How to kill Yellowjackets...
 

I have an active hive under the flashing on a corner of a roof top skylight. This is on a secondary roof so that getting up to it is exposing me to the wrath of the hive when disturbed. I've used the regular sprays to no avail, I can't get the stream to penetrate into the hive. I've used a foaming spray that I thought would work when I used it as it clung long enough to the entry point that I thought the entry would get choked by dead bees, or the poison would get tracked into the hive.

This AM, lots of activity again.

I havent found any retail product that will get the poison into the nest. Powders, pastes, etc.

Who's got a remedy?

Hit it with a pressure washer.

Break it up or get it on the ground to deal with it.

First be prepared to run!
 

But get a wide spray hose and be quick with it, when their wings get wet they drop like a stone (unlike a bee that will flip the water off of their wings), once on the ground incapable of flying (wet), step on them! Knock the nest thing off with a tool or hammer after they are all dead!

Make a yellowjacket trap out of a soda bottle.

How to Make a Trap for Yellow Jackets | eHow

Hugh's remedy is a good one. You can make the trap out of any type of bottle. I have found the traps from HD, Lowes, most any garden place, etc. work well. We had a thread not long ago similar to this topic. I suggested the same thing on that thread. I had a problem with yellow jackets about three years ago. There were lots of them around, & I decided to do something after one stung me for no reason. I didn't know where the nest was & finally went to HD & bought one of those cylindrical, plastic traps you put attractant in & hang up. Worked really well. I kept putting in fresh attractant, the wasps would get in & couldn't get out & died. I emptied & repeated until there weren't hardly any wasps around. The next year I put it out again, but there were markedly fewer wasps. After that I've not had a problem.

Are they stinging people or is their mere presence causing concern? If they aren't bothering anyone just leave them alone. They will be gone by fall never to return to that location. The nest is a one time deal and is not reused. Believe it or not, wasps are beneficial insects.

Hose them down with very soapy water. Use lots of dishsoap, it makes it impossible for them to fly. Then you can smash them and get them out of there.

Pressure washer to knock down the hive. Do it late in the cool of the evening when they are inactive.

Brake cleaner works great for wasps and hornets in the house. Might work here too.

I am currently doing yellowjacket genocide. An electric bug zapper placed over the nest. Hit it with strong water when they are diminished in early am. Break up with shovel. Done this a few times. No chemicals. Dead bugs. All is good

Larry

I had a nest in my wall last year. The got in thru a crack in the wood siding near a electrical outlet. I used bug spray foam a couple times and it never killed them. I used my mechanics stethoscope to determine the nest was actually about 8" above the entrance and I drilled a hole the same size as the foam hose. One application in the right spot and game over for them. I used expanding spray foam to fill the void where they were living and calked the holes so no more "visitors".

Burn down the house. It's the only way to be sure.

But seriously: I'd go with the pressure washer from a loooooong distance. Or pay someone. I don't mess with yellow jackets.

^^ This.. I use brake cleaner to kill all sorts of bugs. One small shot and they hit the ground dead instantly.. It will even kill mice/rats with a few spurts..

When I was 10 or so, my dad asked me to get the hose and water some new bushes he had planted on the side of our house. Great fun for a kid, right? Well, THIS kid had to see how much water would fit in the hole in the ground next to the bushes. Didn't take but a few seconds before I was swarmed by yellow jackets. I remember running around the house where I was met by my mom who had come outside to see what all the screaming was about. She was stung a couple of times before we made it inside the house.

As mentioned here, they don't fly well when wet, which kept me under 20 or so stings. Not fun!

We subscribe to the "squirt, stomp, run like hell" school of wasp killing...

angela

Turkey baster filled with gas. Instant results. Although perhaps not suitable in/around your house. Or outdoors for that matter. But effective 100% of the time immediately.

i recently dealt with the exact same problem. i used tempo dust (made by bayer) which comes in a plastic bottle and resembles powder cocaine. put some in a squeeze bulb duster and dust the entrance area at night when the hive is at rest.

after 12 hours, my very active hive which had 4-6 wasps departing/landing per second, diminished to 1 wasp per second.

after 24 hours, there was zero wasp activity.

this stuff works. banned in 4 states. why mess around? :)

the good stuff (cheaper than cocaine);
Tempo Dust, Tempo 1% Dust - Free Shipping

the bulb duster (can also be used for cocaine);
B&G M1150 Bulb Duster, B&G Hand Duster, B&G Bulb Duster

A badminton racket is good for a sporting chance to swat them.

Length of 2" pipe and shop vac .. at least that's the only way I was able to rid my wall of a nest. Each time a couple would land to enter, I'd plug in the extension cord from a safe distance.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1408495297.jpg

I set this trap up whenever we're camping. Gluttonous little suckers. They eat til their wings won't carry them, fall in and drown.
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