How not to start off my 3 day weekend.

[klb]

Note to self.......I am not the Hornet King I watch on Youtube that removes wasp and hornet nest for a living with a Shopvac. We have a European hornets nest in the wall cavity of my old wooden utility building where I keep the mowers. I have been spraying them with Dawn dish soap mixed with water as the come in and out and killed 50 or so already.
They seem pretty calm in the evening when I sprayed them so I figured this morning at 6 am my son I would take the Shopvac out for an early surprise attack. They must have been rested well. Pulled up a chair beside the building and fired the Shopvac up with all 3 extensions on it. Got about 20 or so when the were coming in and out and it started feeling good so to accelerate things I beat the Hell out of the side of the building.
Big mistake my Shopvac wouldn't keep up with the flow and they swarmed the Hell out of us one nailing me right in the stomach. A little bit worse than a Yellow Jacket sting for sure. We had been wondering how bad a sting from one of them would be so I was the Test Dummy.
Now for plan B going to go chemical on them. Plus I haven't ran since the 1990's and I found out with the right motivation I can still run like Forrest Gump even with a bad knee..  
How is this Valkyrie related....They are in my other building with no bees.
My plan was to ride early but the ambush attack on the bees seemed like a good idea at the time..Should have just got the bike out and took off.

[Jersey mike]

This is what I do when wasps and yellow jackets built nests in the hallow corner posts of the vinyl siding, not sure if you can do the same.

I get a couple bug bombs, the self spraying type and put them on a small bucket so they spray directly up the corner posts. I stack what I can so the canister is as close as possible to the opening.

If you can cut a small hole on the inside and use your shop vac hose as a funnel it may work especially if you can clog up the exit/entrance they are using with a rag or newspaper.


Good luck.

[Oldfishguy]

“Delta Dust”

If you want to get all of them, and believe me you do.

Amazon, eBay, etc.

[klb]

This is what I do when wasps and yellow jackets built nests in the hallow corner posts of the vinyl siding, not sure if you can do the same.

I get a couple bug bombs, the self spraying type and put them on a small bucket so they spray directly up the corner posts. I stack what I can so the canister is as close as possible to the opening.

If you can cut a small hole on the inside and use your shop vac hose as a funnel it may work especially if you can clog up the exit/entrance they are using with a rag or newspaper.


Good luck.

Thanks. They are in a bad place to access them. They have nest materiel all the way from top to bottom at the front corner where the trim pieces are.
They are in between the outer planks and inside particle board and I have
seen them come in and out from top to bottom.
Whatever I do they have a little more respect from me now. While spraying
them with Dawn and water mostly in the evening they seemed very calm.
Must have been tired from flying all day. This morning they were on their
A Game.

[klb]

“Delta Dust”

If you want to get all of them, and believe me you do.

Amazon, eBay, etc.

   Thanks. Yes Sir want them all deader than 4 O'clock.

[Rams]

Next time you attempt the extermination and shop vac thing, please have someone video it.
Who knows, you could go viral............ 

Good story, thanks for sharing.

Rams   

[Jess from VA]

KLB, sorry for your troubles.  Yellow jackets were getting into my old split rail fence posts, and into the outer vents on my Valk/tool/equipment shed (10 X 12) the last couple weeks.

These were beginning nests with lower numbers than the big ground nests I attacked in the past.  I got stung multiples from those ground nests, discovering them late, in daylight, by accident.  With lots of high speed running and swearing.  And symptoms getting much worse than in childhood.  I got those ground nests at midnight with gas, fire and a big rock.  Still suited up, but didn't need to, and no running.

Armchair quarterback advice is easy (and free), but since those ground nests, I have made it my business to actively search my property for them, mainly in spring when they are poking around looking for nesting sites, every year.  If I see just one or two, I will drop what I am doing and follow them to try and find any nesting site.  I have headed off nests in my roof ridge vents and other places this way with good success.

Usually by mid summer, they have built their nests (but not at my house).  But this year was different, with attempted invasions in late summer (probably all the extra rain).  And I was lucky to discover them without getting stung.

It's harder to go after established nests and harder yet when in buildings and not holes in the ground.  There's plenty of online advice and Utubes on the eradication techniques, but established nests must be attacked at night, still suited up, and sometimes it's better to shell out the money and let pros do it for you.  However it's done, it needs to be well thought out and planned.

You are lucky you only got a single sting.  

After I got the majority of them (and two small nests) out of my shed vents, I still kicked the sidewall in daylight, and (only) the two survivors came out to get sprayed and stomped.  And I am still checking the shed and fence and will continue until winter.

Stinging bugs are the jihadists of the insect kingdom, and I show them no mercy.

I'd get a dozen cans of the Hot shot wasp killer, and douse those trim cracks down every night, for a week. I threw half cups of gas up in my shed vents (on the outside) but did not light them.  And multiple cans of spray, and soap, and backpack blower.  And each site took several days of attack, unlike the one and done on my ground nests.

EDIT: And once eradicated, you're going to need to fill those cracks in because I think they have some kind of corporate memory and will be back sooner or later (like Arnold).  Expanding foam is crap and they can auger through in minutes.  Some kind of nasty asphalt roofing tar patch in a calk gun would probably do it, though it is spendy. 

[Oss]

thanks  I feel better now having spent another 4 hrs cleaning out the basement

EVERY cardboard box on the floor is now out of there   box fan is running  no standing water anywhere

but the 2    4x8 sheets of plywood laying on 1" side will probably take a while to get fully dried out

big pickup is not till Thursday so am stacking all on side of driveway

I HATE HORNETS AND YELLOW JACKETS (almost as much as ANTIFA)  Hope you get em all

[Rams]

Stinging bugs are the jihadists of the insect kingdom, and I show them no mercy.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have a picture resembling Jess on the inside of their abode that states, Wanted, Dead or Alive.   

Rams 

[John Schmidt]

That sounds like a "hold my beer" moment! 

[klb]

Next time you attempt the extermination and shop vac thing, please have someone video it.
Who knows, you could go viral............ 

Good story, thanks for sharing.

Rams   

I told my son we should video this. I wish we had now. Even though
it hurt pretty good we had a good laugh.
The Shopvac is officially retired from Bee service now. I had been
spraying them with the Dawn soap mixture for a few weeks with no
stings. It kills them almost instantly.
Youtube got me in trouble..

[klb]

KLB, sorry for your troubles.  Yellow jackets were getting into my old split rail fence posts, and into the outer vents on my Valk/tool/equipment shed (10 X 12) the last couple weeks.

These were beginning nests with lower numbers than the big ground nests I attacked in the past.  I got stung multiples from those ground nests, discovering them late, in daylight, by accident.  With lots of high speed running and swearing.  And symptoms getting much worse than in childhood.  I got those ground nests at midnight with gas, fire and a big rock.  Still suited up, but didn't need to, and no running.

Armchair quarterback advice is easy (and free), but since those ground nests, I have made it my business to actively search my property for them, mainly in spring when they are poking around looking for nesting sites, every year.  If I see just one or two, I will drop what I am doing and follow them to try and find any nesting site.  I have headed off nests in my roof ridge vents and other places this way with good success.

Usually by mid summer, they have built their nests (but not at my house).  But this year was different, with attempted invasions in late summer (probably all the extra rain).  And I was lucky to discover them without getting stung.

It's harder to go after established nests and harder yet when in buildings and not holes in the ground.  There's plenty of online advice and Utubes on the eradication techniques, but established nests must be attacked at night, still suited up, and sometimes it's better to shell out the money and let pros do it for you.  However it's done, it needs to be well thought out and planned.

You are lucky you only got a single sting.  

After I got the majority of them (and two small nests) out of my shed vents, I still kicked the sidewall in daylight, and (only) the two survivors came out to get sprayed and stomped.  And I am still checking the shed and fence and will continue until winter.

Stinging bugs are the jihadists of the insect kingdom, and I show them no mercy.

I'd get a dozen cans of the Hot shot wasp killer, and douse those trim cracks down every night, for a week. I threw half cups of gas up in my shed vents (on the outside) but did not light them.  And multiple cans of spray, and soap, and backpack blower.  And each site took several days of attack, unlike the one and done on my ground nests.

EDIT: And once eradicated, you're going to need to fill those cracks in because I think they have some kind of corporate memory and will be back sooner or later (like Arnold).  Expanding foam is crap and they can auger through in minutes.  Some kind of nasty asphalt roofing tar patch in a calk gun would probably do it, though it is spendy. 

   Working on a plan now. Going for round 2 later this evening.

[klb]

thanks  I feel better now having spent another 4 hrs cleaning out the basement

EVERY cardboard box on the floor is now out of there   box fan is running  no standing water anywhere

but the 2    4x8 sheets of plywood laying on 1" side will probably take a while to get fully dried out

big pickup is not till Thursday so am stacking all on side of driveway

I HATE HORNETS AND YELLOW JACKETS (almost as much as ANTIFA)  Hope you get em all

I am amazed at how Yellow Jackets will nest about anywhere. A few
years ago my wife was selling Avon and put a box of old booklets on
a table on our carport and in a matter of days I noticed the Bees
going in and out of the box. Pretty good sized nest by then.
I HATE NON ESSENTIAL BEES.   

[klb]

That sounds like a "hold my beer" moment! 

   It was for sure. I do have a plan somewhat. I am thinking
about drilling a hold on the inside particle board and leaving
the bit in until I insert the sprayer in to spread death and destruction
to them..Hopefully.

[Bigwolf]

It has been my experience that the best stopper for unwanted bees is dust not liquid.  Those cans of wasp and hornet spray are expensive and empty way too soon.  Professional brake cleaner works better than that and lasts much longer per can!  Delta dust was suggested by Oldfishguy.  I have never used it but the info looks good.  I always used 10% Sevin dust.  A teaspoon of 10% Sevin at the entrance to the hive and they were all quiet in about 10 minutes.

The thing about dust/powder is that it gets caught in their many body hairs as they track through it and they carry that all the way back through the hive accidentally sharing it with ALL the other bees in the hive.  They groom themselves quite often and by doing that they ingest the powder which kills them.  This takes out the whole hive leaving no survivors.

Many years ago, my brother bought an old neglected farm with peach and apple trees and a thousand or so yellow jacket nests.  The 10% Sevin dust was much cheaper and much more effective and also faster than other methods.  Once we caught on to using Sevin dust, we had the problem taken care of within a week.  10% Sevin dust is no longer available.  The 5% Sevin is not as effective but might work with more time allowed.  

[Jess from VA]

I agree with the cost and 1 minute life of wasp spray.  And I am a cheap bastard.

But when I ask myself what I would pay to not get stung once.... the answer is a medium pile of money. 

I go after them with the best thing I can.  Then I go back with the soap and other slower and cheaper methods behind it.

When the mice got into the house, I bought some of everything, and guess what, the cheapest glue traps caught all but one... who got electrocuted in the most expensive one.  The only down side is the glue traps catch them, but don't kill them.  The one in the electrocution trap smelled funny. 

[cookiedough]

wife's company she works for owns spectracide products so she gets cans of wasp spray every year for 1-2 bucks each is all.  ONLY takes 20-30 seconds of spraying and the can is empty.  Go thru a few each year at my moms house, only stung once this year,  luckily by 1000's of ground bees coming out under a dead pine tree stump in the ground.  Went over and mowed again and they are gone after 2 weekends of spraying them before mowing. 

EVERY single time over there mid to late summer we find bees of some sort either wasps building nests in corners of garage/shed or ground bees.  I think the ground bees hurt MORE than wasps and MORE of them by far.