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  • From: Rob Cook <crookkohler AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: Jenny Barwick <jennybarwick AT gmail.com>, James Latimer <pipesnc AT live.com>
  • Cc: Orange County Bees <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Yellow jacket control
  • Date: Thu, 26 May 2016 17:11:59 +0000 (UTC)

Thanks Jenny,

No offense taken on the id call. Since I have not gotten close enough to really positively id the little guys. I just saw them coming out of a hole in the ground near my mother-in-laws house and assumed that wasps coming out of the ground meant yellow jackets and not a honey bee. I will check one more time to make sure.

Yes, if they were in another spot or later in the year I would have left them alone but like I said they are right outside the back door of my mother-in-laws house. I like all bees and wasps and hornets, even white faced hornets are cool but in this case someone has to go.....

Anyone up for moving a swarm of yellowjackets? LOL, just kidding.

Rob


On Thursday, May 26, 2016 12:24 PM, Jenny Barwick <jennybarwick AT gmail.com> wrote:


Just wondering if you're absolutely sure they are Yellow Jackets? It's not impossible for a colony to winter over, I hear that they frequently do further south. But usually I think around here the workers die in late fall/early winter and the queen winters over under cover elsewhere, starting over in spring and gradually building the colony till it's numerous again mid to late summer. Could they be ground bees? Not too familiar with those, but a family member had a colony in his yard in Raleigh. They looked like less fuzzy honeybees and were more grayish in color. They weren't aggressive, but were quite numerous, and he called an exterminator anyway since he had very young children playing nearby. I don't mean to question your ID in an insulting way, just have not seen discernible colonies this time of year in my own experience. If they are yellow jackets, I second the glass bowl technique, just be sure to do it at night, and a red lensed flashlight would be a big help.
On May 26, 2016 11:20 AM, "James Latimer" <pipesnc AT live.com> wrote:
Rob,
I have used soapy water with success.  I am not an exterminator so I have only done this on my own property.  It is best to do this in the evening when most of the yellow jackets are in the nest.  You may want to check for alternate entrances or watch for them when you add the water to the nest.  I use a mix of dish soap and borax and usually make 2 to 3 gallons of it.  It is better to not run out.  If you flood it, the nest will not have space to come out and try to attack you.  If there are alternate exits, you may find the yellow jackets escaping from there.

My feelings on controlling the yellow jacket population.  Yellow Jackets are pollinators.  They generally focus on sweet stuff not humans.  Most attacks happen from stepping on their hive.  The colony will die out over the winter.  If this was occurring in Fall I would suggest waiting it out.  Since the season is just starting you may want to consider eradicating.
Keep on Keeping on,
Jamie   


From: trackgeeks AT gmail.com
Date: Thu, 26 May 2016 07:54:34 -0700
To: crookkohler AT bellsouth.net
Subject: Re: [ocba] Yellow jacket control
CC: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org

I've successfully used heavy glass bowls over the entrances. It takes time but it does work.

--
Chris Medico

On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 7:34 AM, Rob <crookkohler AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
Hi,

I need to get rid of a yellow jacket nest. Is there a way to do this without just spraying down the nest with wasp spray? Any natural means of getting these guys out of their ground nest?

Thanks

Rob

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