</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
The idea is to burn em, not bomb em.
[/ QUOTE ]
Now where did you hear that? [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
I found a good nest a couple years ago pushing a big cherry tree branch with my FEL. I didn't have a whole lot of hours on the tractor yet and I tried to outrun them on it. The brush hog kept bogging me down and when I pushed in the clutch to take the PTO out... of course the tractor stopped [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] . Not a good move. I jumped off and ended up running a couple hundred yards and snaking my way in and out of the high weeds. I read somewhere that they have a harder time following you if you do this. The tractor sat in the field until that night and I drove my truck up to it and looked it over REAL good before I got out, they had still been swarming it that afternoon when I drove out and looked the situation over. I also loaded up the hole in the branch with wasp killer and never had any fly out, so I guess I won, but it wasn't as fun.
Well, all this talk about bees/hornets on the forums and I went and messed up. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]
I was pressure washing the foundation of my house getting ready for some remodeling and stuff and I ran into a nest right on the corner. I wasn't using anything but plain water and I sprayed them a little after watching for their access hole and moved on. Later on, when it had started to cool down and the sun was just about down, I poured some gas down the hole and around the area. I wanted to make sure I got through the clumps of dead grass.... and NO, I didn't light it, too close to the house [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
This morning there's a bunch of ticked off yellowjackets buzzing around the area and I want to paint the block. It looks like they're trying to find other access into their nest. I wonder now if they'll move on or start up another nest or access hole nearby.
They'll probably stick around, unfortunately. If they are all out and looking around, one of those yellowjacket traps might come in handy (the ones that use a pheremone to attract them). But if my experience is any indication they will probably nest again.
I sure don't like those things. I suppose that is OK - they don't like me, either [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]...
You might also try spraying them with any commercial bee killer (Raid, Black Flag, etc). Some of these shoot a stream that lets you stay way back. If you can drop the number of bees low enough, the whole hive might die. You don't have to kill them all, just enough so they can't keep their bee society going anymore.
I was lucky.
I've hit several yeller jackets (beasts they are) next the past 2-3 years, got stung once this year.
Last Saturday hoggin' on top the hill, weeds easily 5' to 6' tall and the little 'Bota B7500 just cutting and having a ball. Wait, what is that big gray ball on the ground? Hmmm, hornets nests are always in trees....or at least I thought!
I'd had to nugged the hornet's nest thats rested on the ground and bigger than a basketball!
So. made a left turn and hogged over the hill. I'll sneak back up there tonight with a gallon of gas and a camera.
I'm telling you there's noway in the world that I could have mowed that close to something that big without seeing it...but I did!
Reply With Quote
