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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2009-02-14          160303

Last fall I noticed a lot of yellow jacket activity around the soffit of my house. After spotting the entrance point I tried everything from bee spray to a soapy power washer solution to get to them, nothing worked.

So, I waited until cold weather as I figured the nest to be in the attic crawl space somewhere and I had an electric box to change out for a ceiling fan, figured to do both jobs at once. Today was the day and I am unsure if I was able to kill them. Wish I could have dragged a camera up there but it is bad enough crawling on two boards atop a foot of blown in insulation.

The nest is in the far corner from the access point (of course). It completely fills the area from the soffit overhang, truss to truss, and looks to be a foot or so long. I sprayed "Wasp Stopper" on it and let that soak in a bit and then hit it with "Wasp and Hornet" foam, two cans in all. Second trip over there, I carried my tank sprayer and soaked it with "Knox Out".

Problem is, I am not sure if that spray soaked into the hive enough to kill them. Given that I was doing the belly crawl and my exit was almost 50' away, I did not dare puncture the thing.

Anyone know if the hive would absorb the liquid enough? I'm not that familiar with the things.


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2009-02-14          160307

I'm not familiar with the products. If in doubt, a big dose of carbureter cleaner always works for me. It soaks into the paper or mud matrix.

A local hardware sells a product that I've used (I can call them if you want to find out the name). I was cautioned strongly by the store to stay away from the spray and the fumes as they put it, it "sucks the oxygen out of the air". When sprayed on the ground it forms an invisble cloud in about a 15 foot radius. They were not joking! Wasps that were returning to the nest got in the cloud and dropped instantly like bombs falling from the sky. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2009-02-14          160310

About five years ago we had a wasp nest in the attic in a spot that was absolutely unreachable from inside the attic. I paid a guy to come out and he put on a bee suit, climbed up a ladder, and sprayed dust in and around the opening. The wasps dropped on the spot and we haven't had a wasp back in there since. Money well spent. You can buy the dust and applicator from the link below (all kinds of professional pest stuff from this place). During wasp season you can do the work at night without much worry about getting stung. ....


Link:   bugspray dot com

 
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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2009-02-14          160311

That is similar to the Wasp Stopper EW, a commercial spray that I used. It suffocates them. My concern is the size of this thing, almost like a Nancy Pelosi nightmare.

I hope it penetrated, that thing is scary!

Thanks for the link, I will take a look later, after my legal beverage with the admiral. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2009-02-14          160316

We have to deal with wasps a lot, the best solution we've found overall so far is spray foam insulation.

The extension tube up the opening and a few second blast means the ones that aren't glued in place are sealed in for the long term.

After the foam is given 24hrs to cure we bag the whole thing with a sturdy garbage bag and remove it for disposal.

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2009-02-14          160317

Murf, sometimes I think you and I were separated at birth (we are the same age---hmmmm)--I was going to mention the spray foam, but thought naw, that'll just get a big laugh. ....

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2009-02-14          160319

The problem is, I can't see the opening, I was spraying the back side of the thing due to the opening facing the siding trim. I can't access it. If today's attack failed my only alternative is to attempt to inject this monster from the outside on a ladder. Hopefully I can remove some trim without them "awakening". ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2009-02-15          160327

There's always a Plan 'B'. LOL

Take an installers drill bit, the 16" -18" long 3/8" jobs meant for making holes for wiring. With a cordless dril bore into the nest. If the ambient temp. is below ~45° the little buggers will be dormant and won't bother you in the least. Then, using the new hole foam them in.

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2009-02-15          160333

Murf is that ~45 C (Canadian)? ;-) ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2009-02-16          160357

Jeff, 45° C. is hardly what you would call 'cool enough' to make anything go dormant.

Or did you mistake the "~" (about) for the "-" (minus) sign?

Best of luck. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2009-02-16          160386

Naw, I saw the (aboot) sign :) I shoulda done the conversion before I TRIED to be funny by throwing in the (C), i.e., "Canadian" reference, eh? ....

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