Destroying yellow jacket nest?

/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #1  

Tollster

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
1,418
Location
Benton, Pennsylvania
Tractor
Kubota, BX23
Any ideas? Its in the middle of the yard, found it today while mowing. I have an old propan tank and a piece of hose and a wet rag over the hose and hole, I was thinking about gassing them tonight. I would like to light em up, but sure the gas would be in my clothing as well...
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #2  
Removing O2 from the hole won't help their health any. I wouldn't try lighting them up though. Perhaps encourage a skunk to come visit?
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #3  
Last year I placed a garden hose ( dragged it from the other end) so the end of the hose was near the opening in the ground, then let the hose run slowly for a few days. Took care of the problem. Not sure it will work for you, but it did for me.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #4  
I hit a nest mowing grass when I was young. My dad wired a can to a long pole, filled the can with gas, poured the gas in the nest and lit it!!
Made me REAL HAPPY! I got stung about 10 times, revenge is sweet!
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #5  
During the night.........remember that part, remove the wet rag and replace it wth a gasoline soaked rag, cover hole wth a garbage can lid.
Return in 48 hours (AT NIGHT) and remove your lid.
Now your done.........
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #6  
This is the method that I have always used: Right at dusk, I pour gasoline down both holes. BTW, yellow jackets have both an entrance and an exit hole-two holes. Then I light it up. This has never failed me.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #8  
Toss some mothballs down the hole. Much safer and more environmentally friendly than gasoline.

Water is unreliable because there can be air pockets in the nest that don't fill up. It hasn't worked for me.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #9  
I was planning one night like you are, did nothing, and a skunk got them by morning!

Sounds like you have some good options.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #10  
From several feet away, when they aren't riled up, I set down several sticks pointing at the nest so I can easily find it in the dark. Walk up to it at night, pour about 8 ounces onto the nest & as others have said, they will be dead by morning. Use a jar or can for the gas so you don't have to stand around emptying a bottle.

Skunks work too, but I haven't had any luck training them.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #11  
Someone on here once suggested tossing a bit of meat into the hole, after dusk, to attract Pepe.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #12  
I have been dealing with worst year for yellow jackets. They have built 2 nests one on the deck and another under the siding. Kind of dangerous to use gas in those situations. I normally go with the scorched earth method but in this situation I used Suspend insecticide around the opening and they were dead the next day. Not as much revenge factor but job well done.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #13  
I pour lacquer thinner down the hole after dark, about a cup, and never see any from there again. I use it in the shop, and keep it around, but I keep almost no gas, to it seems to handier. Kills very little grass.
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #14  
I hit a nest mowing grass when I was young. My dad wired a can to a long pole, filled the can with gas, poured the gas in the nest and lit it!!
Made me REAL HAPPY! I got stung about 10 times, revenge is sweet!
+1 same as you and creekbend. Gas is the easiest. Then I made sure burnt a brush pile over it. They hit be five times on my riding mower. Bitter sweet revenge.:devil:
 
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest? #15  
I found another yellow jacket nest while weed eating fortunately I only got hit 1 time. This nest is huge and built into the creek bank. Thats 5 for the year. Not even near the end of the season.
 
Last edited:
/ Destroying yellow jacket nest?
  • Thread Starter
#16  
I stuck a liquid propane hose in their hole from an old design fitting, gassed them for about 10 minutes,they where croaking as soon as they landed,the propane was brutal on them, poured some gas in, then touched the hole with a flame, let it die off and poured about 2 cups of gas in again after breaking up the earth with a spade. Some scouts returned the next day, but the nest was empty and bee free by nightfall. Not a sting. I did hover over their hole when it was active with the exmark ZTR, at 16,000 RPM blade tip....I am sure they where fired up.....kind of enjoyed it to tell ya truth.
I had 3 nest one year and my dog found them all.
 
 
Top