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["Griffin Gardens" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

Title: Re: [NAFEX] Re: hornets and wasp

Good morning,

 

I just learned something that might be of interest to anyone having to deal with bald-faced hornets - the kind that build the Japanese lantern like nests suspended from small diameter tree branches. I have two nests in the yard: one in a basswood in an out of the way corner of the yard that is easily avoided, and the other in my ready-for-applesauce Whitney crab. I am content to let the grass grow in the basswood area, but I am out of applesauce and need to get rid of the hornets now, Whitneys being the ripe at 12:00 PM, mush by noon type apple.

 

What I learned is that hornets do not go into the nest on windy, humid nights with a low temp of 75 F. Rather they gather around the opening waiting in the dark for someone to come along with a can of insecticide in one hand and a flash light in the other, so they can sting him in his ample forehead when he approaches and turns on the light. Bonus lesson: this kind of weather makes hornets just as cranky as it does the humans.

 

I'll try the soapy water as soon as the swelling goes down if I am able to screw up my courage sufficiently.

 

Dave

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Lon J. Rombough

To: North American Fruit Explorers

Sent: 8/8/03 8:18:30 PM

Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Re: hornets and wasp

One vital ingredient to using the glass jar - put it on in early morning, like just at or before sunrise.  The yellowjackets won't be active or out of the nest, especially if it's still dark.
-Lon Rombough

Lon has an exellent method. If you don't want to get so close to the
stingers, flood them with soapy water. Use one of those fertilizer sprayers
you can attach to your water hose, fill it with diluted liquid soap. When
the critters dry out, the soap will have washed away some essential body
oils that seal their bodies. They will dehydrate and die in a short time. Of
course, you will be washing away some of the nutrients you built the compost
heap for, so better use Lon's way if you can.

Joyce