Yellow Jackets!!

Xtensity · Jun 15, 2011

Digging yesterday we uncovered about 3 yellow jacket nest from only 7 holes.

How do we combat these little sluts? They're underground and we can't do anything about them until we hit them with the shovel and 30 fly out and sting us.

My friend got stung like 20 times within 3 minutes. :X.

Any tips? I don't see anyway to avoid them

slackx · Jun 15, 2011

Bee-suit and fogger

FlaDankster · Jun 15, 2011

Notice slackx said "bee suit" first.

I believe but not positive that Home depot an lowes carrys some type of fogging unit and cartridges for bees,wasps,hornets and such.

97 octane an a match maybe???jk

nickman · Jun 15, 2011

i hate those yellow jackets...

once when i was around 12 years old , me and some friends were digging and the same thing happened...
i got stung in both my eye's...
ever since then i cant staind them...

:-( · Jun 15, 2011

They can't fly if they're wet. If you can keep a bucket of water handy and douse the hole as soon as you see them.

trichrider · Jun 15, 2011

most effective and immediate kill method i've found to date is a 4$ can of starting fluid.
kills on contact...if you switch the sprayer off the top of can with a wide dispersal type like an oven cleaner or similar it literally knocks them out of air...
good growin'.

Xtensity · Jun 15, 2011

How much do these bee foggers cost?

And what I'm paranoid about is whatever chemical I spray contaminating the ground that I will be planting in. It's already late in the season and as soon as we dig the holes we're putting in our own soil and planting so that chemical will be in the dirt.

trichrider · Jun 15, 2011

oh...i thought you were worried about the stinging! sorry. :dunno:

TLoft13 · Jun 15, 2011

How about looking at what you're digging and being happy about the deterrence for your plants? Normally the things don't sting as long as you keep your cool. At least in my country.

AGBeer · Jun 15, 2011

Rule # 1 from what I have been reading is STAY CALM!!! Freaking the fuck out is one of the fastest ways to get stung because they can pick up on those pheremones(sp) that you are producing as well as the ones left on you by the attackers.

Try to identify their nests by the holes in the ground (entrance and exit holes) and if you plan to tackle them, do it later in the evening when they are winding down.

My best advise is to attempt to locate their source before you dig so you dont get a nasty unwanted surprise.

Good luck!

FlaDankster · Jun 16, 2011

AGBeer said:
Rule # 1 from what I have been reading is STAY CALM!!! Freaking the fuck out is one of the fastest ways to get stung because they can pick up on those pheremones(sp) that you are producing as well as the ones left on you by the attackers.

Lol....this makes me think of Jackass 3......hornets nest tether ball i think it was.

Just like you said.Stevo stayed pretty chill and didn't get lit up so bad,Dave England was a different story.Funny shit.

Captain Ginyu · Jun 16, 2011

Hold back on to that spray & shovel , wait a sec! Any way you can work around them? What I mean is turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Think about it...Yellow jackets are predators, and a nest nearby virtually guarantees you will not have a caterpillar, or beetle problem. Also, they are a human deterrent as well. No curious, pain-in-the-ass, lurkers in their right mind are going to knock around in some bushes with those buggers flying around! Years ago, I planted very close to a nest, and nothing ate my leaves, or ripped my plants, so it works.

Yellow jackets can be the perfect guardian/deterrent. Use it to your advantage!

strawbrrygirl · Jun 16, 2011

I think Yellow Jackets wiil react to things like vibration so they are not the best garden pet! But if you can tip toe too your spot and be veryvery quiet(in the voice of ElmerFudd) they will be a great deturent! I have ran into evreything but bees while growin! Bees scare me more than any other other animals besides humans!! Tell us how your situation goes down X! Good Luck!!

redneck shogun · Jun 16, 2011

Perhaps not acting aggressive and flailing around does work because I came in contact with some this morning in the garden and I calmly walked away for a few minutes and when I came back I didn't even see them anymore and I didn't get stung.

Xtensity · Jun 16, 2011

trichrider said:
oh...i thought you were worried about the stinging! sorry.

I am, I do not want to get stung when planting xD.

TLoft13 said:
How about looking at what you're digging and being happy about the deterrence for your plants? Normally the things don't sting as long as you keep your cool. At least in my country.

I know they do not sting unless you provoke them. My friend got stung because he was chopping up sticks with a small hatchet so we could pin our cages to the ground.. and the axe peirced their nest. My other friend got stung when he accidentally struck the shovel into their nest.

I personally did not get stung at all. I was crouching down tending the plant to the soil, while my friends are running out of the forest. I was calm and I didn't worry about them. I fear nothing because I meditate so much and because of that I have a high pain tolerance.... but I also think I am immune to yellow jacket stings because the times I have been stung it never hurt, and I did leave the forest with a bunch of small swollen areas on my body.. but i think that's from being poked by sharp bryers.

AGBeer said:
Rule # 1 from what I have been reading is STAY CALM!!! Freaking the fuck out is one of the fastest ways to get stung because they can pick up on those pheremones(sp) that you are producing as well as the ones left on you by the attackers.

Try to identify their nests by the holes in the ground (entrance and exit holes) and if you plan to tackle them, do it later in the evening when they are winding down.

My best advise is to attempt to locate their source before you dig so you dont get a nasty unwanted surprise.

Good luck!

I don't necessarily want to kill them, because in a short area we uncovered several nest, so if there are a lot around, and they fight off pest, I'm fine as long as they don't fuck with me. Honestly Id rather just have some sort of mist to relax them so they are just calmed and wont sting.

Captain Ginyu said:
Hold back on to that spray & shovel , wait a sec! Any way you can work around them? What I mean is turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Think about it...Yellow jackets are predators, and a nest nearby virtually guarantees you will not have a caterpillar, or beetle problem. Also, they are a human deterrent as well. No curious, pain-in-the-ass, lurkers in their right mind are going to knock around in some bushes with those buggers flying around! Years ago, I planted very close to a nest, and nothing ate my leaves, or ripped my plants, so it works.

Yellow jackets can be the perfect guardian/deterrent. Use it to your advantage!

I love that they're deterrents, it's a great benefit. I hope there is a lot around. Pain is just a sensation, so if I get stung I get stung. I've had worse, like grasping my hand on one of those trees with spikes all up and down it... Haha yeah, it's like getting stung 30 times on my hand instantly and having it swell for 3 days.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I don't nessisarily want to kill them, I just want to calm them.

nickman · Jun 16, 2011

damb bees

Amber Trich · Jun 16, 2011

I was going to say bee smoker... but then I read that might just make the yellow jackets, which are wasps, angry...

BUT-- wasps cant really fly when temps are below 50degrees... So dig on a cold day or really early or late when its coolest.

The Revolution · Jun 16, 2011

BURN EM! A little Gas and Flame should take care of em..

Sam the Caveman · Jun 16, 2011

I would also suggest staying calm and once you find them, just turn around and leave.

If you get scared and start flailing around and running, they will chase you, all of them.

D.S. Toker. MD · Jun 16, 2011

Ive tried many insecticides over the years but i now use rotenone/pyrentins concentrate for my insecticide becasue the rotenone has knockdown power and will kill the bastards dead on contact, along with whiteflies, leaf cutters, boreres and caterpilliars. Air and light deteriorate the pesticide and no trace of it can be detected after 14 days after application.

When u first see them, spray them and killl them and then keep digging.

Yellow Jackets!!

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