Rob.

Offline JP

  • The Swarm King
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 11709
  • Gender: Male
  • I like doing cut-outs, but I love catching swarms!
    • JPthebeeman.com
Re: Best way to deal with subterrainian hornet nest?
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2007, 09:42:33 pm »
There are botanical pesticides that leave no residual. They can be used for fogging purposes such as wasp and hornet's nests. This has to be done when the insects are asleep. Always wear proper protection, JP.
My Youtube page is titled JPthebeeman with hundreds of educational & entertaining videos.

My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

 

anything