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A straightforward and secure methodology 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 the best way to do the identical for hornets and yellow jackets.
Not like wasps, which usually construct their nests in timber or the eaves of a roof, hornets and yellow jackets are sneakier, favoring underground areas.
A gap within the floor the place the bugs come and go is the one proof that a large 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 house 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 only to make use of chemical substances.
He donned a bee go well with for defense 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 totally eradicated.
Evidently, neither of us was comfortable to be utilizing chemical substances. We simply didn’t know of one other methodology on the time.
Because it seems, there may be a straightforward option to eliminate floor nests….poison-free!
I’ll positively be utilizing this strategy sooner or later.
Poison-Free Nest Elimination
I just lately grew to become conscious of the best way to take away floor hornets and yellow jackets with out chemical substances. This tip is from Rachel, a reader good friend who commented on the wasp nest article.
She wrote (reprinted with permission):
A neighbor advised me an exquisite resolution for eliminating floor bees (yellow jackets, and many others) that construct nests underground.
He simply pops a marshmellow or one thing candy (granola bar, and many others.) into the opening within the night, and that draws the skunks, which then fortunately eradicate the nest, as they contemplate bees a delicacy!
I attempted this when yellow jackets nested in a raised mattress; inside a number of nights, they have been gone!
What a improbable concept! The one catch is that it’s essential have skunks or some associated species of stink badgers in your neighborhood.
Animals That Eat Hornets and Yellow Jackets
Since we don’t have plenty of skunks in my neighborhood anymore because of the fast improvement of the final decade or so, I initially didn’t assume this methodology 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, in case you don’t have skunks round to make use of the granola bar strategy, strive a can of pet meals to herald 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 prior to now.
Should you favor to keep away from attracting raccoons as they will get into rooster coops, strive utilizing overripe fruit, mealworms, or spoiled meat to draw armadillos.
These closely armored mammals with an extended snout gained’t assault yard chickens. (2)
Remember that black bears like floor bee nests too.
So, measures to draw skunks, raccoons, or armadillos might inadvertently invite bears to the get together in case you 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
Should you determine to do that methodology, you’ll want to put the bait within the nest gap at night time when the hornets or yellow jackets are dormant.
This may just about eradicate your threat of stings.
It’s possible you’ll must repeat the method for a number of nights in a row for full elimination.
Fall is a superb time to handle floor bee nests which have cropped up through the hotter months.
I hope this methodology is useful to a few of you grappling with the best way to eradicate 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…
