Yellow jackets under the siding-what would you do?

[Walt34]

What do I do?

I close the door and tell DH to take care of it. (It's in the pre-nup. He handles all things buggy or creepy crawly.)

Aha! DW must have been talking to you before our wedding.

 

[MarieIG]

Aha! DW must have been talking to you before our wedding.

My lips are sealed!

 

[msieweke]

I had yellow jackets nesting in the wall of my house behind the siding. I wanted a low-toxicity solution, so I used Combat Source Kill Max Roach Killing Gel. I applied the gel to pieces of blue tape that I stuck near their entry/exit hole. I reapplied the gel every day until they stopped eating it.

You need a place to put the gel out of the weather. This is a slow method. I think it took a week to kill the nest.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We had yellow jackets build a nest in the wall cavity of our guest bedroom. They were entering through a gap in the soffit. It sounded like they were chewing on something in the attic space. Last week the pest control company came out and treated from the outside using a residual insecticide. Since we could still hear them and see some flying into the soffit over the weekend they came back today to treat again. The exterminator went into the guest bedroom to treat by poking a hole in the ceiling. Well, the yellow jackets almost ate their way into our house through the drywall and the nest almost fell into the room because the drywall was soft and gave way when he poked the hole in it. He sprayed the nest then used painters tape to seal the ceiling. That should take care of the issue but we now have drywall work to do once we are 1,000% sure their gone.

I saw several YouTube videos of situations like yours. I never want it to get that far-we’d have to move out! The other side of that wall is our family room and we have an open floor plan. I’ve been going around the house listening to the walls with my stethoscope and I’ve heard nothing except occasional wing buzzing on the the wall behind the opening where they go in and out.

I called another company and they said our guy was on track and to be patient. It will probably take more applications of Sevin. I do think the vacuum drastically reduced the number of workers so they same ones go in and out more. This could help them drag more Sevin into kill off fewer remaining yellow jackets.

 

[pacergal]

We had a yellow jacket nest in our bedroom walls years ago.I discovered it one evening when I heard buzzing next to the bed, looked all over for a bee in the room. Finally put my stethascope to the wall--yowza! very loud and active! DH had a friend who did professional pest control. He cam out at dusk to watch exactly where they were entering the siding, suited up, sprayed dust and that took care of it. Had to watch for dying bees in the grass for a few days to not step on them.
DD and DSiL had a honey bee hive in their attic, accessed behind their closet. Hired a beekeeper, he and his partner came out sucked out the bees to rehome to their farm, removed the comb and honey, cleaned and replaced the drywall. They left a container of honey and comb for them. It was delicious!

 

[Jerry1]

I saw several YouTube videos of situations like yours. I never want it to get that far-we’d have to move out! The other side of that wall is our family room and we have an open floor plan. I’ve been going around the house listening to the walls with my stethoscope and I’ve heard nothing except occasional wing buzzing on the the wall behind the opening where they go in and out.

I called another company and they said our guy was on track and to be patient. It will probably take more applications of Sevin. I do think the vacuum drastically reduced the number of workers so they same ones go in and out more. This could help them drag more Sevin into kill off fewer remaining yellow jackets.

It might make you feel better to have the siding removed to inspect the situation in the fall or once you’re sure the colony is dead. A professional (anyone who knows what they’re doing and has a couple special tools) can remove and replace siding very easily. I had a couple middle pieces replaced once and it went way easier than I thought. It was a friend of a friend and they didn’t even charge me.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Yellow jackets are mean, they bite through clothes so fast you don't know what happened and it hurts a lot.

I've dealt with them twice. One it was late summer and I just waited til they hibernated (or left) around the first of November and removed it.

The second time was mid summer. A next inside my boat, under one of the seats, I got bit many times before I even knew what happened I couldn't get close to it. I put on a rubber rain suit, rubber boots and gloves then my fire department breathing apparatus and went in there and removed the nest by hand, I was spraying RAID or something like that the whole time. I put the nest in a pail of water and carried it away and burried it.

 

[schellem]

Get some Tempo Dust, it may have been what the contractor used. I've had great luck with it but have had to apply it a couple of times over the course of a couple days on yellow jackets. You just have to get a bit at the entrance and they carry it into the nest. This dust also works great for other insects as well and the residual lasts a long time. I've used on wasp next under my carport and after 2 years of use killing them they pretty much quit coming back.

 

[indiajust]

I lost a leather sandal on top of a ground nest. They formed a funnel cloud around it and stung themselves to death in permanent war. Dropped citronella candle to infuriate also, chemical signal for attack. Unwise if you have that big a nest.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I want to give a quick update. For a few days, we ran the vacuum morning and evening. It was very hot on the bricks and they tended not to come out during the midday sun. We applied Tempo dust all along the place where the bricks meet the siding, and reapplied it at the opening. For about a week, whenever the mood struck us, and for me over my morning coffee, I'd sit in the breakfast nook listening to a podcast and turn the vacuum on and off as they either approached from foraging or tried to leave the nest. Occasionally there would be a few sentries guarding the opening, and when the vacuum came on they tried to figure out how to attack it, resulting in instant death from the vacuum. For the past two days we have seen no yellow jackets, and yesterday afternoon we serviced the hot tub which is right there by the back door and weren't bothered at all.

There were too many for the dust alone to work, and we probably vacuumed up at least 500-1000 yellow jackets, and the rest were killed by the dust. Also, a couple of days ago, I saw a larger one at the opening. When it crawled out, I turned on the vacuum. It may have been the queen.

I think we just got our backyard back. I'll keep you posted.

Indiajust, I liked the story of the yellow jackets attacking the leather sandal.

 

[Jerry1]

Great news EWGal! Hope that’s the end of that forever.

 

[tryan]

Last nest I had to knock out I approached from the INSIDE ..... The wall was warm to the touch. This nest was a wooper. MiL was stung 4 times trying to treat it from outside. Sooo I took a utility knife and cut a small hole in the wall board on the inside of the house. Stuck the nozzle of the spray can in the hole and un loaded the WHOLE CAN. Next day I caulked the outside hole. And patched the inside hole.

Easy Peasy.

 

[EastWest Gal]

No activity in since 8/3. I think we won. We’ll seal the opening in awhile. We took down the shop vac and can safely enjoy the garden and the deck. Yay!

 

[street]

No activity in since 8/3. I think we won. We’ll seal the opening in awhile. We took down the shop vac and can safely enjoy the garden and the deck. Yay!

Great!! Thanks for the update.

 

[Koolau]

Great idea with the vacuum.

All my experiences have been to spray wasp killer onto the nest. Are you absolutely positive they didn't go into the house and build a nest ?

Last year, I had one go in along the dryer vent into a cupboard space. It had perplexed the renters, but a flashlight and I could see it. A double treatment of Menard's wasp killer spray (more like a stream) killed them all. Then I sealed the hole.

Re-reading your post, is this brick on the house or a separate stand alone fireplace ?

Yep, this is what we did. We had some "sure shot" or some such and just about emptied the can into the hole they were using as an entrance. W*rked the first time. I hate to think of the mess they left. Once no more YJs emerged, we sealed the hole. ONE (just one) made it inside the house. Not sure how/where, but he was pretty sick by the time he (probably she) got inside. DW is deathly allergic so I handled the wayward YJ. I'm afraid of them as well, but have no allergies. Good luck.

 

[Koolau]

Analogy time...

Honeybees are to model T as yellow jackets are to 2023 F1 race car.

Oh, yeah! YJs are vicious little pests. They seem to sting for no reason (or no reason I can see.) If you see one - you are in danger of being stung. Get rid of them at all costs.

 

[JoeWras]

Owww! I hate yellowjackets!#!@!

Here we are a year after EastWestGal's thread, and I got smoked by these suckers this week. I tell ya, this is war!

I was minding my own business, attending to the garden, when I thought my key was cutting into my thigh. I was busy and kind of blew it off, but man that hurt. I have a pretty good pain tolerance. After walking through the garden, I looked down at my socks and noticed some hitchhiking burrs, and went to pick them off when I noticed one burr was a yellowjacket. As my hand approached, it struck. Ow again! That was three stings in 10 minutes. The pocket sting was a series of 2 as I believe the yellowjacket got in my pocket.

What's going on here? I thought. I backed up and tried to watch for "airport take offs and landings", and after a few minutes, found the hole. OK. Fine. This is war. All creatures have a place in this world, including yellowjackets (they do have some benefits), but man, I didn't do anything! Just got close to you guys and you decide to launch a pre-emptive attack. Your loss.

Next morning woke up at 5:15 and emptied 1/2 a can of wasp spray (with a snorkel) into the hole. Problem solved. But then two days later, still noticed some airport activity and found airport #2 about 10 yards away. Now this one was busy! About one take off or landing per second. That's a lot of yellowjackets! Did this same this morning at 5:15, first hitting it with the long spray, then following up with the snorkel. Activity is down today to about one per 3 seconds. I'm going to have to follow up again tomorrow morning.

A few things:
- I encouraged getting a pro to do this earlier in the thread, but now I'm doing it on my own. I guess surviving 3 stings raised my bravado. Plus I understand how underground YJ's work. Behind the siding sounds more challenging.
- We are in a drought. I think this is a factor. They are mad, I'm mad, it is hot. They are using my garden drip water as a source. No good deed goes unpunished. My water is attracting them.
- I had trees cut 4 years ago. That's enough time for the roots to decay and create hollows underground where this species loves to live.
- I have to nuke these suckers because the back yard is now unusable.
- It has been years since I had a nest. I used sevin powder before, but decided against it because it spreads easily to the bee population. I'm going with the specific wasp foam which stays local.
- 5 days later, the swelling is gone, but the small sting sites itch like heck

I responded to this thread last year from memory as to how aggressive they are. Geez, what a confirmation I got this week. Yellowjackets (and around here, their close relation the hornet) are the biggest jerks in the insect world. In my life, I have only got one bee sting after sitting on the bee. I only got one bumblebee sting after stepping on their nest for 1/2 hour. But for yellow jackets? Well I literally walk 10 ft. close to the yellowjacket nest, and they strike. Jerks!

 

[indiajust]

You could hire some bald-faced hornets. They are uber predators and eat yellow jackets for breakfast. But then you will have a much worse problem...
If you get the wall hotter they will die off, won't take much.
The first stings are warning nips to leave. They get more serious on the second pass with the mower.

 

[user5027]

Tempo and a bulb duster.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

 

[5Miler]

About 3 weeks ago I was out on my deck getting ready to water some plants when I happened to notice that my security camera mounted head high and about 2 feet from my face was encapsulated in a big hornets nest. And quite active I might add. I nearly pooped myself when the realization of what I was seeing finally dawned on me.

I spent two days occasionally hitting it with a can of 30 foot spray for hornets and wasps. The third day after spraying it down I used a left over 8 foot long 1x2 and poked at it then ran to the back door in fear. That evening I managed to spray it down once more and used my improvised spear to tear down most of the nest before running off again.

The next day I checked and the nest was finally deserted so I completed it's destruction. I have been checking the yard, underside of the second story deck and nearby trees for any hornet activity and I am glad to say all is well. I was nailed several years ago by a yellow jacket nest in some decaying tree roots with 6 stings in a fierce attack. That wasn't a good day for me.

 

[JoeWras]

There are some pretty scary videos out there on the internet. These nests can get out of control fast. The first stage is usually May/June when the queen is at first on her own, then gets a few workers. It goes slow. Once those workers go to business, the queen pumps out the eggs like mad and the growth becomes exponential for a while (we are in that stage right now in the southeast), until it winds down to produce next year's set of queens.

It is all very interesting. It is not so interesting when it is right outside your back door.

 

[OldShooter]

Wasp killer spray on the nest is the way to go.

Yes. I just bought one of those spray bombs designed to shoot nests from a distance and instead directed the stream into the hole the wasps were using. I'm sure it didn't reach the nest but the wasps had to go through the poison zone to get in or out.

 

[JoeWras]

Yes. I just bought one of those spray bombs designed to shoot nests from a distance and instead directed the stream into the hole the wasps were using. I'm sure it didn't reach the nest but the wasps had to go through the poison zone to get in or out.

I used both. It was kind of like "artillery to loosen them up, then close in assault to finish the job."

At dawn, the big nest still had workers leaving about 1 per 3 seconds. I was amazed at these early risers. I shot it from a distance with the long spray. Then I went in with the specific foam spray that had the snorkel and filled as much as I dared to.

First application knocked them down. Today, I emptied the rest of the can into the hole and I think they are finished.

During this military operation, I wore my thick winter jacket that had an integrated hood. I wore gloves and long pants. My face was still vulnerable, although I wore eye protection. I have no idea if a worker tried to strike from behind. I was protected (except for the pants which are a bit thin).

In the end, these products contain a type of pyrethrin. I try to limit my use. I feel good that it was all focused on the hole, and most went down into the cavern. We have no stray cats (cats are very susceptible to pyrethrin). I wish a racoon had dug this up earlier, but apparently we don't have them, or if they saw it, they were lazy because a big rock is over it. Rumor has it they love yellowjacket nests. So do bears. We do not have bears... yet.

Today, near empty, the can wasn't foaming, just spraying a liquid. This was good because it wasn't back-washing. It all went down, easily. These amazing creatures are crafty. When they leave the nest, they usually have a grain of sand or dirt and lift it out and drop it far away. This way, they can take a golf ball sized cavern and turn it into a beach ball size. Amazing.

 

[Palmtree]

Most of my yard is natural areas and we get nests in the ground every year. I got nailed by a yellow jacket two days ago and again this morning when I was clearing brush and happened to stand on the entrance of their nest. They swarmed my boot but I escaped with only two stings. Two were still in the laces of my boots when I went to take them off 5 minutes later!
Here's how I have killed them in the past without using gas or pesticides. Go out after dark with an old window screen, a water hose and a bottle of dish detergent. Using only a flashlight with a red gel (or red LED flashlight) to were you are going, place the screen over the hole so the can't fly out and sting you. Then squirt a good cup or so of detergent through the screen and into the entrance. Quickly blast a few gallons of water into the hole to get it to suds up. This kills the whole nest like magic.

 

[JoeWras]

That's a pretty cool trick, palmtree! I like it.

My second nest was in between the crooks of rocks. That makes the screen thing difficult. But for my first hole, your screen trick would have worked perfectly.