The Nasty Bugs Have Got to DIE!!!

As some of you may be aware, I'm a gardener. Mind you, I have no sense of
design, but enjoy playing in the dirt and having pretty flowers. Anyway, in
the interest of not messing with the eco-system any more than I have to, and
to keep all the beneficial bugs, butterflies and birds happy, I don't resort
to any extra strength super duper chemicals to keep the yard or the lawn
looking pristine.

While weeding my rose garden, I accidentally disturbed a yellow jacket nest
and was stung over my eye on Sunday. Although they don't really seem to do

ceb...

Ouch! Poor you and poor Pan! My friend in Bethesda had a problem with
yellow jackets stinging her and her 5 year old daughter this summer. They

Suja...

This one definitely lasted about a day. Plus, because it stung me above the
eye (I think) I developed a really nasty headache. It certainly didn't help
my disposition any that I woke up going 'OWOWOW' every time I turned over
onto that side when I was sleeping.

When I was stung on my ears by bumble bees (I disturbed *their* nest too),
that hurt for an hour or two and went away. No swelling or anything either.

called an exterminator, who said the yjs like some particular kind of bush
they had in their garden (I can't remember the name). I'm sure they
probably like anyplace they can burrow their evil little selves into.

I hope the swelling goes down fast and the evil ones dispatched quickly!

anything good, I decided to leave them alone for now and do something over
the winter. I was out watering the plants this morning, and Pan comes
tearing around, turning around in circles. Yup, she must've wandered into
the nest herself (don't know why she'd pick this particular out of the way
spot to stick her nose into), and there was a yellowjacket still on her,
stinger firmly in place. I took care of that, gave her Benadryl, and called
the vet to find out what else I need to do. The first chance I get though,
I'm going to go get me some of that super duper chemical stuff that will
kill yellowjackets. Clearly, waiting is no longer an option.

Toni...

I garden also and haven't used any chemicals since 1996, but if I found a
yelowjacket nest I would pull out the nukes, too. My Dad was hospitalized
over a yellowjacket attack when I was a kid and I've never forgotten it.
Just make sure you get the proper product and try as best you can to keep it
localized in the nest area.

Suja...

Any recommendations? I was planning on going to HD and grabbing whatever

shore...

I've had intermittent yellowjacket problems (a couple of
years ago I had a big nest of them in one outside wall and a
big honeybee nest in another outside wall), and when it gets
past a small nest or two I call in a professional. If you
make a mistake you end up just driving the wasps into
another location. But for the occasional small nest, I've
found that the Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer works just fine.

Rocky...

Every few years, I get a medium size wasp nest underneath my
porch. I put a tub of water under the nest, pry the nest off
with a shovel, slap a lid on the tub, and run away. Best done
at night.

Not a recommended method for the stinging impaired people.

was on the shelf that is labeled for this use.

Early in the spring I would also get some pheromone traps and set them out-
all you have to do is attract and trap the queen and there will be no future
colonies.

Suja...

Didn't know that they made pheremone traps for yellowjackets. I don't use
them for Japanese Beetles, because it just invites a whole lot more JBs into
your yard, and even with the amount of yard I have, I don't want that to
happen. I'd *really* not want to invite a bunch of queen bees, although I
don't know how high that likelihood would be.

Pan appears to be fine. She's currently pouting because I unearthed her
very carefully buried rawhide chip. She snuck it past me by draping her
lips over the chip, but had the telltale dirty nose tattle on her.

Judy...

Waiting is never considered an option at our house. We check periodically
for nests and they are removed no later than that same evening. (Yes, I
agree with the evening suggestion - you want to have everybody at home when
you bomb their world.) We get nests quite often under our stairs (where
just going up or down can get you stung) or under our lawn furniture
(similar problem). We just recently had to repeatedly treat an area in our
front yard - where our agility equipment is - because of ground bees. DH
treated an ever enlarging area over a couple of days but I think they are
finally eradicated. The ground no longer hums when you stomp on it. "Live
and let live" doesn't apply when I'm trying to train a dog and what he just
may learn is that if you jump up on the table and "down" that you may get
stung.

DH is in charge of all such removal projects. He no longer even feels bee

Rocky...

These are bees - not wasps, not hornets?

stings. No swelling, nothing. Whereas, I will swell up for days and weeks
from so much as a mosquito bite.

The same immediate removal rule also applies to other creatures. Skunks are
not allowed to do more than venture across our property. I do not need to
let my dogs out at bedtime for that last run just to have them run into a
skunk. Woodchucks are usually tolerated by the humans (in spite of the
garden damage) but not by the dogs. Eventually they will catch him out in
the open and he won't live here (or anywhere else) anymore. Squirrels are
tolerated, again if they are mostly passing through. They can steal my
walnuts and torment the dogs on the other side of the window but if they
show any signs of considering a move into my attic, they will have to die.

I'm all for using the least amount of chemicals necessary. But I also
believe in "better living through chemistry". And in defense of my borders
from any critters that can harm either humans or dogs.

shelly...

O ick! I think resorting to chemicals is thoroughly justified.

Marcel Beaudoin...

flick...

Nothing wrong with killing native bugs that are in a place where they cause
pain/discomfort or danger to humans and animals.

Bahh, chemicals.

I recommend a large can of bugspray and a lighter.

montana wildhack...

Well, that's also a chemical kind of thing.

As we found out in Jr. High, deoderant and a lighter make a SWELL torch!

Suja could also try making wonderful designs with Purell (or another
alcohol-based hand sanitizer) and lighting those as well! The big
refill jars work best for that kind of thing...

Uh... or so I've heard.

Poor Pan, keeps turning around in circles trying to get to her ouchie spot.
And trying to get into my lap (or whatever body part happens to be nearby).
She is clearly not happy, and not happy with the great outdoors either. She

shelly...

Poor baby!

won't go out the house through the back door; I suspect that the front door
and the garage door are A-OK, since they clearly don't lead to the same yard
as the back door (sarcasm is so wasted on dogs).

flick...

Heh.

flick 100785

shelly...

Well, duh! And, did you know that when the weather is crappy, you
should open the door twelfty times, because it could magically be
sunny and warm? Even in the middle of a January blizzard. It
*could* happen!