+*%#@^&# Yellow Jackets

[Dozernut]

I was out brush mowing today and ran into a nest of Yellow Jackets. I found that it is hard to change the tractor from low to the "lets get the heck out of here gear" when you are swatting Yellow Jackets away from your face. They followed me for a couple of hundred feet before they gave up, probably out of pity. One of the little darlings managed to sting me inside my left ear. It only hurts when I hear something and takes my mind off the other stings .

This is my wife's fault, I wanted a new cab tractor and she wanted the house remodeled, guess who won that one. I decided that the brush could wait until after a precision night time strike on the suspects abode. Wish me luck!

 

[Larro Darro]

I feel for you. I got into a nest of wasp while I was bush hogging about 30 years ago. They were the kind you see on the river with nests the size of dinner plates. I got 23 stings, but my exit from the tractor hurt my back so bad I {almost} forgot the wasp stings.

But yellow jackets are must worse. Once while I was deer hunting I happened across a nest that had been dug up by a bear. They were all over the ground, and gave chase. My buddy was behind me on the trail, so I ran his way. When I passed him, the yellow jackets left me and went for him. Isn't that what friends are for?

 

[Earl Ohl]

I was out brush mowing today and ran into a nest of Yellow Jackets. I found that it is hard to change the tractor from low to the "lets get the heck out of here gear" when you are swatting Yellow Jackets away from your face. They followed me for a couple of hundred feet before they gave up, probably out of pity. One of the little darlings managed to sting me inside my left ear. It only hurts when I hear something and takes my mind off the other stings .

This is my wife's fault, I wanted a new cab tractor and she wanted the house remodeled, guess who won that one. I decided that the brush could wait until after a precision night time strike on the suspects abode. Wish me luck!

This is one reason why I love my Kubota B3030 HSDCC. The first year I had it (2007) I attacked a huge hornets nest with the front end loader bucket. I was inside my cab with the A/C on while I was crushing their nest with the bucket. The ones that weren't killed were trying to sting the tractor, but I don't think the tractor felt it because it didn't yell! LOL!

 

[LD1]

I hate yellow jackets. They are one of the most agressive. There are all kinds of ways that have been discussed on here about how to get rid of them.:thumbsup:

 

[oosik]

Who hasn't had an experience with yellow jackets. Had a hugh nest in the carport - lit it on fire, burned the entire nest and almost the carport. We have a type of hornet in this country - bald faced hornet. At least 2X the size of a yellow jacket with black & white "tribal markings" on its face. I've learned from direct experience to stay away. They pursue, sting like mad and are also carnivorous. They graciously eat all the pocket gophers I'm able to trap. Fortunately, I've never seen any ground dwelling yellow jackets on my property.

 

[LD1]

To my knowledge, all "wasps" are carnivorous. A good way to kill a bunch of em is to take an old peice of meat, deer scraps, whatever, jam a rod through it (skewer) and place over a bucket of water. Yellow jackets especially, will eat so much they cannot fly. They fall into the water and meet their maker.

 

[Whitnel]

Yellow jackets especially, will eat so much they cannot fly. They fall into the water and meet their maker.

I learned something new today.

 

[AaronS]

I mowed over a nest in the woods about 10 years ago while clearing trails with a walk-behind DR brush mower. It was a "nice" hot July day in the mid 90s and they were happy to sting me 10 times. Gotta love em.

 

[kf4uda]

But yellow jackets are must worse. Once while I was deer hunting I happened across a nest that had been dug up by a bear. They were all over the ground, and gave chase. My buddy was behind me on the trail, so I ran his way. When I passed him, the yellow jackets left me and went for him. Isn't that what friends are for?

Remind me not to go hunting with you

 

[hawkeye08]

They even had a spot on the news last night, yellow jackets much worse than normal this year due to warmer spring, many queens survived and now the children are all busy and hungry. It seems we get a couple of the traps, couple cans of foaming spray and don't have much real problem. The traps are empty (nothing in spring either) and the spray is long gone. I need to get some more spray and remember to clean the traps be ready next spring to trap the queens.