Yellow jackets

I quit buying those unload in 3 seconds wasp sprays - just hit them with YardGard and quickly scoot away
 
A few years ago I had a problem with Yellow Jacket in a retaining wall made of railroad ties next to the driveway. I tried everything I could think of, soapy water, wasp spray, expanding foam and finally a pro. He came out, put on a bee suit and had a battery operated pump and dusted the hole. He did it in the day and stood there for 4 or 5 min and they were not happy, good thing he was in a suit. He also found a nest behind the siding and dusted that too. Before he left he told me to get a manual duster and Sevin dust and go out around midnight after the temps drop and just puff a couple clouds into any entrance holes I see and give it a day or 2 because sometime workers will not make it back and spend a night out of the nest but the next day they will return and die. That has worked for me for the last 3 years until 1 nest I could see they were landing on the deck and walking between the deck and siding and disappearing. I could not figure out how to dust that one so I got my shop vac out and put a 1/2" of water in it and the hose next to their landing area. The next morning I plugged it in and let it run and watched out the window as they would try and take off or land and instantly disappear into the hose. After a couple hrs I didnt see any activity so I went out and carfully opened the lid of the vac and found at least 150 of them drowned in the bottom. I ran it again in the evening before dusk and never had another problem with that nest.
 
I strongly dislike them since I was stung a great many times by a swarm when I was a kid. I was helping my dad by shoveling sawdust into burlap sacks to take home for mulch. Back when sawmills were only too happy to be rid of it. I got nailed by a something resembling a yellow jacket about 6 years ago while grilling. Intense arm pain and partial arm paralysis for many days. Some sort of "killer" YJ?

I only discovered in recent years that Sevin spray is highly effective on them. I got rid of a couple of colonies in stored outdoor "junk". Works great on wasps as well, if you're close enough.
 
$50 is pretty steep IMO. Luckily I have never dealt with Yellowjackets in the walls...they seem to prefer to make nests in the ground here. Wait until 10pm, pour about 1/10 gallon of 87 octane down the hole and walk away. Problem solved every time.
That is irresponsible! Do you also pour used motor oil on the ground?
 
Fun story...(it was NOT funny at the time). Was mowing the hill next to the lake at moms lake house and ran over a nest. Took about 2 seconds until I was in a full sprint. They were everywhere, looked down at my shirt and there were 5 or 6 on the fabric latched on and just repeatedly stinging. I ripped off my shirt, shorts, shoes, socks (at least 3 or 4 were attached to my socks!). Ran to the front of the house screaming for someone to turn on the hose and spray me down. Wife was about 100 yards away and thought I had lost a limb or something the way i was yelling and dancing. Finally i quit cussing long enough to tell her to spray me down. Over 30 stings that we could count. Finally my wife goes- why didnt u just jump in the lake? The thought never even crossed my mind 😂...i was 5 feet away.

Funny story - I had something similar when I was about 12 years old mowing the back pasture. My mom still tells the story of me running back to the house with the mower still trucking across the far back yard until it hit a tree.

If you jump in the water, yellow jackets will hold on and continue to sting, and when you come up for air, the ones still flying will focus on your face. You probably made the best decision.
 
That is irresponsible! Do you also pour used motor oil on the ground?
I have never been accused of being responsible....but then again I don't use Pendimethelin, 24D, roundup, or the other cancer causing stuff that all of my neighbors use by the bucket. Please let me know what is in wasp spray, is it 100% earth safe?
 
I have never been accused of being responsible....but then again I don't use Pendimethelin, 24D, roundup, or the other cancer causing stuff that all of my neighbors use by the bucket. Please let me know what is in wasp spray, is it 100% earth safe?
Sounds like you need to do your research, I'm not telling you, I guess you will never know until you call the number on the can , since I don't use wasp spray. (HINT: hang up plastic bags with inflated balloon in it., wasp will think it's a hornets next and move on. wasp have poor vision)
 
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Yes in the ground here too - NC. It ain’t smart to mow over a nest…kinda makes them mad. It hurt too…
I grew up in NC...in middle school PE class we were going down a trail to the track/field and apparently yellow jackets had made a nest in the ground right on the trail. Me and a couple other kids just got swarmed, I ended up having to go home because I was covered in stings. I am not even particularly allergic, I would have probably had to gone to a hospital if I was, but I couldn't do anything the rest of the day.
 
I use a foaming wasp killer that can spray at least 6 ft with excellent accuracy made by Raid and also One Shot. I get them early in the morning when it’s cool. I shoot enogh foam to coat the hive and the wasps do not make it out. I have even shot a small hive that had workers attached to the outside and none took flight.
 
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