Damn Bees
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 142
Likes: 4
From: Portland, CT
Damn Bees
My project is sidelined a bit due to my carelessness. In an effort to eradicate an in-ground bees nest with gasoline Sunday evening (9/8), the gas got away from me and I suffered serious burns to my lower legs. It's amazing how your life flashes before your eyes when your pants are on fire! Pretty scary! I tried to take my pants off, but not thinking clearly, my shoes were still on, so my burning pants were caught around my ankles. At that point, I rolled, and the flames eventually went out. I spent last week in the Bridgeport, CT Hospital Burn Unit, having skin grafts on Thursday and was discharged on Friday. I'm home this week recovering. The sad part is, the bees survived!
So my rebuild is sitting....for now. But I need to get going on it soon, as my bare sheet metal needs to be primed!
Regards,
"Smokey"
So my rebuild is sitting....for now. But I need to get going on it soon, as my bare sheet metal needs to be primed!
Regards,
"Smokey"
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
Likes: 22
From: Oxford, Indiana
Ouch! Burns are no fun at all. I hope you mend quickly so you can get back to the shop!
As far as those evil yellow jackets are concerned - Two brand new cans of wasp and hornet killer unloaded directly into their hole AFTER DARK!!!! Set a brick on top of the hole as soon as the cans are empty and say goodbye. Easy peasy. Did I mention to only do this AFTER DARK?!?
As far as those evil yellow jackets are concerned - Two brand new cans of wasp and hornet killer unloaded directly into their hole AFTER DARK!!!! Set a brick on top of the hole as soon as the cans are empty and say goodbye. Easy peasy. Did I mention to only do this AFTER DARK?!?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,663
Likes: 1,249
From: Jefferson City, MO
Wow! That's crazy. Hope your recovery goes well.
Take very good care of yourself, you don't want any infection in the burn sites.
OK, I'm curious. Why after dark?
Edit: My curiosity couldn't wait so Google:
https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/yellowjackets.htm
Take very good care of yourself, you don't want any infection in the burn sites.
OK, I'm curious. Why after dark?
Edit: My curiosity couldn't wait so Google:
- Killing The Nest
- Locate Nests: Nests should be located during the day, so you can identify the workers entering and exiting the entry points. Look for multiple entry points and mark them.
- Treatment: Only treat at night when it is dark. Yellow Jackets do not see well, and chances of being stung are greatly reduced. Also at night the whole colony will be present in the nest making the treatment more effective.
Care and Caution
With a little care and caution, yellow jackets can be easily and safely eliminated.- Treat nest directly at night
- Hang traps or bait stations away from children, people and animals.
- For more information on baiting for yellow jackets Click here
Yellow Jackets and Winter Months
If yellow jackets have gone into the walls during cold weather, some of the reproductive yellow jackets may survive in the walls. They will come out in the spring looking to go outside. The reproductive yellow jackets rarely sting, so don't be concerned about it. If the nest is in a very warm location, however, the whole nest could survive the winter. Spray a pyrethrum can Stryker 54 Contact Aerosol directly into the entrance. Do this after dark. They are not as aggressive at that time.
https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/yellowjackets.htm
Knuckle Bandage Sales Rep
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,673
Likes: 1,233
From: Maine
Smokey, glad you are recovering well. I'm sorry that simple nest eradication project took sudden and fast turn for the worse.
Just this morning at 6:30am I went after a yellow jacket nest in the ground next to my porch. I'm having my driveway paved today and the ground nest was right next to where they would be working.
It was 47 degrees and they were all inside. I sprayed 1/2 a can of starting fluid (ether) into the hole and stood back. Sure enough, they tried to come out but didn't get very far. Dropped, well...like flies.
The reason I use ether is that my well is only 3 feet away from this spot and I've found (as a honey bee keeper) that the commercial sprays for wasps and hornets and such are very long lasting and the residue will be too close to the hives. Soap and water isn't as effective. Yellow jackets attack & rob honey bee hives with ferocity so I always have a can nearby if I see a nest of those buggers.
I've sprayed the hole three times since and there is no action left to that nest.
In case you'd like to exact revenge on them once you get your running legs back in shape, try some ether. No fire involved, you just need ones that inhale. (Bill Clinton joke intended)
Tom
Just this morning at 6:30am I went after a yellow jacket nest in the ground next to my porch. I'm having my driveway paved today and the ground nest was right next to where they would be working.
It was 47 degrees and they were all inside. I sprayed 1/2 a can of starting fluid (ether) into the hole and stood back. Sure enough, they tried to come out but didn't get very far. Dropped, well...like flies.
The reason I use ether is that my well is only 3 feet away from this spot and I've found (as a honey bee keeper) that the commercial sprays for wasps and hornets and such are very long lasting and the residue will be too close to the hives. Soap and water isn't as effective. Yellow jackets attack & rob honey bee hives with ferocity so I always have a can nearby if I see a nest of those buggers.
I've sprayed the hole three times since and there is no action left to that nest.
In case you'd like to exact revenge on them once you get your running legs back in shape, try some ether. No fire involved, you just need ones that inhale. (Bill Clinton joke intended)
Tom
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 774
Likes: 10
From: Simsbury, Connecticut
Ack! No my good neighbor! Kerosene! I recall my father dumping 5 gallons of gasoline on a brush pile. The fumes caght fire for 100 feet. It was amazing! I hope you'll be OK. So sorry you got burned. Gasoline is some scary stuff
Rusty Roller
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 5
From: Santa Cruz Mountains
Glad you are healing! Burns can be nasty... For future reference:
I have been killing "in ground" yellow jacket nests since 1967. All kills positive. Nests are made of pulp and are highly absorbent.
1) Locate nest thru flight path or dumb luck.
2) Reference where the hole is and how to approach in the dark.
3) Mix 2oz of Malathion to 1 gal of water in a milk jug. (Gal of gas optional) NO FIRE.....
4) Set alarm for 3 or 4 am (You want ALL bees in nest) They fly before dawn.
5) Approach quietly and turn jug upside down in hole and empty. (You might see guards at the entrance. They will be neutralized quickly)
6) Done nest is dead. Not instant but real close. Once you start the pour NONE will fly.
My first attempt in my youth I used drain oil once. I don't think any ever took flight again. All I remember is black oil soaked bees crawling out the hole....
Below is a dashcam video of a nest I killed at the USPS parking lot. Sorry it is in 2 parts....AND boring.
Video 1)
Video 2)
Don't know why there is a icon in the middle of the first link above but it seems to work?
.
I have been killing "in ground" yellow jacket nests since 1967. All kills positive. Nests are made of pulp and are highly absorbent.
1) Locate nest thru flight path or dumb luck.
2) Reference where the hole is and how to approach in the dark.
3) Mix 2oz of Malathion to 1 gal of water in a milk jug. (Gal of gas optional) NO FIRE.....
4) Set alarm for 3 or 4 am (You want ALL bees in nest) They fly before dawn.
5) Approach quietly and turn jug upside down in hole and empty. (You might see guards at the entrance. They will be neutralized quickly)
6) Done nest is dead. Not instant but real close. Once you start the pour NONE will fly.
My first attempt in my youth I used drain oil once. I don't think any ever took flight again. All I remember is black oil soaked bees crawling out the hole....
Below is a dashcam video of a nest I killed at the USPS parking lot. Sorry it is in 2 parts....AND boring.
Video 1)
Don't know why there is a icon in the middle of the first link above but it seems to work?
.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Sorry for your misfortune and hope you recover soon. We had a nest under our outside front stairs a couple of years ago. I didn't even know it was there until a black bear decided he wanted to lunch on the larva. He bit through the bottom steps early one morning in an effort to get to them. I initially thought the nest was bees so I called a beekeeper thinking he could take them but the beekeeper identified them as yellow jackets. I had to replace the bottom step of the stairway but the bear helped expose the nest so that I could see it and flood it with a wasp killer the next day. I waited until very late (almost dark) to spray the nest and fortunately was not stung. I have not had a re-occurrence. 
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2019
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From: Portland, CT
Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
These bees are actually bumble bees, which are good bees, but the nest is in a bad location.
Yesterday I ordered a powder from Amazon. The powder is squirted in and around the nest opening (at dusk), and the bees take the powder into the nest, which should kill the colony.
I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS LAST WEEK!
These bees are actually bumble bees, which are good bees, but the nest is in a bad location.
Yesterday I ordered a powder from Amazon. The powder is squirted in and around the nest opening (at dusk), and the bees take the powder into the nest, which should kill the colony.
I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS LAST WEEK!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 9,348
Likes: 1,715
From: AKRON ohio
Yea and those yeller jackets hurt! My honey bees are tame compared to those mean son of a guns
im only interested in honey bees.
im only interested in honey bees.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 55
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From: West by God Virginia
Just a quick note about using gasoline to exterminate Yellow Jackets. There is no need to light the gasoline on fire, gas fumes are heavier than air and will settle to the bottom of the next and suffocate the little buggers. I usually take an empty water bottle with about 4 oz of gasoline and pour it in the hole and shove the neck of the bottle into the hole and leave it there over night. Even though all/most of the yellow jackets are in the nest at night that doesn't mean they will not defend the nest after dark, they will (don't ask me how I know) but they are much less active. I have become somewhat of an expert on these things having 11 nests in my yard over the last few years.
Just remember that gasoline vapor is heavier than air and will travel across the ground so just because you are several feet away you can still be caught up in fire if it is ignited.
Just remember that gasoline vapor is heavier than air and will travel across the ground so just because you are several feet away you can still be caught up in fire if it is ignited.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 9,348
Likes: 1,715
From: AKRON ohio
Just a quick note about using gasoline to exterminate Yellow Jackets. There is no need to light the gasoline on fire, gas fumes are heavier than air and will settle to the bottom of the next and suffocate the little buggers. I usually take an empty water bottle with about 4 oz of gasoline and pour it in the hole and shove the neck of the bottle into the hole and leave it there over night. Even though all/most of the yellow jackets are in the nest at night that doesn't mean they will not defend the nest after dark, they will (don't ask me how I know) but they are much less active. I have become somewhat of an expert on these things having 11 nests in my yard over the last few years.
Just remember that gasoline vapor is heavier than air and will travel across the ground so just because you are several feet away you can still be caught up in fire if it is ignited.
Just remember that gasoline vapor is heavier than air and will travel across the ground so just because you are several feet away you can still be caught up in fire if it is ignited.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Huntsville, Al
Smokey , hope you heal well, I feel your pain and have learned my own lesson from gasoline many years ago, although not as severe.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Get well soon. I never messed with gasoline too much, thankfully. When I was a kid ... You know how in the cartoons, when some character pours a long long line of gunpowder leading to a pile, and then lights it, it burns slowly like a fuse? Yeah well, it doesn't do that, I'm here to tell you. Don't do that. LOL. Thankfully, eyebrows grow back.