OT: Underground bee's nest

[Tonynlo]

I was mowing the lawn last night when I noticed that my front tire hit what I thought was just a hole. The hole was never there in the past, so my only conclusion is that the weight of the rider collapsed the ground on top of an underground beehive. I must have really done some damage to the nest because they are swarming in the hundreds at the moment. I'm not sure what kind of bee they are, they look like a yellow jacket, but I'm no expert and I don't dare get close enough to look further. I called a bee keeper, but I was told that they are only looking at taking honey bees. Any URS member into pest control? Suggestions?

 

[museumguy]

Most likely they are yellow jackets, and they can amass very large colonies as the summer goes on. There are lots of over the counter pesticides available to kill hornets like these but be very careful as they can do very serious damage to people. I know a guy who accidently got the stuff in his eye and it was a bad situation. My favorite 'pesticide' for ground dwelling critters like hornets or ants is boiling water. Though dangerous when handled (don't spill it on you), if you pour boiling water over the nest it will probably kill everything it touches and won't leave any dangerous residue or chemicals behind, though it will kill the grass. Wear lots of layers and try not to have any skin exposed when you do this. Doing it after dark and then getting the heck away from it would probably be a good plan.

That all said if it were me I'd probably just leave them but hey, I'm a bug lover.

 

[Willistein]

I noticed some ground bees the other day, too. They can be really nasty. They like fresh (loose) dirt piles. I'd probably spray them with raid.

 

[cmof29]

My dad and I always solve ant or bee problems with some fire :spin1: but that's not too safe. I agree with boiling water.

 

[frofan]

Boiling water will only kill the ones it comes in immediete contact with. Gasoline is the easiest and most effective way of removing the nest. I have done it several times (It sounds crazy at first, but I have never been stung).

Poor gas in the hole and light it. Then dig the nest out while its on fire. If you don't remove the nest, they will likely return. If you dig while its on fire, they will not bother you. Just have a cup full of gas ready in case it starts to go out. Poor around half a gallon directly in the hole and then a little around the top of the hole to make lighting it easier. Toss a match on it and start digging!

 

[jsteele]

I live out in the boony's so I run into them alot I have always used the gas method.

 

[scadsobees]

They're ground bees, basically the same as yellow jackets. I'm a beekeeper, I get those kind of calls

Nuke 'em. At night when all of the fliers are back, pour a 1/2 cup of gasoline down the hole and cover with a bucket. DON'T LIGHT!!. Cover it with a bucket and the fumes will kill them.

It isn't as fun as lighting it, but will be safer and more effective.

 

[RyanEG]

Kill it with fire...but I recommend kerosene or diesel. Burns hotter and isn't nearly as explosive.

 

[Tonynlo]

They're ground bees, basically the same as yellow jackets. I'm a beekeeper, I get those kind of calls

Nuke 'em. At night when all of the fliers are back, pour a 1/2 cup of gasoline down the hole and cover with a bucket. DON'T LIGHT!!. Cover it with a bucket and the fumes will kill them.

It isn't as fun as lighting it, but will be safer and more effective.

Fortunately as a reefer, I have a ton of buckets :thumbsup:

Seems simple enough. I'll give this method a shot first and take a cautious peek tomorrow. My original plan was to take some window screen and cover the hole, then dump Dawn dish soap down the hole and spray it with hot water.

 

[Namyar]

I have done the gas thing in my yard. Seems to work the best.

Sent from my DROIDX

 

[MrClean]

If they are small and slick, they are ground hornets: big and fuzzy are bumblebees. Both can have a in-ground nest but bumblebees will genarlly be under something (deck, lumber, old tarp.). I'm allergic to bees, but ground hornets just hurt: a lot for how small they are.

I'm guessing you have hornets.

Either way, a 1/2 cup of dish soap to a gallon of water poured in the nest at night will actually do a good job of killling the hornets. You might use less with the "ultra" liquids.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

dig up the flaming nest?

dig up the flaming nest?

that's a new one to me.

I'll have to have my wife try it! :beer:

 

[museumguy]

From an environment standpoint I hate the idea of using gasoline for this purpose.

 

[Willistein]

Seems like a great use for gas to me....

 

[tekim]

If your against the gas option, a few years ago we covered the hole with a tarp... make sure you cover far and wide.. and then we tossed on some rocks to hold it in place... give it a week, and then it will be safe to remove.

Enjoy!

 

[Sweet]

A couple years ago I had to repaint my house. I was positioning the ladder and when I stepped on, it sank into the ground. I pulled the ladder out and a bunch of Yellow Jackets came out. I waited at dusk/night and used two cans of that stuff that spay 30ft in the air and then half a bottle of dish soap. That took care of my problem.

-Sweet

 

[GMaquarium]

As a child in a summer camp I tripped and fell into a ground wasp or bee nest. These were double the size and all black. Had something like 18 bites, my legs swelled up and I couldn't walk. So they put me in camp quarantine room until my parents came and got me. That was a fun summer. Not really scared of bees since.