Experience with Ground Wasps?

[NJCher]

Five bites. Nasty, but not that bad. I was clearing out a raised bed on the far end of my garden, and was digging away when I first felt the bites. Having had experience with this before (1998, though!), I ran like hell and saved myself from more grief. Looked back and saw an angry swarm above the raised bed.

So the question is, I don't want to give up that bed to them for the summer, so how do I get rid of them?

I looked on youtube and Amazon. Found some traps I could order, but youtube has some ideas for making similar types of traps.

I'm not sure traps are the way to go, though.

Too bad the RG is traveling California this month. He just loves doing battle with wasps. Must take him back to his childhood, or something, as he gets a look like a kid setting firecrackers on his face when he engages with them. He usually smokes 'em out somehow. I don't have the nerve.

So if you've ever gotten rid of some ground wasps, let me know your experience.


Cher

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I have never had to deal with this,

but there are several non-toxic tips here, in the article and in the comments.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/an-effective-non-toxic-solution-for-getting-rid-of-yellow-jackets-nests-zbcz1106.aspx

[NJCher]

2. thanks

There are indeed some good ideas there.

I woke up this morning to find my knight in shining armor with his pyrotechnic skills ready to fight my battle. He showed me how to do it, and I'm no longer afraid of burning them out.

He cleared it for me, but I may have to do some reinforcements this week. Then he flew off to CA.

To get rid of them, take a long pole and fasten some rolled up newspaper to it. Set it on fire and thrust it into the wasp nest. The newspapers can be fastened to the pole with a rubber band, or by tying them with a string.

Sounds crazy, but what happens is the flames burn the wings off the wasps and they cannot attack you.

When they come back to the hive, it is hot and smoking. If it's a small hive, and this one is, you can continue to make sure it's hot and smoking. Eventually they rebuild their hive elsewhere.

I found it interesting that these hives don't go very deep. They build their papery hive in there, but it doesn't go down into the ground. If you can imagine a shallow bowl submerged into the ground, it would be like that.

The bites on my forearm have my arm swollen up pretty bad today. It itches, too, so I have to keep taking antihistamines.


Cher

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Well, I learned something today.

I didn't have any idea how deep they went, but it is good to know that the hive is not deep. I'm glad that you found a solution.

I wondered about the bites and how badly they affected you. I have only been stung by a wasp once and didn't have too much reaction except for pain, and a bumblebee one time that swelled up pretty bad. So far, I've been lucky. I hope that the antihistamines help, and if it stays swelled, get some medical help. But I bet that your body will deal with it.

[uppityperson]

5. Make a paste of baking soda to put on stings. Or if immediately use meat tenderizer

We have paper wasps, yellow jackets, that nest in bushes, trees, the ground.

[uppityperson]

4. I've gone out in the evening or morning when it's cool and they are quiet, stuck a hose into the

hole and flooded the nest. It may take a couple times to clear them out.

Fire, whether by kerosene or just a burning newspaper also works but I've come to prefer the water method as it is less dangerous.

If they are swarming when you approach, spray them with water as it weighs them down, they can't fly, and you can get away.

[beac]

6. Here's the solution that has worked for me 100% of the time:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/11592104
beac 2 , Yellow Jackets 0 -- It worked AGAIN!!

Some of you may remember my battle last summer to eliminate a ground nest of yellow jackets.

After many fruitless attempts and much frustration, I found a tip that called for pouring honey into the hole. The idea is that the sweet stuff attracts a nocturnal creature who then digs up the nest for you. And, lo and behold, it worked just as advertised!

Well, this year's Yellow Jackets made their nest right next to the picket fence surrounding the tree and mini-garden in my front yard. It made watering quite a challenge and it was impossible to add any nice annuals to the things already growing there.

So, first I marked the spot by dumping some diatomaceous earth into the hole (in the late evening, after the wasps had gone to bed.) This started the killing process by drying up the wasps who dug through the earth the next morning and made the hole really easy to see for the next step (diatomaceous earth is a bright white powder derived from fossilized microscopic algae , for those unfamiliar.)

The next evening, I poured the better part of a 1lb jar of cheap honey into and around the hole. Just like last year, nothing happened the first night. But the morning after the second night, I went out to find this:



What had been a quarter-sized opening with yellow jackets swarming in and out was now a 5" hole surrounded by the debris left from the ransacking.

I have no idea if it was a raccoon or a skunk who did the deed and I really don't care. The wasps are gone and the method was 100% organic and safe for all other creatures and insects.

Hope this will help some others out there battling ground wasps!*



*please note that I only do this with nests that are in areas that must be mowed or in places otherwise likely to cause a person to accidentally disturb the nest. Yellow Jackets are beneficials in general, so any that nest in the wilder areas of the property won't be harmed.

Our new home does not suffer from ground wasps but, alas, I haven't had much time for gardening either. I do check in here from time to time and love seeing what you all are up to!

-beac

[NJCher]

8. that is so smart

I think they're gone now, but the next time it happens, I am going to try this.

Thanks for the tip!


Cher

[beac]

10. You're welcome!

I've shared it with other friends and family and the reports are always positive on this method (sometimes takes two honey-treatments if the nest covers a large area and/or has more than one entrance/exit.)

[libodem]

7. I've got them

And ones that fly missions out of my bird houses. I let them stay because they are apparently good for aphid control.

Wonder if this would work on them?

http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-insecticide.html

[NJCher]

9. I have a container of that

Now that I see how it works, I'm going to use it. I have pinhole bites in my eggplant. Maybe that will stop it.


Cher