Fun with hornets.

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 1, 2004, 10:11 pm

Tonight I had to go shoot a couple of hornet nests over at my Dad’s.

These are ground nests and the theory is that if you wait until dark, they are all at home settled in for the evening when BAM! In comes a deadly stream of Raid Wasp and Hornet Spray with permethrin (.2% solution by weight) and tetramethrin (.2% solution by weight) and they settle down for the LONG SLEEP.

Au contraire, mes amis, au contraire.

Those little bastards came boiling up out of the ground in a rush that would’ve made Patton proud.

I did prevail however. I managed to get a good full 10 seconds of shots in before having to beat a rather hasty retreat to house to avoid any further contact with my enemy.

I only managed to get stung a couple of times in the process. After about 20 minutes I went back out with a flashlight and could detect no movement in the enemy camp. Further recon and inspection will continue at daylight. I expect a large body count.

I was somewhat reminded of the commercial with the guy up on the ladder about to snatch a wasp nest from a tree and drop it in a trash can with his buddy standing by to slap the lid down. In mid stream to the nest I flashed an image of me busting my ass and falling right on top of the nest.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » September 2, 2004, 12:43 am

hehehe you shoulda just dumped gas in the whole in lit a match .. works wonders =-)

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 2, 2004, 7:20 am

Nests were at the base of some landscape timbers...right up against the neighbor's house.

I could see me explaining to the fire department and the neighbor how I burned their house down to get rid of some hornets.

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » September 2, 2004, 9:59 am

I suggest we blast off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure...

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » September 2, 2004, 12:48 pm

pssh the only bad thing that has happen is seeing the ground raise up and then fall back down a lil bit

XunilTlatoani · Post by **XunilTlatoani** » September 2, 2004, 3:30 pm

I think the key is getting the nests while they are small (5-20 hornets). I had to deal with about 7 nests this summer around this size, and using the same Raid spray, I took care of them without incident. Sure it's sadistic, but it's fun watching those buggers squirm around before they keel over and fall off the nest.

If I had to do a nest the size you are talking about, I think I would consider a drive-by shooting

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 2, 2004, 3:53 pm

Apparently I didn't do a whole lot of damage.

I'm thinking its time to turn to the professional bug assasins at Orkin.

Kluden · Post by **Kluden** » September 2, 2004, 4:00 pm

Stay the fight, comrade, don't let those little winged bastards win!!

Go get the hornet can that sprays like 25 feet...and attach a hose type thing, stick in ground, and release the death. Or, just squirt death upon them again from above.

Hesten · Post by **Hesten** » September 2, 2004, 4:02 pm

One of my coworkers got rid of a nest quite easily, also one of those you just cant get to.
The secret, vacuum cleaner. Simply start vaacuming the entrance to the nest, get eventual escaped ones, then bug spray into vacuum nozzle.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » September 2, 2004, 5:23 pm

Can't you just knock off a nest into a plastic trash bag, tie it and throw it in the dumpster?

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 2, 2004, 5:36 pm

ground nest.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » September 2, 2004, 5:42 pm

I'd enlist the aid of the grounds keeper Carl Spackler from Caddyshack to deal with them then! Secure a box of M80's and prepare to detonate.

Sueven · Post by **Sueven** » September 2, 2004, 6:10 pm

There are two simple ways to deal with it:

1. The drasta method: gasoline plus match. It sounds as though you can't use this one.

2. The same method you used, with one variation: get two pieces of metal screen. Find both entrances to the nest. Use a hammer and nails to hammer the screen into the ground over the entrances. Then spray. All the hornets that fly out will fly into the poison soaked screen and die harmlessly.

Mak · Post by **Mak** » September 2, 2004, 7:43 pm

Or, you could just pay a professional to come take care of it and save yourself a trip to the hospital.

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 2, 2004, 8:29 pm

Dad picked up a new can of spray that has twice the permthrin the first stuff did.

I'm thinking about that trip to the hospital. This one doesn't shoot 20'. It has a straw with it like a can of WD-40 and it says to walk up, stick the straw down the hole and push the button until empty.

Right.

This is gonna be good. My oldest daughter's boyfriend is stupid enough, I think I'll wait until he gets here and offer him a challenge he can't resist.

I know damn good and well he'll bite and walk right up to the nest and stick the nozzle in and pull.

I'll call his Mom later and explain what happened.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » September 2, 2004, 8:40 pm

Just wear some heavy insulated underwear under jeans with a thick twill shirt...mosquito net over a hat and some leather gloves...be sure and tape your pant and shirt cuffs...you can get the nets about anyplace with hunting supply...That will stop the huge majority of the sting attempts...the stingers are sharp, but not very long usually...

You can zap 'em at your leisure pretty much...just be sure and get someone to check you out for bare spots...also hold your breath as much as possible...they home in on CO2...

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 3, 2004, 7:39 am

2nd attempt went very well.

I took some of the precautions Arb suggested above and pulled out all my old hunting gear. Had head shroud, coveralls, etc. etc...all cammo of course. It looked like a hunting trip was in the making.

The stuff we used last night had a "fog" effect that suposedly permeates the nest rather well. Instructions were to cover any 2ndary holes (already done) and then put the tube down in the main entrance and let her rip until empty.

We never saw a single hornet.

We'll start confirming body count after the sun comes up.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » September 3, 2004, 8:26 am

Neost wrote:2nd attempt went very well.

I took some of the precautions Arb suggested above and pulled out all my old hunting gear. Had head shroud, coveralls, etc. etc...all cammo of course. It looked like a hunting trip was in the making.

The stuff we used last night had a "fog" effect that suposedly permeates the nest rather well. Instructions were to cover any 2ndary holes (already done) and then put the tube down in the main entrance and let her rip until empty.

We never saw a single hornet.

We'll start confirming body count after the sun comes up.

Excellent it always makes it a bit easier when you can stand in and hose em down good...

I think wasps are the only creatures I ever kill with no remorse...

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » September 3, 2004, 6:07 pm

spiders are evil

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » September 3, 2004, 6:25 pm

Drasta wrote:spiders are evil

Spiders are really important predators...

...I take them outside when they find their way into the house but wouldn't hurt one on purpose

noel · Post by **noel** » September 3, 2004, 6:31 pm

This thread has had me rivetted. Neost needs to update again!

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » September 3, 2004, 6:39 pm

I'm looking forward to a good "how to get rid of slugs in the garden" thread...

noel · Post by **noel** » September 3, 2004, 6:44 pm

Arborealus wrote:I'm looking forward to a good "how to get rid of slugs in the garden" thread...

Magnifying glass, salt, or season-all?

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » September 3, 2004, 6:46 pm

noel wrote:
Arborealus wrote:I'm looking forward to a good "how to get rid of slugs in the garden" thread...
Magnifying glass, salt, or season-all?

You been looking in My bedroom again?

noel · Post by **noel** » September 3, 2004, 6:49 pm

I've never personally needed a magnifying glass in the bedroom, but whatever floats your boat! (you walked into that one my friend)

Sometimes salt is nice for bodyshots.

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » September 3, 2004, 6:52 pm

noel wrote:I've never personally needed a magnifying glass in the bedroom, but whatever floats your boat! (you walked into that one my friend)

Sometimes salt is nice for bodyshots.

BAHAHAHA

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » September 3, 2004, 6:55 pm

my friend stepped on a huge slug barefoot once when she was drunk ... it was rather gross

Akaran_D · Post by **Akaran_D** » September 3, 2004, 7:25 pm

Spider bites give me mild hallucinations and the bites swell up to the size of radishes.

Lor · Post by **Lor** » September 3, 2004, 7:35 pm

For this enemy you'll need stronger weaponry.... Go for the Ortho wasp and Hornet spray, This stuff foams on contact so it will expand into the hole, any wasp that comes in contact with it will die, they can't get out of the hole. It's like a persistant nerve agent, I think it stays in it's foam state for close to 10 minutes but the poison lasts a lot longer.......Muhahahahahahahaha.

Neost · Post by **Neost** » September 3, 2004, 7:57 pm

I'll not keep you in suspense any longer:

[Show]: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Deneve · Post by **Deneve** » September 4, 2004, 3:13 am

Drasta wrote:hehehe you shoulda just dumped gas in the whole in lit a match .. works wonders =-)

Last time I did that I killed a LOT of grass, and melted the landscape edging...on thing that did work was putting a shop-vac style vacuum with a hose attachment so that the hose was laying with the tip on the ground next to the opening. When the little bastards made their commute in and out they got pulled into the vacuum, then after running it for the day you just leave the vacuum on and spray some raid down the hose....fixes them nicely.

icknay · Post by **icknay** » September 5, 2004, 8:23 pm

Here's a clue. You can use gas but don't have to set it ablaze. Just turn a large gas can upside down over the hole and walk away. All dead.
This has worked 100% for me, although in all fairness I've only done this like 3 times.

Mitzey · Post by **Mitzey** » September 5, 2004, 9:29 pm

A bowl of beer in the garden is the best way to get rid of slugs...

Mitzey