Posted: 9/1/2007 11:44:32 AM EDT
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My mom has ground hornets of some kind in her front yard. There are several half-inch holes arond the yard with a little pile of dirt beside each one. Every now and then I'll see one of these hornets going in or out of the hole. The hornets are typical 1.25 or 1.5 inches long. Any experience in getting rid of these things? |
| We had some of these around our mailbox at our apt. complex. There were probably 10 of them and they were the size you describe. They're territorial in the sense they won't really go far outside their comfort zone. They never followed me but just try to avoid getting in their path of flight. Not sure how to get rid of them though. BTW be careful also as these things can sting multiple times...not just once. |
Yellow jackets are very nasty this time of year, so be careful. Got stung 8 times in the past week while brush-hogging and weedeating at work. Cicada killers will only bother you if you are...well a cicada.  We run out of spray very quickly at work (the budget rarely goes to that sort of thing) so we improvise. For underground hives I prefer 50:1 two stroke gasoline/oil mix, poured into the nests entrance, and then ignited. |
NOT GAS! Use kerosene. Less explosive. Wait until night time, when they're all "inside". Pour kerosene in hole and ignite. When I did this, I used a long distance spray bee killer first as I approached the hole, even though it was dark. I was afraid there might be some light sleepers. THEN I did the kerosene thing for my own gratification. |
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Um, I wouldn't try a flamable liquid. When I was a kid, a buddy of mine's Dad did that during the day with gasoline and some came out on fire, but many got through the flames unscalthed and stung the hell out us..... Better approach is at night and pour a bottle of undiluted insecticide concentrate, like Lindane or something down the hole. Tony |
Ground hornets are german hornets...the nest can be several feet deep and is layered with a large open area inside. these are not too aggressive but they can be very dangerous, once they are pissed off they will attack in packs. best bet is to kill the nest at night when they are all home. IMHO they are not worth keeping around if you have small children or pets in the yard. I lost a beagle too them when she dug into their nest. |
| Reminds me of something stupid a friend and I did when we were about 9 or so. In our pasture, we had found a hornet nest in a small bush about three feet off the ground. It was during the summer and things were readdy dry. We got the bright idea of "killing them with fire" and the resulting damage was about 15 acres of pasture burned. |
Just get back when you light it off.......makes a hell of a ground lifting explosion
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+1. My brother son was just burned very severely this week doing this. Went down to Toledo St Vincent Mercy burn unit this morning.  Close to 50% coverage of burns on his body. Hopefully health and youth will be on his side but it'll be a LONG recovery.
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I tried to burn some catepillar nests with gas once. HOLY SHIT! I'm lucky I didn't land up like your nephew. Kerosene will still do the job, and is much safer. Hope your nephew does OK... |
Don't think Diazanon is available anymore, taken off the market 2 years ago I believe. I stocked up. 
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I had a bunch borrowed in under a tree on my place. My father in law cut the bottom off of a milk jug and placed it over the hole after he poured gasoline down it... After some violent buzzing, the jug had an inch of dead bees in it. The yellow-jackets were gone the next day. |
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I found a nest of white-headed hornets in a bush at a house a friend purchased. It was about dead-center with the bumper of my truck. It was one of the largest I have ever seen. We jumped in my truck, sealed it up tight, and rammed the nest. I have never felt so much unjustified terror in my life as the monster nest swarmed my truck. It sounded like it was hailing HARD. They rammed themselves against the windshield and everything else. The swarm followed the truck for about 50 ft. as I back down the driveway. I drove five miles fast before I dared open the truck in case a stealth unit was hiding in a crevice. I live in terror of those things. ETA: I discovered the motherfuckers while pissing next to the bush they were in. I heard a buzzing and realized the nest was only 2 feet from my bare junk 
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What happened, did it kill too many hornets?
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There was a bald-faced hornet nest in a short tree on a street I lived on. It was maybe the size of a volleyball. They were not aggressive in the slightest, you could park and stand right next to them w/o any problems. Then, a couple of queerbait kids threw a rock at the nest. After that if you got within 30 feet of it they would chase you for a hundred yards. Bald-faced hornets aren't very aggressive until their nest is disturbed, then they are one of the most aggressive bees out there. |
