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A straightforward and protected technique for eradicating an underground yellow jacket or hornet’s nest with no poison and no threat of stings to you!
My current article on eradicating wasp nests utilizing a brown paper bag resulted in a number of requests about find out how to do the identical for hornets and yellow jackets.
Not like wasps, which generally construct their nests in timber or the eaves of a roof, hornets and yellow jackets are sneakier, favoring underground places.
A gap within the floor the place the bugs come and go is the one proof that an enormous nest could possibly be lurking beneath the soil!
Standard Technique for “Floor Bees”
A number of years in the past, there was a big yellow jacket nest underground on the property line between our residence and my neighbor.
It was a giant threat for somebody to inadvertently disturb the nest and get stung whereas mowing or doing yard work.
Clearly, the nest wanted to be eliminated straight away.
My neighbor, who’s an skilled and credentialed biologist, thought it will be best to make use of chemical substances.
He donned a bee swimsuit for cover and utilized the combination into the opening through the night time when the yellow jackets have been least lively.
It took a number of purposes earlier than the nest was absolutely eradicated.
For sure, neither of us was blissful to be utilizing chemical substances. We simply didn’t know of one other technique on the time.
Because it seems, there may be a straightforward technique to eliminate floor nests….poison-free!
I’ll undoubtedly be utilizing this strategy sooner or later.
Poison-Free Nest Elimination
I just lately grew to become conscious of find out how to take away floor hornets and yellow jackets with out chemical substances. This tip is from Rachel, a reader buddy who commented on the wasp nest article.
She wrote (reprinted with permission):
A neighbor advised me an exquisite answer for eliminating floor bees (yellow jackets, and so forth) that construct nests underground.
He simply pops a marshmellow or one thing candy (granola bar, and so forth.) into the opening within the night, and that pulls the skunks, which then fortunately eradicate the nest, as they take into account bees a delicacy!
I attempted this when yellow jackets nested in a raised mattress; inside just a few nights, they have been gone!
What a incredible concept! The one catch is that you should have skunks or some associated species of stink badgers in your group.
Animals That Eat Hornets and Yellow Jackets
Since we don’t have loads of skunks in my group anymore because of the fast improvement of the final decade or so, I initially didn’t suppose this technique would work properly for me.
Nevertheless, after doing extra analysis, I discovered that raccoons and armadillos may also fortunately eat up a floor nest stuffed with hornets or yellow jackets! (1)
We’ve got A LOT of these critters.
Thus, if you happen to don’t have skunks round to make use of the granola bar strategy, attempt a can of pet meals to usher in the raccoons!
Moist pet meals will actually entice raccoons, in my expertise. I’ve used this strategy to humanely entice them in the event that they have been threatening my laying chickens previously.
If you happen to choose to keep away from attracting raccoons as they’ll get into hen coops, attempt utilizing overripe fruit, mealworms, or spoiled meat to draw armadillos.
These closely armored mammals with an extended snout gained’t assault yard chickens. (2)
Bear in mind that black bears like floor bee nests too.
So, measures to draw skunks, raccoons, or armadillos might inadvertently invite bears to the social gathering if you happen to stay in a rural space.
For areas of the world with out raccoons, armadillos, and skunks, it’s good to know that domesticated geese may also fortunately eat up a floor hornet or yellow jacket nest! (3)
Avoiding Stings
If you happen to determine to do that technique, make sure you put the bait within the nest gap at night time when the hornets or yellow jackets are dormant.
This may nearly remove your threat of stings.
It’s possible you’ll must repeat the method for just a few nights in a row for full removing.
Fall is a superb time to care for floor bee nests which have cropped up through the hotter months.
I hope this technique is useful to a few of you grappling with find out how to remove them safely with out poison!
(1) What Animals Assault Yellow Jacket Nests within the Floor?
(2) Finest Armadillo Bait
(3) Geese Eat Yellow Jackets??!! Possibly so…