Preventing Hornet's Nests in Stand
 

In one old stand last year, I had a huge hornet's nest right below where I would normally sit! :eek: I did not use this stand and only came across this in October after the hornets were gone.

They start building their nest about now. What could I spray to deter them building the nest. Any suggestions? I would rather try to deter now rather than dealing with some huge nest later.

I've sprayed out nests with automotive quick start (Ether) and never had them try and re-nest in that spot again. I tear the old nest out, just in case.

They generally don't re nest at all because they die. The fertilized queen hibernates and starts all over again in the spring. The rest die.

If you can kill them that is even better though as they prey on our native bees which we already have a major shortage of.

They also won't nest near another nest.

You can buy fake nest to hang around your stand for about $10-15 the queen won't start her new nest around what she thinks is an existing nest.

The nest building started in spring though. Now is when they(the nests) start getting big enough to stand out not when she starts building it. So if she is going to build there she is already started.

Ha, you carry a stand that day
 

with no hornet's nest in it.

Of course, I have the bad habit of not leaving stands in the tree overnight.

I had to take out half a dozen nests within maybe 15 feet (wide) of attic space. I always assumed they use the same nest year to year because of the size difference of the nests. Some of the nests were kind of huge, while others you could hold in one hand. Some were abandoned and some were active.

I've found nothing better than Ether trying to deal with them.

I've sprayed out a nest with a commercial product and had them try to rebuild in the same spot or nearly in the same spot.

There are all kinds of hornets and wasp and they build different types of nest.

This is a bald face hornet nest, they like yellow jackets and most others die after the first frost. This type of nest is also a prize to some muzzle loader shooters as the nest material is good stuff to put between the round ball/bullet and powder.



This one we call long legs because it's legs hang down in flight.



It's nest looks like this.



They all have some beneficial quality's, just how much can you deal with?

I have never seen a nest built in the same spot one had been before ever.


:D Al

I can appreciate their benefits on my neighbors property just fine :patriot:

I tolerate them to a point. Until they get dangerous. I had a giant nest in the attic right above my bedroom window, Sorry but they had to go.

I had another in an outside cabinet right next to the front door of the house. We learned in a hurry not to slam the door. Sorry but they had to go.

I had another in my trash trailer, under the cover. I found that one the hard way. For an old guy, I can move pretty darned fast if I'm properly motivated. :)

They are protected here. If whomever wrote that law wants them, I'd be happy to relocate my nests to their bedroom.

foaming bee spray, paste the whole shut with the first blast, coat the nest, they are done. I will not tolerate bees close to where I spend time, they hafta go, yellowjackets in the ground, a pint of gas works wonders.
RR

May want to switch that to Kerosene unless you want to go without eyebrows and have a receding hairline before your time :s4:

why you don't light it
RR

That gasoline will get them good and that's the way I always get rid of them. Just wait until late in the evening when they all go down into the nest and the only ones you might see the next morning will be ones that hadn't made it back in.

Ahhhh, never heard that one before. Figured you were lighting them up not using the gas as a poison. Seen folks using Kerosene down the hole and lighting them up.

In an enclosed stand use a total release fogger.
Then I apply a residual insecticide to the interior walls.
Some of the more effective insecticides used by professionals include Demand (lambda cyhalothrin), Suspend (deltamethrin), Talstar (bifenthrin) and Tempo (cyfluthrin). Effective over-the-counter versions of these products include Spectracide Triazicide, Bayer Advanced Powerforce Multi-Insect Killer, and Ortho Home Defense Max. Purchasing these products in concentrated (dilutable) form will allow larger volumes of material to be applied with a pump-up garden sprayer or hose-end sprayer.

I do this in the summer way before season and treat twice.

JW

I kill'em with "ScentLok"......................Works every time !!!

The ScentLok is to cove-up all the petroleum products though.

As a bee keeper I get a lot of calls every year to remove the bees, People don't know the difference between bees hornets or wasp.
We charge a service call fee of $25.00 for a 25 mile radius and $10.00 per mile after that.
We do the twenty questions before we do any thing and if the person on the other end of the phone know a little we can tell if they are honey bees or other like wasp or hornet.
I talk people thru getting rid of them but some still want me to come and do it. We charge a flat rate of $300.00 to do so. I make about $1200.00 a year on average.
I only use Spectracide Pro Wasp and Hornet spray. works from 25 feet away and is a contact killer for up to 4 weeks if not washed down. We also remove the nest from the property.
Also doing the deed at dusk is best. Day break is ok but not as good



:D Al

We've got honey bees in the wall of our cabin... Don't want them there, but hate to kill them off.
-Jake

Jake Find a local beekeeper as they will take them.

JW

something you may try to prevent the nests to begin with, go to do your own pest control.com, order a quart of 36.8% permethrin, mix it 1.5 oz/gal of water and spray the inside of your stand weekly, it will kill anything with 6 or 8 legs and is extremely toxic to bees, so be careful around honeybees.
RR

Talked to a local guy but it's in the wall at the peak of the 2nd story. He didn't want to climb up there. Gonna try a few other people I've been told about in the area though.
-Jake

Here are some links to maybe find help.
Also know how high they are up, can they get to them inside (cut out)or will they have to do a trap out? Some will do it just for the bees some will charge.

This one has a way to contact to seek help.
http://pastatebeekeepers.org/

this one has a menu for bee removers.
http://pennapic.org/

this a county club but has a list of swarm/remover keepers in several counties.

http://www.montcobeekeepers.org/Pages/default.aspx


There are a lot of other listings when you goggle your states bee keeping club that comes up.

:D Al

Good info there, thanks.
-Jake

too bad we aren't closer.......I'd take them in a heart beat
JW

I'm hoping I can find somebody that will help me set them up elsewhere on the property. Not even sure if that's possible... The cabin is on about 20 acres. And I've always wanted a bee box, it would be great if I could find somebody to help me do that. I picked up a couple bee books at the library I'm gonna study up on. Sorry for hijacking this thread OP
-Jake

Jake
Books for you
Bee Keeping for Dummies (No Pun) is a good read and well worth it. Written so one can understand and covers everything.

Bee Keeping Naturally - by Michael Bush - my bible.

JW

Go here scroll down to the section, swarms cut outs, trap outs and bee trees. Lots of good information and you may learn enough to just do the job your self.

http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php


:D Al

I have bumblebees in my shed walls - been there for years and I have never been stung. With the bee shortage, I just don't want to kill them. Hornets and yellowjackets are another matter however.

The bug bomb mentioned sounds like a good idea.

EDIT: Today I got up in my stand and quickly sprayed the ceilings with hornet spray - hoping this will deter them from making a nest inside.