How do I kill off an underground yellowjacket nest?

[1sailor]

I was wondering what ammonia would do using the same as if it were gas. It seems like once those fumes displaced the air, they would have much of a chance.

 

[glenwolde]

Just remember:
stop at the pour. DO NOT LIGHT THE GAS like this fool!!

You're a real buzzkill...

 

[dave1918a2]

Go to Your local hardware/everything/ kind of store and get a spray can of hornet and wasp killer. The stuff sprays 20 feet and is deadly. Start from a distance and work Your way up to the hole and spray the last of the can ( or a new can ) right down the hole. Problem solved.

 

[Greyman50]

Back in the 60’s was cutting one of our fields with the tractor and bush hog, ran over a yellow jacket nest and couple of them got me. Drove back to the barn got a metal bucket with about 2 gals of gas and went back. Ran up to hole thew gas on it followed with a match and had a nice blaze, burned them all up and left a 3’ dia black spot. I hate and detest any kind of wasp, hornet and yellow jacket. Carpenter bees will ruin any wooden structure, We used to shoot them with BB guns or hit them with bee paddles we made from old fence boards. 12 ga #1 buckshot does a number on a hornets nest….

 

[pmanton]

Many years ago I was in a junk yard. I had just removed the door and window handles when I disturbed the yellow jacket nest.

They got me several times before I got the door opened with my pliers.

 

[wood714]

Mark the hole, tonight after dark pour a half water bottle of gas down hole. Use a whole bottle if you want, should do the job. I usually walk up and stick bottle (upside down) in the hole and step back.

That's what I did. Used a glass 16oz Pepsi bottle...they were glass back then.

Worked most well, but I had about a 2 foot round spot in my back yard that grass wouldn't grow in for about 2 years.

I knew where they were at. I'd fly over them on the riding mower, never got me.

 

[jscheck]

I dealt with two nests last year. Wasp/hornet spray at dusk worked. Tried the gasoline but it was only a temporary fix. Go with the spray.

**/Forgot to mention-you might have to spray two consecutive nights since the nest might be real deep and the babies come out on the second day.

 

[45Smashemflat]

You can also heavily dust the opening at night with Seven. They crawl in it and spread it all over the nest. It’s not as fast as gas, but it does work.

That said, I use gas…

 

[StrawHat]

Do you have dogs? Seven and many other chemicals are deadly to dogs. I have dogs and when I have to deal with yellow jackets I fence that area off so my dogs don’t get poisoned.

There is also a very effective spray and dust combination that works very well and does not contaminate the soil.

Kevin

 

[45Smashemflat]

Good call out sir. No dogs for me, should have thought to point that out.

 

[kraynky]

I found a nest of those basitds next to my garage door where I had shrubs planted. I waited until a cool evening and turned a 16 oz. soda bottle full of gas upside down into the entrance hole in the dirt.

Yellow jackets were all gone the next day. The shrub took a hit for a couple of years, but came back.

I hate those sumbucks!

 

[glenwolde]

My favorite wasp killer came about by accident. One day in the garage I was attacked. I grabbed the closest aerosol can. It was 3M Spray Mount Adhesive. Turns out that's an effective strategy. All glued-up they can't fly worth a ****. Maybe a wad of Gorilla glue (or whatever) would be an effective treatment and less toxic.

 

[Heymatt]

Two words, extreme prejudice!

 

[llowry61]

That video is one of my favorites. The dogs' reactions are priceless. I think he was using propane.

+1 on the gas I have only had one serious nest years ago at a lake house my parents owned. Got stung a couple of time cutting the grass, so I didn't even wait till dark grabbed the gas can and dumped a nice big gulp down the hole. We were playing volleyball later that day.

 

[SweetMK]

We had a HUGE nest one year,,
I had read about pouring gas,, and, I thought i would try something different.

I set a gallon paint can next to the hole, with a quart of gasoline.
I covered the hole, and can with a large cardboard box.

My hope was that the fumes of the gas would settle into the hole, and kill the yellow jackets.

The result was completely different, but BETTER!!

the yellow jackets came out of the hole, and DOVE into the gasoline!!
The next morning, I had a half gallon of dead yellow jackets!!

THAT was better than pouring the gas down the hole.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Call an expert.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

Mark the hole, tonight after dark pour a half water bottle of gas down hole. Use a whole bottle if you want, should do the job. I usually walk up and stick bottle (upside down) in the hole and step back.

I agree with the gasoline, but you forgot the fire part. I use a torch wrap on the end of along pole.

Burn 'em out!

 

[444 Magnum]

I tried the wasp spray on a nest last month. I sprayed until the foam came up out of the hole and then I covered it up. The yellow jackets dug another escape hole the next morning.
Then I poured gas down both holes and covered them up. No more yellow jackets.
Forget about igniting it. The fumes do the job. Make sure you do it at night when they are all in the nest.

 

[ameridaddy]

Well, bet he doesn't have a yellow-jacket problem anymore...

Bad trade. He doesn't have a back yard anymore and his beagles are thinking about having him committed.

 

[SMSgt]

Some of y'all sound more scared of wasps than my daughter and a roach. Gas will kill the vegetation. Get a bottle of insecticide (I prefer Spectracide concentrate from HD), mix it in a liter bottle of water, stuff it in the hole at night. Wasps be gone. If not, pour a second bottle down the hole the next night. The roses will be fine.