elkroeger Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Looking for a creative way to kill a nest of hornets that I've got in the back yard. It's a big nest in the ground. A bottle of pesticide just seems so boring. Needs to appeal to my inner 6 year old, but must be effective. Also needs to appeal to my lazy side. Grass is all dry and brown, so no fires. Extra points if your idea involves drawing them out. Some of my ideas: 1) Park the lawn mover over the top and run. I like the run away like an idiot part, but I don't know if I'm up for letting the mower sit out there for an hour or two. 2) Use the shop vac. High risk of failure, but again it could take a long time. 3) Place a block of dry ice on top of the hole, and cover the whole thing with a bucket. Should be effective, and good on the lazy factor. 4) Hit them with a can of ether. But then what? They'll wake up after a bit, won't they? 5) Fly my R/C helicopter over the nest with a can of Raid taped on, and the valve stuck open. I doubt my helicopter could lift the can tho. 6) I've got some rancid cooking oil that I need to toss out. Maybe a dish full of cooking oil next to the hole, and the whole thing covered with a bucket. 7) Hook up the exhaust from the car and gas them. Don't want to let the car sit out there and run tho, and it's not great on the creativity index. Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 I'd suggest #2, the shop vac. It worked GREAT for me. Link to comment
Ron-M Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 A little bit of gas poured into a 2 liter soda bottle. Wait until late evening when everyone is settled down in the nest and insert the bottle neck into the nest opening. Leave it there over night. The fumes will kill the nest. Looking to kill the queen is your goal. Link to comment
Oldironken Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Import some skunks, of course getting rid of the skunks once they have finished is a different problem. Link to comment
tallman Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 A little bit of gas poured into a 2 liter soda bottle. Wait until late evening when everyone is settled down in the nest and insert the bottle neck into the nest opening. Leave it there over night. The fumes will kill the nest. Looking to kill the queen is your goal. This. But, then, use incendiary device to safely remove any remaining fumes. Also helps with removal of remaining carcasses. Link to comment
taylor1 Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 (edited) Just get a few Honey Buzzards from Asia. They are a natural predator. Edited August 14, 2018 by taylor1 Link to comment
Puddles Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 My neighborhood guru said "Pour some molasses around the opening, the skunks will take care of the rest." Assuming you have skunks there, of course. Link to comment
Twisties Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 I know people pour fuels on the ground for this purpose all the time, but I strongly discourage it. You can pollute a significant amount of drinking water with just a little fuel. Fuels and oils should never be intentionally released. Link to comment
ltljohn Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Ether kills them instantly. I had a nest removed a few years ago A big 10 second shot of ether and they were done. Wait until after dark so they will all be in there. I think Mitch's shop vac method is the most creative. Link to comment
Danny caddyshack Noonan Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 http://www.anthillart.com/ Stinging insects that don't have the good graces to die after stinging deserve molten aluminum. And you get a piece of art afterward. Link to comment
elkroeger Posted August 14, 2018 Author Share Posted August 14, 2018 I like the shop vac program. I was thinking though that I'd try to get a good seal around the hole, and basically suck them all up and out. I figured that attaching the hose to the hole was going to be a problem, thus the "high risk of failure". I didn't think to just lay the hose next to the hole. I like it! Pre dawn this morning, I went out with a cottage cheese container full of olive oil. I set that next to the hole, and covered the whole thing with a 5 gallon bucket, and a couple cinder blocks to hold it down. I'll check it again in the morning and report back. We did notice another nest about 12' away. Awesome, I get to try two methods! :-) I have to say that pouring gas down the hole is no bueno. Link to comment
tallman Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 The rapid vaporization in conjunction with an flame removes ground pollution problems. Try a can or aerosol and a lighter, sit by the opening, have fun. Link to comment
elkroeger Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 Tall, dry grass. Lots of it. Fire no bueno. Hey, my tub of oil (rancid olive oil) worked like a charm! 100s of the little buggers stuck in there like dinosars in a tar pit. Awesome! There's still a few stragglers, and the queen must be in there still, but I can leave that bucket setup out there all summer. Link to comment
tallman Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Fire is always an option. Dig a trench around the nest. Do controlled burn. Then eradicate. C'mon step up to incineration. Link to comment
Sonor Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Are there any neighborhood kids you do not like that offer to mow lawns? just say'n Link to comment
elkroeger Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Fire is always an option. Dig a trench around the nest. Do controlled burn. Then eradicate. C'mon step up to incineration. You are living on the edge. It's fire season here, and I'm reluctant to even fire up the charcoal grill on the porch. I think I'll take angry stinging insects over burning down the neighborhood and then going to jail. The tub of olive oil next to the nest, and cover both with a 5 gal bucket, has worked wonders. You just gotta leave it there for a couple days, to catch the newly hatching buggers. It's not as much fun as the shop vac, but I'll give it 5 stars for the easy factor. Link to comment
szurszewski Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 I don't care if you burn Rochester to the ground ... as long as you don't put any more SMOKE into the air. My sinuses officially gave up today - and I know it's only a fraction here of what it is closer to the fires (any of the fires - man it seems like a lot this year). Link to comment
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