The things you find in your back yard

[gregj410]

My daughter discovered this today. Not sure how long it takes these guys or girls to build this thing but I mow within very close proximity of this tree. In fact last week I hacked a few low lying branches off with a machete I keep on the mower. I’d like to let it get to its full capacity but I’m really worried someone is going to get hurt.


[url=https://ibb.co/k1RkHG2]

[chuck]

That looks like a true hornets nest and not a yellow jacket nest. If so they may not be a threat based on how high the nest is relative to the ground. Hornets and paper wasps generally avoid humans.

On the other hand, yellow jackets are attracted to a lot of things we tend to like, especially food stuffs like sweet things and proteins (like barbecued meat). The yellow jackets are very fast fliers and they are extremely aggressive. Easily “annoyed” they will often engage in swarm style attacks. Yellow jackets usually post sentries that fly around the nest entrance, hornets and paper wasps usually don't. Yellow jacket nests are often below ground and you may not notice them until you have triggered a response. They really hate the noise/vibration of a gasoline powered lawn mower. Run away from the nest and as fast and far as possible. They may chase you a good 20 feet before they break off and return to the nest. Cover up (no tee shirts or shorts) and VERY carefully scout out the entrance(s) and plan on your counter attack for dusk. They are less active as darkness descends and most of them will be in the nest. They have very poor low light vision.

If the nest is a hornet or paper wasp AND its low enough that people of pets may come in inadvertent contact then it may have to go. While the hornets and paper wasps rarely engage in human contact they may perceive approaching the nest as an attack and they will respond. Scout the nest in daylight, cover up and plan an escape route. Jet spray is quite effective against these guys because they move much slower than yellow jackets. You may be able to hit them on the fly with the stream which kills on contact. In fact you have to hit them with the jet to kill them. There is no “vapor” action other than being saturated with kerosene vapors which will kill them, eventually. Saturate the entrance/exit hole and clean up and go to bed. Check the nest the next morning. There will probably be a pile of dead ones on the ground under the opening. If there are no live ones coming or going you can probably knock the nest down into a trash container (empty) and then re-saturate the nest with the jest spray.

Good luck, be careful.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

That looks like a true hornets nest.

Yes!

Rest of Chuck's advise is also good.

[gregj410]

Greg - 1
Bees - 0

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Greg - 1
Bees - 0

And you got a trophy, too!

[chuck]

Looks like the nest is the size of a basketball?

I wouldn’t recommend that you keep it as a trophy. There may be fertilized eggs inside that have not been exposed to the poison and they may start emerging in 10-12 days. Take all the pictures you want but short of encasing the the nest completely in resin there is always a chance that some may emerge. I used to put the nest in an open metal container and then burn it. A firepit would work too.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Looks like the nest is the size of a basketball?

I wouldn’t recommend that you keep it as a trophy. There may be fertilized eggs inside that have not been exposed to the poison and they may start emerging in 10-12 days. Take all the pictures you want but short of encasing the the nest completely in resin there is always a chance that some may emerge. I used to put the nest in an open metal container and then burn it. A firepit would work too.

I've heard that as possible, but have never had it happen.

They do burn pretty.

[gregj410]

Looks like the nest is the size of a basketball?

I wouldn’t recommend that you keep it as a trophy. There may be fertilized eggs inside that have not been exposed to the poison and they may start emerging in 10-12 days. Take all the pictures you want but short of encasing the the nest completely in resin there is always a chance that some may emerge. I used to put the nest in an open metal container and then burn it. A firepit would work too.

I've heard that as possible, but have never had it happen.

They do burn pretty.

No plans of keeping it. Maybe slice it open for a closer look, other than that I’ll let Mother Nature recycle her.

[chuck]

Nice work on a successful removal.

[robert.]

Greg - 1
Bees - 0

You could turn it into some beer money.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... Complete=1

[gregj410]

Looks like the nest is the size of a basketball?

Yes, slightly smaller.

Nice work on a successful removal.

Thank you! It was pretty uneventful for the most part. I went out in the night in my underwear. I wanted the least amount of co efficient of drag in the event I had to sprint to the pool All lights off, garage service door open in case I couldn’t make it to the pool 3 cans of foaming spray that shoot 27’ all the way down to 3’ in about 2 seconds. Placed a battery powered light on the fence post so I could see the hole. Two cans, one in each hand straight up the shoot walking in as the streams petered out. Stepped back for a breather, saw some activity around the light. Let things settle down for 15 minutes walked back out and coated the whole hive for good measure. I don’t think they ever knew what hit them. Zero activity the next morning. I was hoping for at least a short sprint and some swatting, so I could say it was a fair fight...literally nothing.

You could turn it into some beer money.

Astonishing what people spend money on. I pretty well destroyed the entry otherwise I may have kept it for a conversation piece.

[robert.]

You can bake them in the oven. That will kill all the eggs inside

[Rufus T. Firefly]

You can bake them in the oven. That will kill all the eggs inside

I'm betting that smells lovely and that one's spouse may have an opinion to share.

[gregj410]

You can bake them in the oven. That will kill all the eggs inside

I'm betting that smells lovely and that one's spouse may have an opinion to share.

We are currently embarking on a kitchen remodel and everything is going including the oven. That being said my wife still wouldn’t be to happy if I baked a hive with about 20 ounces of hornet foam all over it I imagine the smell to be quite rancid

[gregj410]

And now for the nice things you find in your back yard or your back garage. I admittedly am a sucker for birds. Our back garage door stays opened most of the time because of the constant in/out activity. There are almost always Carolina wrens nesting in there somewhere. I’ve seen several broods come and go. This year the barn swallows took up residence and again I didn’t have the heart to chase them off so I let them go. 3 of 4 eggs hatched and 3 of them made it out safely. Here they are 2 days before the big flight.