yellow jackets

RGBHV

We've got a lot of yellow jackets this year.

I guess they like the egg too.

A friend of mine suggested that I put several bottles with some water and jam at seperate ends of the property. This seems to be working, but I wonder if we're just attracting more.

Any suggestions for the best way to get rid of (or minimize) the number of these pests?

Michael

Grandpas Grub

 
The last 5 or 6 years we have been infested with hornets/yellow jackets.

The water and jam sounds interesting, wondering how you are setting that up. I wouldn't mind trying that.

I have read put pan of water with three kabob skewers into a tepee arrangement. Sliced a hot dog and hung it from the top of the tepee. The idea is that the hornet will eat the meat. Seems they will eat until they get too heavy to fly, fall in the water and drown.

That, to me, sounds like the story of how to catch a polar bear. Cut a hole in the ice and surround it with peas. When the bear comes to take a pea kick him in the ice hole.

Anyway, back to hornets. I picked up some of the yellow hornet catchers. I tried using their liquid without much success. One day we were egg'n some blackened catfish & trout and couldn't keep the hornets away.

I changed all the catchers and put some fish in the bottom. It was amazing how many hornets were in each of the catchers. I needed to change out the fish about once a week.

If I find a nest I fry them with with chemicals or a nice burst from the MAPP torch.

GG

Bear

Michael,

I have that problem as well. Lee Valley Tools (leevalleytools.com) sells fake hives that they claim keeps them away because they are territorial (sp?) in nature. I have not tried them as yet however.

B.

Semolina Pilchard

I don't know how to keep them away, but I know how to kill them. The spray they sell hits a few of them, and the rest come after you. If you mix up some dishwashing liquid and water you can hit all of them at once, and it works. Works just as well for wasps.

Gator Bait

 
I'm just curious, when was the last time you were stung by one? I have been covered with yellow jackets when mowing and accidentally ran over a nest and have not been stung. Most often they nest in the ground. They are predatory and eat other insects and for the most part considered beneficial. I have a lot of mud dauber wasps here in south west Florida and they are pretty good neighbors and eat their share of spiders and other insects. I have only been stung once by one and that was as much my fault. I was walking across the yard bare foot and got one between my toes. :blink: :blink: :blink:


Gator

 

Spring Chicken

We've also got some of the glass (hole in the bottom) hornet-catchers but the sugar water they said put in it didn't catch a thing.

Did you use raw or cooked fish?

Spring "Half Raw" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

Grandpas Grub

 
Sugar water didn't work for me at all either.

I have used both raw and cooked trout, catfish and raw tuna. All seemed to work well. I mostly use raw.

GG

bitslammer

I've used one of these for years and have a 2-litre bottle filled with hundreds of yellowjackets. We have a few apple trees and I can't get near them with the mower when the apples fall and start to rot.

I keep these mainly near the deck area to catch the strays that wonder too close to MY area.

http://www.fatal-funnel.com/

CBBQ

I was just reading an article the other day that talked about hanging a freezer bag with 6 pennies in it and half-filled with water to retard flies and wasp. There's supposed to be something about it that intimidates insects. We haven't had a fly since we hung two of them up, or yellowjacket. I have no idea why or if it is actually working.

Little Steven

Michael'

Last few years you have been able to buy these plastic bottles with a yellow "horn" on the top. You put grenadine in the bottle and they worked like a champ. Haven't seen them around this year. We were downtown today at number 3's new pad and the air was thick with them.

Steve

RGBHV

Hi GG:

I used a small water bottle (one of those 10-12 oz bottles - I placed about 2 inches of water in it and then put some jam in it making sure to get some jam on the rim.

At first there wasn't much action and then I found about 10 yellow jackets drown in it. I did this over and over for several days and it seemed to yeild the same kind of catch.

I hope it works for you.

Michael

RGBHV

I haven't been stung but a couple of my kids have. They were probably teasing them.

But, the real reason I want to get rid of them is because we can't eat out doors until after 8 pm because as soon as we bring food out, out come the yellow jackets - it's a nuisance.

Michael

RGBHV

Looks a lot like the water and jam thing.

I wonder if I can get it in Canada.

Michael

Frank from Houma

I understand the flies see their reflection and for some reason don't like it.

YJ stung me the day before yesterday while trimming some palm fronds. If my bride would have been here she would have probably said "I haven't seen you move that fast in years" and of course start cracking up. Good thing a second one didn't get me - I had instantly made up my mind I would jump in the pool. That would have been a big problem - cell phone was in my pocket.

Grandpas Grub

 
Thanks, I will give that a try also.

Kent