How to get rid of Hornets?

CalG · Jul 14, 2025

I frequently get an active population of yellow jackets in my shop building.
I don't like 'em! and they are a danger to myself, and others, especially kids.

So....

I set up the shop vac so the hose inlet is "right next" to the hole, turn on the vac and walk away for a few hours.
The little turds seem to make it out and away much of the time, but on the way in, the air sucks 'em in over 98% of all arrivals.
My shop vac (Graingers) has a plastic deflector where the hose enters the tank. The air velocity at the entrance must be about 100mph. DOA!

But I do have to listen to the vacuum all the while. A small price to pay.

Over the years, at least a dozen very well established hives have been "de-populated" this way. The egg layer and her attendants don't do will without food coming in! ;-)

newbury · Jul 14, 2025

When I was about 7 to 12 years old we had an abandoned old cellar of an old house next to my Dad's 3 acres in Underhill Vt.
It was a breeding ground for yellow jackets.
We had a game where we would throw rocks at the nests and the guy with the most stings on his body won the round. For some reason none of the girls would play.

Jstpssng · Jul 15, 2025

newbury said:
When I was about 7 to 12 years old we had an abandoned old cellar of an old house next to my Dad's 3 acres in Underhill Vt.
It was a breeding ground for yellow jackets.
We had a game where we would throw rocks at the nests and the guy with the most stings on his body won the round. For some reason none of the girls would play.

Starting early with "why women live longer than men."

SpringHollow · Sep 29, 2025

Dawn dish soap works extremely well as others have mentioned. Better than commercial sprays. I use old water fire extinguishers - lets me get them from 20' away. For ones where I can not get to the nest directly, I have used Drione, a shop vac, or a bug light right at the entrance.

BnRidge · Sep 30, 2025

I tried the shop vac. Worked great at getting most of those coming out and going in. 3 days later a new hatch populated the nest again, soo, do it again. Repeated that several times and gave up on that idea.