Large Wasp Nest - is it dangerous?

Forums: Insects, Wasps, Wasp Nest
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We discovered a large (what appears to be - I'm no expert) wasp nest low in a tree in our front yard.

My husband, trying to relive his former baseball days took my kids'tub of softballs and tried to knock it down during last night. As he didn't want to get killed he did this from our porch so he could get a quick escape, unfortunately either he was too old or it was too dark for him to get a hit.

I was thinking it might be best to just let them "bee"until the middle of winter and then get some wasp/hive killer crap and spray the heck out of them while it is dormant during the winter.

But it is safe. I am not sure how long they have been there - can they build really quickly? Will they bother us at all if we leave them alone? Being right next to the drive way where we go in and out all day, I'm more worried the kids will get stung going back and forth and school.

We could get an exterminator, but I figure that is going to cost us some bucks and we don't have much spare cash at the moment.

Thoughts on this?

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@Linkat,

Usually wasps do not do a thing as long as you do not threaten them. Which means do not wave armes and hands when they are around. Don´t walk around with sweet smelling things near them - like ice cream.
If you have to try to remove the nest on your own you have to wear, a special outfit, very think gloves and a special face mask. Do not try to knock it down.
Best time to remove it is at nighttime and even better during winter when they "sleep".

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Saab's right, if you don't bother them, they won't bother you. Leave it alone.

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I had a small one in my garden shed that I had to have removed because I was disturbing them when I went in and out with my tools. You could also build or buy some wasp traps near them. There are some home-made trap ideas online. I wouldn't touch them, otherwise.

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@Linkat,

So throwing a softball and destroying the nest isn't a good idea?

We did video my husband with a hope that we would have something interesting to post on U-tube.

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@Linkat,

Wasps are useful insekt, which desttoy other insects which usually canbe destructive.
A wapp nest dies out in the winter and only the queens survive to start a new nest in the spring.While she lays eggs she builds the nest and the workers do develope and help her to build.
Remove the nest this winter when it is empty.
Keep your eyes open for new nests in the spring and remove at as fast as possible when only one or two wasps are there.
Best way to destroy it at the very beginning is to put a plasticbag around it.See to it is so tight no wasp can espace and then you cut it at its root.
You learn after a few mistakes.....
I learned by doing it during the winter.

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@saab,

I am trying to avoid mistakes especially with potentially angry stinging creatures - although having such a thing happens can make for interesting conversation.

I remember as a kid our neighbor going out in the night drenching a hive with gasoline and then going out and lighting it on fire - wasn't really a smart thing as the small tree it was in was right next to his house. We were right next door.

Someone saw the flames and called the fire department and they put it out. He just pretended as if he knew nothing about it.

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@Linkat,

vonny wrote:

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@Rockhead,

I don't think I have any vodka at home do you think rum or tequila would work?

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@Linkat,

Wasps hate Cuba Libres. It reminds them of the Bay of Pigs invasion.

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@Linkat,

There's one trick which I've had complete success with but it takes more nerve than some people have...

You buy a big can of wasp/hornet spray at Home Depot (step one)...

Now, the last thing you want to do is tip-toe up to the thing, one or two quick zaps with the can of spray, and then run, you'll be lucky if you live.

The thing you want to do is pick the coolest time of ay or night, make sure you've got some sort of a light on the thing (person two), walk up to about six feet away from it, and just stand there and empty the entire can on the thing.

Within my experience, the hornets or wasps will just keep on trying to fly back INTO the thing and they'll all die. A hornet/wasp nest is basically made of paper and at least the fumes go all the way through it.

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@gungasnake,

Yeah that is what I was thinking of doing - but seeing it is beginning to be fall if we simply are able to leave it alone without them attacking us in the mean time is to wait until winter and do that at night. I figure that has to be the safest time to bomb them with the stuff without getting stung.

Either that or simply have my husband do it. Seeing he was the one wanting to smash the thing with softballs. He must have had fun going around this afternoon picking them all up.

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@Linkat,

No!
With Haloween fast approaching, why not spray paint it bright colours and tell those awful little trick or treaters that it's a Pinata!

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@Linkat,

Grab some joints and blow smoke at 'em and get them good and stoned. Then play some Lawrence Welk music. I'll send them to the hills.

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No, you get a can of hair spray and a lighter - you simply spray hairspray at the nest and light the hairspray stream Smile

Lights up like a rocket.

Or you could use Ragman's dope suggestion, but play Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" instead - they'll take off for sure and probably spread the word.

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@Linkat,

I've done that at night in the summer including one case where I was 20' up on a ladder and dealing with a huge nest of yellowjackets. If they'd had the least bit of intelligence I'd have died that selfsame day but, as I mentioned, they just kept flying back into the nest until they all died.

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@Mame,

Mame wrote:

No, you get a can of hair spray and a lighter - you simply spray hairspray at the nest and light the hairspray stream Lights up like a rocket.

Man sets fire to neighbour's house trying to smoke out wasp nest
A young mum and her two daughters were left homeless after a neighbour accidentally set fire to their house while trying to smoke out a wasp nest.
04 Sep 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/10285492/Man-sets-fire-to-neighbours-house-trying-to-smoke-out-wasp-nest.html

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@Linkat,

Linky, has it occured to you that the Linkat family just might not be cut out for country living?

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You can always hope the tree frogs will eat them, get sick and die. This country thing must be new.

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@IRFRANK,

Wait till late fall when spiders creep into the house for not mentioning mice.

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Large Wasp Nest - is it dangerous?

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