Hornets

Fiddleback

Fiddleback

Knifemaker
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
20,010
Twice in the last month a hornet has flown into my shop window. I'm not talking about a yellowjacket. I'm talking 1.5" long, as big around as my pinky, and a measured stinger of 1/4" long!!!

If it had been one time I could ignore it. But I don't want my children finding the nest by accident and being carried away to be fed to the queen...

Do any of you have any experience with hornets? How do I go about locating the nest? How then would I kill them and destroy said nest? Are the larvae as good a fishing bait as wasp larvae? Worth trying to save?

Thanks for the help.
 
This is what I killed!!!

Deleted. They look too much alike for me to tell, and Wiki says Asians aren't here. Could be european. Either way. Big ugly sucker
 
I usually just follow it around with a can of that wasp/hornet killer stuff. It sprays a good 20ft. So I follow the bugger around until he goes home, and then soak it down with spray. They usually like to build a nest in the corners of roofing, at least the ones up by me do.
 
My uncle had one nest in his arch way leading to his garden. We didn't know it was there until we both got stung several times just by going under it. Talk about painful! The swelling took forever to go down. We ended up spraying it down with hornet spray to kill them from a distance. We would spray them and run back into the house. We repeated this about five or six times until they were all dead.
 
These have been bad here this year also.

I just found a Nest in an Outside Light Yesterday, on the back of the House This makes Nest #4 that is Bigger than a cantaloupe.
 
These huge hornets that look like a yellow jacket on steroids keep showing up in my house.

We have a huge mimosa tree by our house and Anita saw 2 of them stinging a hummingbird trying to kill it.

I've been using a flyswatter and lots of torque behind it.:thumbup:
 
Wait till dusk or a little later and all the fellas will be in the nest. Then do a stealth chemical weapon attack and run back inside. If you zap the nest during the day most of them will be out flying around and you won't get them - they won't return to the poisoned nest but they will still be around.
 
If I don't have that crazy projectile foam wasp killer I go primitive and use lighter fluid. They love overhangs and sometimes find ways into spots with only tiny openings.
 
You need one of these'ins

40122.gif


Harbor Frieght, $3.99.
2 D batteries powered DC dug zapper badminton racquet!

It kills flies. I think it may just piss of hornets, but it'd be fun! :thumbup:
 
TX has about 100 different varieties of wasp, and I think that is only a slight exaggeration. I had never seen so many different types before I moved here.

Our water tanks are a great attraction for them this time of year, they come in by the dozens to drink. And drown. You have the chance to get a good look at all the different types.

Generally they like to nest under the eaves of buildings or anywhere they can get their nests up out of the rain.

We also have these here, this is a small one though - http://www.rock.uwc.edu/facultypages/tklubert/images/Originals/CicadaKiller.jpg

I was in my garage once, not long after I moved here. I had the door open and my back to it, working at my workbench. I heard a low pitched humming, but couldn't locate the source. It went away, I went back to my work.

I soon heard it again, though. I turned around and stood very still, just looking. A VERY LARGE WASP (or very tiny helicopter, your choice) was slowly flying along the seams in the concrete floor, about six inches off the floor. It flew along the seam, then up the side of the door in a very machinelike way, obviously looking at the cracks.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I walked over to the insect and knelt down, looking at it. It acted like I wasn't there, so I got a little closer. The humming was quite loud, and I could feel the draft from its wings on my legs.

Suddenly it noticed me and left its business. It flew up and hovered about two feet in front of my face, looking at me like I was looking at it, except it had a humongous stinger which slowly extended, contracted, extended, contracted. Then it decided I wasn't good to eat, and went back about its business. It finally flew away.

I went in and cleaned my shorts. It was a cicada killer, and without exaggeration, it was the length of my thumb, and only a bit thinner. HD, the wasp trying to kill your hummingbird were probably cicada killers, as that is what these giant wasps collect, and lay their eggs on. Probably thought the hummer was a cicada.

Here's another site with pics. These are life sized. http://whatsthatbug.com/killerwasps.html

Andy
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the tips. I'll look for the spray. And it looks like search time this saturday!
 
Ive never had a problem with the honets you describe. But ground hornets. Those little demons have declared war on me several times. Been stung up to 50 times , after running over a nest with a lawn mower and once picking up a log concealing their hideout.
 
I can't see pics here at work but have had many runs ins with assorted bees, they do come in amazing varieties! Yellow jackets get 1/2 a soda bottle of gasoline- invert bottle into nest hole at night and dig out the soiled ground the next evening.

Big Yellow hornet looking bees were called "News Bees" on the farm and a tennis racket was the weapon of choice.
Hornet nests out of reach were disbanded via a 12 guage full choke and dove loads.

You can place a bucket full of water and hang a dead fish just a few inches above the water to thin out yellow jackets and hornets. They gorge and then fall in the water.

We raised honey bees and I was always amazed at the difference in aggression in different types of bees. Some just go around acting like you owe them money!

2Door
 
mycroftt said:
Wait till dusk or a little later and all the fellas will be in the nest. Then do a stealth chemical weapon attack and run back inside. If you zap the nest during the day most of them will be out flying around and you won't get them - they won't return to the poisoned nest but they will still be around.
Click to expand...

Are you Busy this evening and can you stop by my place? :D

BTW Don't forget to stop at the store on the way to pick up a can of spray. :D
 
mycroftt said:
Wait till dusk or a little later and all the fellas will be in the nest. Then do a stealth chemical weapon attack and run back inside. If you zap the nest during the day most of them will be out flying around and you won't get them - they won't return to the poisoned nest but they will still be around.
Click to expand...


^ WHAT HE SAID! ^


Do NOT spray them during the day. Use the day time to follow them, and find out were the nest is, then come back at night and spray the shiznit out of the nest.

If you spray during the day you are wasting your time. Also, keep on the look out for multiple nests. Like someone said, they like overhangs, I've even found some behind siding.

Good luck and happy hunting!
elmer.gif
 
Noshtero said:
You need one of these'ins

40122.gif


Harbor Frieght, $3.99.
2 D batteries powered DC dug zapper badminton racquet!

It kills flies. I think it may just piss of hornets, but it'd be fun! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

LOL, those are fun for the lone bee or fly in your house. It will only stun them initially, but if you hold it on them, they will cook. Fun stuff!!
dblthumb2.gif
 
mycroftt said:
Wait till dusk or a little later and all the fellas will be in the nest. Then do a stealth chemical weapon attack and run back inside. If you zap the nest during the day most of them will be out flying around and you won't get them - they won't return to the poisoned nest but they will still be around.
Click to expand...

Sound advice. I've had nests survive repeated attacks, so keep at it. One time, they were so resistant, I actually soaked the nest with insecticide, then used it as a flame thrower to torch the nest.

Also, look around for big, perfectly circular holes in wood - make sure that they're not some type of borer wasp.
 
I too have some very painfull exp with those HUGE ground hornets.. What ever you do dont think bad thoughts about killing them during the day when you are around the nest. I did just that standing about 10-15meters away. As soon as i told my friend im going to kill them tonight they all came out and attacked me only.. Some of the stings left scars for over 2 years.. i burned them out out night just to find out they had another nest close by.. But i would only kill them if they are close to where i live..

Sasha
 
I have an idea on how to kill ground honets. Set a mulching mower to its lowest height. Then move it over the entrance and leave it. That should chop them to pieces.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top