Problem with Yellow Jackets

[nortac]

We have a container garden on the patio and Yellow Jackets have built nests in a couple of them. As you probably know, they nest underground often and have done so in large dirt filled containers. The real problem is some of the containers contain herbs that we cook with. Thought about using Sevin dust so as not to permanently contaminate the herbs and the soil in the containers. Follow up with flooding the containers with a garden hose after the Sevin dust has had a chance to do its thing. Any other suggestions? Any non toxic organic friendly solutions?

 

[Rhody]

Ugh im allergic to them so id want to get the gas can and cook them out but would probably call an exterminator
Good luck keep us posted

 

[nortac]

Yeah, that won't work for me, want to preserve what's in the planters, not contaminate the soil, etc. I'm too cheap to call an exterminator. Looking for a non toxic/low toxic solution. Sevin dust is used on vegetables that you eat, just wash it off a week before harvest.

 

[Basil]

Not sure if it really works but the dollar store around here sells those fake paper wasp nests. Apparently they stay away from big nests so if you put a couple around the property it might help.

 

[Buster]

I’ve not had this problem but... could you transplant the herbs temporarily? Deal with the yellow jackets and re plant?

 

[John Rose]

I was going to suggest diatomaceous earth, but this site - Natural Yellowjacket Control Part 2: The Good, The Bad and the Silly - says it won't work.

 

[Dalejr]

 

[davent]

Read of using a soap solution to get rid of them... my guess it is it's the soap and water not the peppermint that does the job.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/gre...-getting-rid-of-yellow-jackets-nests-zbcz1106
dave

 

[John Rose]

I think it's the water (cold or hot) that really does the job. The soap is there to break down the surface tension on their abdomen and thorax, allowing the water to saturate the spiracles they get air through. They then drown.

It's a bee, but same principle.
I've used a wet/dry shop vac with a 1/2" of soapy water in the canister to suck up bugs invading my basement. And the occasional trapped bumble.
As soon as they hit that soapy water they're done.

Read of using a soap solution to get rid of them... my guess it is it's the soap and water not the peppermint that does the job.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/gre...-getting-rid-of-yellow-jackets-nests-zbcz1106
dave

But what will the soap do to the flavour of the herbs?

 

[davent]

Flush the soil afterwards with fresh water, and be sure you have soap not detergent so nothing dishwashing related, detergents are too harsh and will burn tender bits, how long afterwards do you rinse/flush i don't know. Ontario gardening guru has been preaching for years 40 parts water to one part soap for just about any sort of bug infestation. Ed Lawrence,

Gardening with Ed Lawrence
dave

 

[ColtRevolver]

A tablespoon of Sevin dust in their entrance holes will do the trick.

 

[Ad Astra]

Yeah, or those traps - though more might come.

We have paper wasps and mud daubers - I'm buying 4 cans of spray at a time.

AA

 

[nortac]

Thanks for all of the replies. No way can the herbs be transplanted before destroying the nests, just watering the plants got my wife stung several times. No way am I digging up a live nest. I thought about the soap and/or boiling water, but in one of the containers, the herbs hide the actual opening to the nest, can only guess at the actual location. In another planter with a rose bush, the opening was clearly visible. So late yesterday evening after dark, when all the yellow jackets should be in their nests, I doused the visible opening with beau coup (a lot) Sevin dust and the planter with the herbs where the general vicinity of the opening is suspected looks like a powdered donut. I'll give it a day or so to see if it works. After that, I'll flood the containers with water, again after dark when they will all be in the nest. I'll report back with the results. I hate to use the Sevin dust in general, as it kills the honey bees that frequent our garden, but hopefully it will only be a temporarily toxic situation and most of it can be rinsed away soon.

 

[nortac]

I think the Sevin dust has done the trick. I agitated the containers a bit and no Yellow Jackets flew out. I'm going to let it sit over the weekend, as I have to work. I'll re-inspect Monday and flood the containers with a hose.

 

[simon1]

I think the Sevin dust has done the trick. I agitated the containers a bit and no Yellow Jackets flew out. I'm going to let it sit over the weekend, as I have to work. I'll re-inspect Monday and flood the containers with a hose.

Good to hear that. We've only had to mess with the red wasps here and not the burrowing yellow jackets. Getting stung by the red wasps hurts also. Sevin is hit or miss on the leaves of the garden vegetables for the garden bugs here.

Dad used to put a bit of gasoline in an old coffee can and throw it on the nests in an old metal dinner bell or something that was not wood. Killed them instantly. I usually just use the canned wasp spray for those that I can get to after they have nested for the night. Had some red wasps get in the eaves and walls of the pump house...had to get an exterminator out and spray inside of the hole in the eaves at the end of last summer. I haven't seen any yet this year at all...yet. He only charged about $50.

 

[RSC]

It sounds like things have worked out, but what I've done is to go out at night and put a large glass bowl over the opening. Make sure there are no openings at the edge of the bowl. In the morning they will come out and fly toward the light, but will be trapped under the bowl. Eventually they will die out. You could use a pesticide to speed things along.

 

[Toothpick]

Perfect place for this me thinks

 

[nortac]

No doubt about it, I'm dealing with Yellow Jackets.

 

[alpster]

I work as a land surveyor and have done this many times and it works. If you can find the hole in the ground that accesses the nest, take the round side of a shovel and smack the top of the hole as hard as you can. The concussion kills every YJ in the nest. May not be an option in a crowded garden.

 

[TheGrimWeeper]

The best yellow jacket solution is deflagration. Tempo powder works well too if you don't need to exult in vengeance.