Yellow Jackets. . .BEWARE!!!!

[chirpingcricket]

Hello everyone,
We've had a horrible time with yellow jackets these past 2 weeks. DH and I, the dog, cat and now Roxy, our RIR got popped in the left lower eyelid, after I just let them out to free range a bit. I had to catch her and pull the blasted thing out of her eye, put her in the run and round up the others to do the same all while we were under attack from these rotten creatures.
The Chicken Mama in me just roared to life!!!!

We had marked 4 of these under ground nests this week, after experiencing their wrath while trying to cut grass (4 acres worth). I was supposed to wait until DH got home, so he could "gas them", and then he was going to try and cut grass again. Oh well. . .
I proceeded to carefully pour a little gas in each of the 4 locations. And put on my gloves, hat, long sleeve shirt, pants, wet a huge bath towel with water, pulled the garden hose out to the location and had the water ready to go. All 4 locations were sparked and manage without incident.

However. . .
The one spot where my girl got popped this morning, their favorite, most clearly safe area to range, their was the one underground nest just kept swarming and swarming. (Mercifully, the bees had yet to attack the chickens, until today.) Hundreds of bees. After what looked like the fire was gone, I continued to watch and noticed that there must be another nest close to the trunk of the tree. Since the flames were gone, mostly smoke, I thought to put just a little more gas in that area. As Murphy's law would have it, a light breeze shifted towards me and the can, and whooosh, fire, flashed on me and the can. I through the can away from me, stopped, dropped and rolled to press the flames out of my face.
It worked!!! (Just scorched my right eyebrow off, oh well).

The gas can however, was on it's side and on fire. I ran, picked up the wet towel, through it on the spicket of the can, and started spraying it with water!!! I had a stick near by, used it to turn the gas can upright, still on fire, and within a few minutes I was able to put the fire out with the onset of water....Thank God!!!
The area where the wet towel was on fire was quickly put out as well.....
I guess, being a girl scout has certainly paid off once again!!! I would not of course, recommend this action to anyone, and please be kind with any remarks regarding my action.

After so many stings from those bloody ***** jerks, I just had to do something, anything to stopped some of those attacks. I have been trying to put up hardware cloth around the coop and run, (to keep away the coons, etc.,) but can't work for the bees attacking us.

Roxy, the RIR, has a purple sting mark on her eyelid, when she closes it. She can open it and looks like she has vision as well. I immediately put liquid benedryl/caladryl gel on her lid right after the sting, and she seems to be doing OK. The gel is about the only thing that helps us when we get hit.
If anyone has any reccommendations as to what else I might need to do for her, please, again, in kindness, let me know. Thanks!!!!
I'll be outside for a while working on securing the run with hardware cloth.

 

[nobodyherebutuschickens]

I'm glad nobody was too badly hurt! That doesn't sound like a particularly safe way to deal with pests... As for helping your chicken, I don't know what would be best for her. For the wasps/yellow jackets, I've heard that if you spray them with soapy water they'll die. We like bees, we DON'T like other flying wasp-related creatures. Good luck!

 

[hennyannie]

I think you have did all you can do for the sting, but let reccommend a safer way to kill those mean little BEEPS that stung ya'll.We had a time with them one year and I got tired of pouring gas in the yard. (I didnt light it by the way just poured some on the hole) Then an old farmer told me to go get some powdered seven and pour it in the hole. he says it kills more bees because they track it through the nest. He claims the gas doesnt get down to all of them and some escape.
Also always deal with them after dark if you can cause they all will be at the nest and you can kill more.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Yes, definitely work at dusk or later, and use a pesticide intended to knock down wasps; it works very, very rapidly, and has a strong propellant--both enabling you to NOT get stung.

 

[Melinda35]

So glad you are okay.

If you need to use a type of fuel and fire please use diesel. Diesel is not combustible like gasoline. That's why you can fill up your diesel truck without having to turn off the engine.

I would spray something like Knock Down or even hairspray works great and then cover the hole if possible. We had ground hornets in our garden which are 4x bigger than a yellow jacket and apparently hurt extremely bad. DH sprayed the hole and then covered it with a large dirt clod. Have not seen one since.

Good luck and please be careful!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Thanks to all!!!
Yes, very careful. We've used numerous cans of wasp spray and while at dusk. Haven't tried soapy water, but have used a mixture of bleach, soap and water, without success. I like the idea of trying the 7 dust and will also keep in mind the diesel. Just tired of pouring gas "down the hole" to no avail.
I did take the wet towel and throw it over the "main tunnel" right afterwards, but of course, they are still swarming. I'll get DH to cover them with dirt to see if that will help too.

Roxy's eye is swollen, yet she can open it. She is eating and drinking and scratching around a little bit. Just not her usual busy self. I'll keep an eye on her just the same.

This is just one of those, although extremely prepared, hindsight is 20/20 moments. (With just a little satisfaction that a bunch of those critters are gone.)
Need the bees, but not at this level.
As for me, I'm OK. Just looks like I had a little to much sun across the brow. Thanks again!

 

[Ole rooster]

I killed a nest last week with a foaming hornet spray. Wait till late dusk and spray the hole good and foamy. The stuff is so good none made it out and a few that were late getting home got it also.

 

[Whispering Winds]

As the post above me said, do this almost dark. Might have to work a little slower and with a flashlight, but mark them if you can as close as possible during daylight to make the target a little more visible and then let em' have it. The ones that are in the ground are/can be deadly. My older sister was stung by them when she was little, and my mom thought she was going to die. This was before the epy pen and benadryl, but nevertheless, they are dangerous!!! I am not scared of insects but these things make me shake and shiver, as does a red wasp. Nothing has to be done to them to make them attack, they are just plain evil.

Another thing, added to this is my dad had a tree trimmer on a long pole, he would tie a newspaper to it and light in on fire and then use it to ignite the nests . . .safer and keeps you at a distance after you do the initial gassing. Actually kerosene or fuel oil might be safer. Gas is so testy.

 

[heather112588]

geez, its war by that point...KILL THEM ALL!!!

...can you tell i hate them too? Lol

 

[harveyhorses]

Add me to the injured list! One got me inside my nose, under my nose upper lip. The nest is in a really bad place, near where we park, at the end of our house. I have had good success with mixing diazanon and pouring it down the hole and over the area.