# Ground Hornets



## Fishin4Busch (Mar 31, 2008)

Was right in the middle of mowing & all of sudden I got attacked by a bunch of ground hornets, I think. Ran in the house and one flew one , I couldnt find it for a minute then realized it was in my hair. I killed it before it could sting me but still ended up getting stung 10 times. Not quite sure what the best way to get rid of them is but I was hoping someone could help? I plan on waiting until tonight to use the spray but I really dont feel like getting stung again. Any help would be appreciated.


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## cmiller (Jun 3, 2008)

I like to use a Dieelectric spay. It actually zaps them. It's cool to see them get electricuted once hit. OR My other method is gas and a match. I would suggest you use lighting fluid for grills. You can als soak Disel feul in the ground and just let it sit.


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## Gone Fission (Mar 13, 2005)

Not to start anything but a dielectric is a nonconducting substance, i.e. an insulator. I don't doubt that it kills them but it is probably the sudden chill from the spray that does it. It can not electrocute.

I have used the gas and match technique and it works great. It does kill your grass for quite some time but it is worth it to kill those @#$&#37; bugs


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## cmiller (Jun 3, 2008)

Gone Fission said:


> Not to start anything but a dielectric is a nonconducting substance, i.e. an insulator. I don't doubt that it kills them but it is probably the sudden chill from the spray that does it. It can not electrocute.


You know, come thinking about it, I think you're right. But, the spay I was referring to is industial strength stuff.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

Go to an exterminator and ask for Apicide (not sure of the spelling). Its about $10 and works great. You get enough to last several years.


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

Do you have any bottle rockets left over.


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## symba (May 23, 2008)

cmiller said:


> You can als soak Disel feul in the ground and just let it sit.



Now now. Lets try to refrain from putting diesel fuel directly into the ground.


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## COmmodore 64 (Jun 24, 2006)

GEt some Sevin p owder, dump a bunch in the hole. You might have to do this several times, but it will work and does not enrage them. They'll track it in to their nest or dig their way out (if you dump a ton in). Sevin dust is an irritant, it irritates them, they clean th em selves by licking, so once they ingest it, it will kill them. Store bought stuff is only 5&#37; and takes a couple applications. If you can get ahold of some 50% carbaryl (the active ingredient in Sevin) wettable powder, it works GREAT.

FWIW, they aren't hornets. There's only 1 type of true hornet in this country, Vespa Crabbro, and it's much bigger. You probably disturbed a german yellowjacket nest.


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

i had them and used the methods here finally after many tries they moved close to the woods so that was one less pass i had to do. They will move many times onyou once you start so keep an eye out for them. I never did get rid of them just got them out of the way.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

symba said:


> Now now. Lets try to refrain from putting diesel fuel directly into the ground.


Yeah, we don't want to destroy the enviorment by placing crude back where it came from.  The oil that comes out of the 1200' deep well in my back yard will burn in my diesel truck. I pour a little diesel in the hole at night, followed by a LITTLE gas, light diesel soaked rag-on-a-stick and toss it on the hole. No more hornets.


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## YR bender (Dec 8, 2006)

BTW, do the gas/match, or sevin dust, or what ever do it at night so the yellow jackets will not come out and greet you again.


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## Blue Pike (Apr 24, 2004)

A shop-vac will get them little hornets.

Shove the hose down the hole and turn on the vacuum.

And do not spray bug killer in the hose when the shop-vac is on.
I did this once and only once. It would not have been so bad if the explosion had killed all of the hornets. But only about half of the hornets died in the fire ball, and the survivor&#8217;s were not happy.
You know I think I could have out ran the hornets, after all they had their little wings about half burned off and kind of flying in a zig zag line.

I was just not paying much attention to them. I was brushing the singed hair off my arms and checking to see if my eye brows were still on my face.

The little critters nailed me 14 times.

All and all not to bad of a deal. 

1 -- Shop-Vac, no longer in working order. $79.99
1-- Can of hornet spray $5.95
Oh, yea --- I had no clue at all that I was allergic to hornet stings.
1--Trip to the emergency room, this is when things got a bit pricy. $600.00

So It cost me $685.94 to kill a bunch of hornets.

On second thought, this was a bad deal, forget the Shop-vac thing, go with the diesel, burn them suckers up.


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## tunafish (May 4, 2008)

"A shop-vac will get them little hornets.

Shove the hose down the hole and turn on the vacuum.

And do not spray bug killer in the hose when the shop-vac is on.
I did this once and only once. It would not have been so bad if the explosion had killed all of the hornets. But only about half of the hornets died in the fire ball, and the survivors were not happy.
You know I think I could have out ran the hornets, after all they had their little wings about half burned off and kind of flying in a zig zag line.

I was just not paying much attention to them. I was brushing the singed hair off my arms and checking to see if my eye brows were still on my face.

The little critters nailed me 14 times.

All and all not to bad of a deal. 

1 -- Shop-Vac, no longer in working order. $79.99
1-- Can of hornet spray $5.95
Oh, yea --- I had no clue at all that I was allergic to hornet stings.
1--Trip to the emergency room, this is when things got a bit pricy. $600.00

So It cost me $685.94 to kill a bunch of hornets.

On second thought, this was a bad deal, forget the Shop-vac thing, go with the diesel, burn them suckers up."

*You should get a Mark Twain award for humor, Blue Pike!! I laughed till I HURT!!!*


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## Eugene (Jun 23, 2004)

COmmodore 64 said:


> FWIW, they aren't hornets. There's only 1 type of true hornet in this country, Vespa Crabbro, and it's much bigger. You probably disturbed a german yellowjacket nest.


I agree that it's not likely _Vespa crabro_ and would only quibble formatting of the Latin binomial. The beastie involved here, as the good Commodore has alluded, was probably _Vespula germanica_. The genus _Vespula_ tend to be ground nesters, and _Dolichovespula_ are those that tend to nest in trees. True hornets are of the genus _Vespa_, also nest in trees, and as already pointed out, there is only one species established in the US.


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## APD1088 (Apr 14, 2004)

The way these underground nests are built there are multiple entrances/exits. Pouring gas, diesel, or any solvent alerts some of the insects and they do escape. The escapees are territorial and will protect where the nest was by attacking anybody/anything that walks near the area. Also, as others have stated, pouring diesel directly into the ground is pure pollution. And lighting gasoline?! The best idea for eliminating these pest I've heard comes from a German immigrant who boiled 3-5 gallons of water at night, and quietly poured it down the hole. No smell to alert, and scorched the bees. It must be boiling since insects can hold their breath for at least 20 minutes, so it is the heat that kills. Safer than lighting gasoline, no pollution, very effective.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

nuke the site from orbit, its the only way to be sure.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Pollution or not about half a coffee can of diesel works wonders for getting rid of nests. Pour it in the hole after dark.Thats what we always did and its what most farmers do for ground nests..You do not need to light it.


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## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

Most of the nests I have ever had are 4 to 6 inches in diameter and around 6 inches deep. I go out just at daylight, open the nest up and pour on boiling water. When the temperature gets down in the 50's its too cool for them to fly so they can't get away.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I highly recommend keeping them, nothing beats a good ol' butt ass naked roll in the ground hornet hive to let ya know you're alive


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## COmmodore 64 (Jun 24, 2006)

Eugene said:


> I agree that it's not likely _Vespa crabro_ and would only quibble formatting of the Latin binomial. The beastie involved here, as the good Commodore has alluded, was probably _Vespula germanica_. The genus _Vespula_ tend to be ground nesters, and _Dolichovespula_ are those that tend to nest in trees. True hornets are of the genus _Vespa_, also nest in trees, and as already pointed out, there is only one species established in the US.


It could also be _Vespula vulgaris_, which will also make underground nests. If it is _V. germanica_, it will probably be of the xanthic variety which is more yellow rather than the melanic variey, which is darker, and less common. 

On the subject of hornets, the common aerial yellowjacket, _Dolichovespula arenaria_ is often called the "sandhills hornet", although it is not really a hornet. You can easily tell the ball nests of _arenaria_ from that of _Dolichovespula maculata_ because the latter is scalloped while the former is smooth. What a coincidence that the black and white _maculata_ are oft referred to as "Bald Faced Hornets".

Finally, if you have T-11 siding on any of your dwellings be on the lookout for _Vespula vidua_ which are larger than V. vulgaris or V. germanica, but smaller than D. maculata.

Judging by your enthusiasm and knowledge of this topic, you may be interested to know that at Sea World of Ohio, we found a _D. arenaria_ nest that was parasitized by the arctic yellowjacket, _D. norwegica_ which was of such interest that the Extension Office sent out a rep. to document it. That was cool. He brought his beetle collection. 

edit: SO now...when are we getting together to fish and talk about bugs?


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## cmiller (Jun 3, 2008)

At least I was trying to help the guy with the ground nest problem. I was reading those after my last post. You guys got my idea on how to do them winged creatures. 

You guys gonna love my sig!!!


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## Eugene (Jun 23, 2004)

COmmodore 64 said:


> edit: SO now...when are we getting together to fish and talk about bugs?


Fish, I'm always game. However, I'm afraid my contribution to bug talk would be pretty quickly exhausted. I'm a fisheries biologist on the day job with a fondness for and willingness to use old-fashioned print references. Still, I'm happy to give it my best.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

For Geuaga County residents, I got a phone number of a guy that will vacume up the yellowjackets/ hornets/ whatever.....Only ground dwelling problems....Sells the insects for medicinal purposes - allergies?

Unfortunately for me he didn't have a need for my football shaped nest on my deck so I had to spray last night....If you spray, he cant use the insects. Pm if you need the number...Geauga only

Snakecharmer


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