Yellow Jacket Nest

[bucketmouthjohnny]

Hi all, got a small problem, as you can tell by the title. I have a yellow jacket nest in my attic. They enter at the front door where the soffit attaches to the brick and use the same mortar joint to get into the attic(well, not exactly the attic, they are in the drop part for the soffit).I went into the attic to see if i could locate it, but only heard the buzzing and could not see the nest as it is blocked from view so i cannot douse it with wasp killer. I have sprayed wasp killer all around the soffit and killed a few workers but shortly after that dries up its the 401 again.

I have contacted a pest controller for a quote and am waiting for it but wanted to know if any of you have had similar pests and how you handled it. Has anyone had an exterminater rid them of a nest? If so, what would /should i be looking at paying for this service?

Thanks for any advice (other than don't get stung , lol), hope to soon be YJ free, John.

[glen]

Wait until it is cool less than 10 deg. then all the bees will be in the nest and not moving. go in there and spray them or put the nest in a bag.

[Roy]

I get them all the time. I now have a huge nest under the back deck. They don't bother me nor the kids. I wait till fall then remove the nest every year. Some years I get as many as 5 'hives'. Tons of those types of critters here...bees and such but, it's one of the unavoidables when you have a lot of flowers. Like I said, they don't bother us and in fact sometimes provide some entainment watching them.

[OhioFisherman]

I get them in the chimney and under the soffits also, I take room fogger, I think it is for fleas and ticks but will kill the yellow jackets as well. Attach a can to a pole with cable ties, push the soffit as much as I can without damaging it to make a gap. Take the can, it has a locking on, and set it back up by the gap. Sometimes it takes two cans a day apart and is best done as near to dark as you can, they should be all in the nest at dark.

 

I use the poles I use for cleaning my chimney, like 6 foot sections with quick connects any sort of stiff long pole should work though. Keep a garden hose with the water on nearby in case you tick them off. They don`t like flying thru water to get you.

 

For a chimney just drop a can down it for a couple of days near dark, mine has an outside clean out to get the empty cans, you might need to check where your is to do this.

 

If you get them out try putting some moth balls in the soffit.

Edited August 10, 2007 by OhioFisherman

[Tacklebuster]

I had a similar problem a few years back. The wasps found a crack in the mortar near the ground and got into the basement and built a nest between the foundation and the drywall, and then got into the house through the spaces between the ductwork. For days I couldn't figure out why when I came home from work there were always 6-8 of these large wasps in the house. I finally found them and how they got in. One thing for sure, only try to get them at night or shortly after sunset, because they are dormant or inactive, and also all the wasps will be in the nest, its not fun trying to spray the nest while the others are trying to get in. I used wasp foam, which has one of those long plastice nozzles (like the ones on WD-40) and inserted it into the hole and sprayed the crap out of them. The foam sticks to their wings so they cant fly, only crawl around. The next day I called an exterminator and he just pumped some kind of powder into the hole which he said would get the rest of them, and he didn't even charge me for that. I must have had quite a large nest, I found well over 100 in and outside of the house. Of course, once you think there all dead make sure you seal up the hole, and check the rest of your house for potential areas, and seal them up as well. You would be surprised how small a hole or crack they and other insects can use to get inside.

[pikehunter]

There is an expanding foam insecticide available. When you spray it the foam expands engulfing the nest, do it in the evening when the pests have entered the nest and are settling in for the night to avoid being stung and to get them all.

 

I have used it on carpenter bees with success! Really neat stuff because carpenter bees drill holes and the foam comes out the other end filling the entire cavity and leaves a residue behind to kill off their offspring when they hatch.

 

It can be used for all bees/wasps.

[joonmoon]

Ahhh YJ's yes gotta luv their persistance and sneakyness....I too have them nesting behind my window shutters and in the wood siding. Found them while trying to remove the shutters and scraping the siding to repaint. A can of wasp/bees spray did the job for me. Had to remove a papernest hanging from the soffit last year. I went up at nite and put the nest in a ziplock bag and zipped it off the soffit, nice and neat. I also have a really large nest in the tree up about 20' in my backyard. That one can wait til winter target practice with snowballs. Good luck and don't forget to seal up any where they can get in.

[bucketmouthjohnny]

Thanks guys, unfortunately i cannot access the nest or it wouldn't "bee" a problem. I am not going to take the soffit down. I read about the dust and that seemed to be my best option but the one i wanted is not for retail in ontario and most of the other ones you need a license to use. I am going to put a clear caulking after around all my soffit where it meets the brick. I did the back several years ago and never did the front, stupid me!! looks like this pro isn't going to contact me, time to call another one.

 

pikehunter, the foam, does it say it leaves a residual? cause the wasp killer definitely doesn't. Is it available a CT? thanks all, would really like to find some of that dust though as i have researched it, and it seems to be the best.

 

John

[Headhunter]

I had a Yellow Jacket problem a few weeks ago, they had established themselves where my deck meets the house. Being the adventurous type, I bought some wasp killer from CTC and also brought out my "bug Eliminator" electronic tennis racket type bug killer.

I ensured that the family was inside and during the day, sprayed the nest with the killer. Some of those little guys, shall we say were unhappy with my efforts and came out at me with a vengeance! With my handy Bug Eliminator at hand, I had a riot zapping them and letting them know that unless and until they start paying the mortgage on the house, they are not welcome!

I picked the Bug Eliminator up a BPS... anyone who sees it can't put it down! LOL

HH

[brandon]

I work as a pest and wildlife control tech and I treat probably 4 or 5 nests like yours a day. The only real solution to that kind of problem is to contact a pest control company and they will put on the bug suit, get right up close and shoot this powder into the hole where they are getting in. This powder has a residual effect and gets onto the yellow jackets feet. Being the clean specie that they are, they will clean and groom each other with their feet and in turn ingesting this powder......within 12-24 hours there will be no more life at that nest. And whatever you do don't take the nest down. If the nest is taken down and there are a few workers that have not died, they will see the nest is gone and will rebuild it....I know it sounds like ur nest is in a tricky situation anyways so I'd just leave it there. And for a wasp nest treatment our company charges $99.00+gst.....I'm not sure about what Ontario pest control companies charge but thats just a general idea of what you would be looking to pay. Most companies also have a 6 month warranty on wasp nest treatments so if the treatment didnt work the first time they will come back and treat it again at no cost to you. Hope this helps

[bigfish1965]

We hada big one in the soffit a few years back and hired PCO to come kill them. I think it was 100 bucks or so, but they were gone and never came back.

[wallyboss]

I used to find some often in my old line of work, and all i did was leave a small container with Varsol in it close to the nest and within a couple of days they had vacated. I guess they can't stand the smell.

[Roy]

Looks like I must be the only one who doesn't kill them. I have never in 25 years of having 20 or so kids running around the house had a kid get stung. NEVER. New kids sometimes get panicky when we're eating outside for the first few times but when you sit down with them and explain that they won't hurt you, the kids get used to them being around.

[bucketmouthjohnny]

Well, i have 3 price quotes, two are similar at around $115 plus that BST err, i mean GST. one was for $340 but gives you a perimeter shooting and 6 month warranty. The first two are big major companies, they offer a 2 month warranty but the 3 rd guy told me to make sure what those warranties actually cover for that price.

The wife wants em gone, i want em gone even though they don't bother me, they are right above my front door and mailbox which could become problematic to visitors or else i would just let them live. Brandon is in the profession and helped me out greatly, thanks Brandon!! i still want to hear back from you via the pm i just sent you.

 

here's hoping to being BBBBBBBBBBBusy doing other things this weekend instead of worrying about these b's

[Headhunter]

Actually Roy, I was quite content to leave them alone or should I say, I didn't even know they were there until I got stung just walking past the nest! I can't recall the last time I was stung, until this recent episode, but with small kids and a family friend who's extremely allergic to stings, I felt I had to get rid of them.

Sure is a lot of fun whackin them with the electric swatter though... guys gotta get his yaw yaws out some how!

HH

[Garyv]

Here's one ( around 20" across ) I cleaned out in 2005. Waited until dark, opened door to shed, sprayed ( saturated nest ) with a can of killer removed nest after a while and burned it. They never came back. Cost about $6.00 for a can of spray.

 

[aplumma]

Funny how this subject came up just as I finished finding a nest of ground hornets over by the Goats watering tub. I was washing out the tub getting rid of the leaves and stuff when the water I dumped out ran across the ground and rattled the little buggers up. I am now have 5 stings with sting eze on them and 2 benadril to keep the puffyness down. It is a shame they did not build their nest alittle deeper into the woods because they are in the area the dogs can get to. I guess I have a little project to do this evening with the garden hose.

 

 

Art

[bigfish1965]

They go after my dogs, Roy, which is why I had to eradicate them. The golden swells up bad from the stings.

[jedimaster]

I had a 2 and a half foot long nest in my attic a few years back. I had the pest control guys come, the removed gthe nest and killed the residual ones for 100 bucks. Saved me from getting stung.

[bucketmouthjohnny]

The ORKIN MAN is coming at 5 pm today!!!! If i could have got to the nest i would have killed them myself but seeing as it is not accesible, instead of me spending 30 bucks on sprays and killing a few workers and not accomplishing anything i decided to go the pro way! I will post results later

 

Plumma, i hope you are feeling better!!

Gary, that is a huge nest!!!

[pigeonfisher]

I had to take the father in law to the hospital a few weekends back due to his reaction to a sting. We were told to leave the nests up as the little fellas are territorial and another set won't build within 100' of an existing nest. I don't know if that is true, I do however know that the in laws went out and bought some fake nests as well.

 

My Father in law was damn near hallucinating from his bites...Cooper got two bites from the same nest though, he had no reaction at all.

 

DANG

[pikehunter]

 

This is the stuff you asked about. Picked it up at Walmart, I think, or maybe the Home Depot?

The price was about $8 or $9. Comes with a wand to spray it into tight spots.

 

Good luck on eradicating the pests.

[brandon]

PF is right.....some stores sell phony nests to hang up near existing ones and hope that the wasps move out of the area......I've heard these fake nests dont work at all and leaving the existing one, after treatment, hanging in the tree still is the best thing to do

[bucketmouthjohnny]

The orkin man was a nice guy and did a great job!! so far so good, nothing going in, will check on it periodically over next day or two but i think the yj's have bit the dust, literally!!

 

Thanks for all the input fellas, and especially to you Brandon!!

 

 

John

[brandon]

Hopefully that will be the end of your problem