Author Topic: Which Handi would you use on a Hornets Nest?? (Read 3057 times)

Graybeard · « **Reply #30 on:** August 25, 2009, 11:24:58 AM »

Contrary to popular opinion hornets do not necessiarily all leave the nest in winter. Yeah that too was another lesson learned first hand on a warm up after a lot of cold winter days had passed. DO NOT mess with hornet nests.

I'd not trust the stuff I've been buying lately as wasp and hornet spray on a very large nest either as the new more environmentally friendly stuff seems a lot more wasp and hornet friendly as well.

Most brake cleaners and BC Gun Scrubber still have basically the same ingredients wasp and hornet spray used to and drops them like a rock instantly. Wasp and hornet spray I've bought in the last few years does not.

mechanic · « **Reply #31 on:** August 25, 2009, 11:31:25 AM »

Pete,
I had a Daddy with a strange sense of humor. We had a hornet's nest almost two feet long in a tree by the pond. He told me if I would put a board about 20' from the nest and get a ways away and shoot the board with a 22, they would all fly into the board and kill themselves. They will not. They don't like 22's. Like Graybeard said, the first shot didn't rile them too much. I learned several things that day, one of which is I cannot outrun a hornet flying, and second, I can't hold my breath nearly as long as I need to when in the pond.

Ben

gendoc · « **Reply #32 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:05:50 PM »

yep, i've heard a simular story. and it was true.....

best advice i can give ya for the hornets is..., if ya want to shoot it...

carefully place about 1/8th ounce of C-4 on the nest after dark
then brite and early the next morn'n, shoot it with a accurate 22 at
about 50 yards

wreckhog · « **Reply #33 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:16:03 PM »

Hornets are alert and vindictive. They really will chase down an attacker.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #34 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:50:06 PM »

what effect has the sonic boom have on the bees
as the bullet passes

i have used shot guns with good luck
in fact i used the shot gun we gave dale once

i have used arosol and a lighter
starting fluid is great

gasoline soaked rag on bamboo was my dads favorite
no bamboo there...any old stick

i onced used a 2 liter bottle for funnel and 20 ft pvc and a vacume cleaner
filled another 2 liter bottle with bees

just hit it with gas
don't light it
just let the fumes do its thing
also rubbing alcohol vapors are deadly to bugs

LONGTOM · « **Reply #35 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:50:55 PM »

Use a good size fire extinguisher.
At night while cold, put the hose nozzel up to the hole and give it a good blast.
It will instantly freeze all that are inside.
At least that is what I have been told,
I have never tried it.
You are on your own, I hate bees!!!
I do know a can of starting fluid will kill them, just pray that you get them all before the can run out!

LONGTOM

45-70.gov · « **Reply #36 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:54:40 PM »

i forgot to mention blanks

used a lot on small wasp nest while working

they are common on the eves of a house in florida

Sourdough · « **Reply #37 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:05:46 PM »

I brought a big hornets nest home in a plastic bag, during the winter. I intending to gas it before opening the bag and coating the nest with varathaine. My oldest thought it would be cool to open the bag and check out the nest, thinking it was winter all the occupants would be dead. As they came to life and out of the big nest, he dropped it (damaging the nest) and ran inside, leaving it in the garage floor. Could not turn the heat off to the garage, due to the hot water heater being out there. It took four bombs, and a week, to kill them all.

After we thought they all were dead, we swept the remains of the nest outside, and forgot about it. Next spring there was a new nest under the steps going to the front porch. Appearantly some of the eggs or larva survived and started a new nest.

My Dad shot one with a .22, when I was a kid. He was standing on the back porch, about 40 yards away from the nest. When they buzzed out he ran inside and slammed the door. They sounded like bullets hitting the door window. They could see him through the glass and kept trying to get to him till after dark. They were stirred up for days and we could not go out the back door. I remember how mad my Grandfather was about it. He threatened to take my Dad out to the wood shed and kick his posterior. I remember how funny my uncle thought it was at the time, he was a teenager. The last time I saw my uncle he said that was the maddest he had ever seen his father, he and Dad got a laugh out of it.

Graybeard · « **Reply #38 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:09:44 PM »

I think that fire extinguisher plan is even less smart than shooting. If you think hornets cannot or will not come out at night when their nest is being messed with then you don't know hornets.

I agree small wasp nests can be shot to good effect. I've taken out many with .22LR rat shot. Wasps ain't hornets and their nests are not the same nor do they have as many residents. If you could get off enough rounds of small shot #9 or #10 say fast enough you might be sucessful but why chance it. Do the job right and right don't mean shooting them.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #39 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:17:22 PM »

Quote

Do NOT shoot a hornet nest.

Definitive words of wisdom Pete! Sounds like the man knows of which he speaks!

myarmor · « **Reply #40 on:** August 25, 2009, 05:58:49 PM »

Just for the record I was throwing in my comments for a laugh. I have wrecked some bee nests of many different varities on the farm in the past as I am sure most here have and all but a few I came out sting free. Hornets are chasers thats for sure, as are yellow jackets.... my sworn enemy of twice the amount of other bee encounters.
I find diesel fuel to be VERY effective and not quite as dangerous as gas. I have killed many nests with diesel.

tykempster · « **Reply #41 on:** August 25, 2009, 06:25:04 PM »

12 gauge with "bird bombs". Trust me.

GeorgiaDave · « **Reply #42 on:** August 25, 2009, 11:53:13 PM »

Hello from Georgia,

I must agree with Greybeard and say that shooting it may not be a great idea. I will relay another idea that some folks will say is not really smart, but I have done this in the past with great,(and painless) results. If you are a brave soul, and enjoy fishing, you should remove the nest ...........INTACT. Simply approach the nest after dark on a cool night, wrap the whole thing in a black trash bag and tie the bag tightly as you remove it from your chimney. There will likely be some mad hornets, so work quickly. As soon as you have it tied up, you can either put it in the freezer for a few days, or as I prefer, let it stay in the direct sun for a day or two. After there is no more buzzing from within, you can open the bag, gently dismember the nest, gather all the little grubs and have a great day fishing. These are some of the best bream baits I have ever used. I have a few complete nests that I have gathered and after spraying the outside with a eurathane sealer, they do last a long time. Just be careful while removing it, and all will be fine. If you do decide to shoot it.....................45/70 all the way !!!

Dave

cwlongshot · « **Reply #43 on:** August 26, 2009, 12:13:10 AM »

Quote from: Ten Ring link=topic=181170.msg 1098878549#msg 1098878549 date=1251234961

True story, A guy at our deer camp brought a hornet nest to his camp stating he wanted to varnish it and hang on his porch. He said he had been watching it all season and there were no hornet sign. This was in late Dec. and when he took this in in his camp and it warmed up all hell broke out.
Jim

Now that's a funny story!!! Brings to mind one of my favorite John Wayne quotes... "the world is a tough place, its even tougher when your stupid."

Pete,
I agree with Bill, leave that nest alone!! At least until it gets colder and soak it with bee spray. I did that plastic bag and fogger trick and it worked good for me, but being that this is on the riff, its not a good scenario if your a bit slow wrapping the nest or pinching the bag shut. Why not just have a professional come out, none of us are as young and again as we once were.

CW

Doug B. · « **Reply #44 on:** August 26, 2009, 12:16:39 AM »

I don't know how much experience everybody has with ground hornets but thet are REALLY ornery and mean little cusses! They can remain active 24 hours a day until it gets quite cold because their nest is in the ground, sometimes a looooooooong way in where it can take some time for the earth to cool off. How far back is their nest? Hard to tell.

What I do with these is set a pail of water with two drops of Dawn liquid detergent in it next to their hole at night when they are as inactive as they get. Dawn coats their wings, they can't fly and they drown. This method is considerably slower than I would like to see but it does work and nobody but the dogs, if they're stupid enough (they usually get it one time, not this year though) gets stung. I have had my bucket out for about 48 hours and I have perhaps two dozen or more of them little $#@?+)&%!

By the way......I wouldn't shoot a paper wasp nest either.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #45 on:** August 26, 2009, 01:52:45 AM »

Well a Hornet DUHHH!!!!

Victor3 · « **Reply #46 on:** August 26, 2009, 02:58:47 AM »

We have wasps that make little hanging paper nests under our eaves. Biggest ones are about 3" diameter.

I have a 9" parabolic mirror from a large telescope I use to focus a spot of sunlight on the nest (kind of like a magnifying glass in reverse). Fries it instantly.

My Son calls it "THE DEATH BEAM."

LONGTOM · « **Reply #47 on:** August 26, 2009, 02:59:27 AM »

Quote

I think that fire extinguisher plan is even less smart than shooting.

I said I have never tried it, was just told it works.

LONGTOM

Graybeard · « **Reply #48 on:** August 26, 2009, 03:34:29 AM »

Ground hornets aka yellow jackets are best dealt with at night by pouring a gallon or two of gas into the hole they use to enter. Make darn sure it's well after dark before pouring the gas to get the maximum number inside. NONE will come out once the gas goes in. It's a 100% kill. I did one big nest one time and later dug it out. I dug out shovels full for some time. I think I could have filled a #2 wash tub with the yellow jackets in that one nest.

blind ear · « **Reply #49 on:** August 26, 2009, 03:38:36 AM »

"They will follow the heat of the bullit trail back to the gun". Poppa always told us boys that and I saw it happen.
Don't shoot them.

JerryKo · « **Reply #50 on:** August 26, 2009, 05:35:18 AM »

Not sure if I'm to late too the party and I didn't read this whole thread, but I'd use the muzzle loader with either cornmeal or walnut media over the powder wad. About 3 45-70 cases full of it should zap a bunch of them without hurting much else. Goodluck!
Jerry

JerryKo · « **Reply #51 on:** August 26, 2009, 05:53:20 AM »

I know for sure that freezing them doesNOT work. MY aunt wanted a roof over here small front patio. Had a small nest inside the light above the door. Didn't have any spray so I inverted a can of that air they use to blow dust off of computers and stuff. They all "froze" and dropped to the patio. WHILE I ON THE LADDER...they thawed and came a storming to the light near my head. LOL now....wasn't very funny then.

Jerry

Spanky · « **Reply #52 on:** August 26, 2009, 06:12:53 AM »

I shot into a hornet's nest ONCE... I will never do it again.
They came straight to me and stung the bejesus out of me.
I was standing about 30 feet away and they were on me in an instant.
DON'T DO IT.

Spanky

Blackhawker · « **Reply #53 on:** August 26, 2009, 06:40:13 AM »

Why not just have a professional come out, none of us are as young and again as we once were.

CW
[/quote]
Best advice CW! That's what I did. It's one thing to get stung because you did something stupid but if you've got family around and they get stung and should someone get Anaphylactic shock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphylaxis) and die, how would you feel then? You'd probably never be able to look at that handi rifle again. We certainly don't want that!!

By the way Pete, you've certainly "stirred a beehive" with this post!! Lot's of replies in only a few hours.

petemi · « **Reply #54 on:** August 26, 2009, 09:01:36 AM »

No, I'm not plinking it. I have an exterminator coming in the morning before dawn to take care of it.

My friend Wayne, from Florida is heavy into traditional muzzle loaders. A few years back, we found an old abandoned hornet nest out back, and he cut it down to use for patch material. He said it didn't burn through. Is that an over powder patch or an over shot wad? Anyone know.

The biggest reason I'm not even spraying it myself is I have been allergic to stings in the past. During the 80s, I was an electrician in Florida. In one week, I got about 40 fire ant bites, unknowingly standing near a nest, two wasp stings on the back of the neck, and sucked a yellow jacket out of a coke can and got stung in the mouth. The yellow jacket just about did me in. Hauled to the E.R., blood pressure 30 over zero. Another few minutes and it would have been all over. Anaphylactic shock. Capilaries slam shut and you can't pump blood and you die quickly. I then took a 2 year series of desensitization shots which were increasingly painful. They stopped at 100% venom. I was later stung by a scorpion, and that reacted less than a mosquito bite. But, that was over 20 years ago, and I haven't a clue if the desensitization is still working. Not taking chances.

Pete

teddy12b · « **Reply #55 on:** August 26, 2009, 09:12:15 AM »

You're doing the right thing. Get a pro to take care of it. All these stories have been a great read.

parson48 · « **Reply #56 on:** August 26, 2009, 09:27:32 AM »

I'd use a handi(y) can of wasp & hornet spray. It kills on contact and will spray 20-25 feet.
parson48

Blackhawker · « **Reply #57 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:48:01 AM »

Quote from: petemi on August 26, 2009, 09:01:36 AM

No, I'm not plinking it. I have an exterminator coming in the morning before dawn to take care of it.

My friend Wayne, from Florida is heavy into traditional muzzle loaders. A few years back, we found an old abandoned hornet nest out back, and he cut it down to use for patch material. He said it didn't burn through. Is that an over powder patch or an over shot wad? Anyone know.

The biggest reason I'm not even spraying it myself is I have been allergic to stings in the past. During the 80s, I was an electrician in Florida. In one week, I got about 40 fire ant bites, unknowingly standing near a nest, two wasp stings on the back of the neck, and sucked a yellow jacket out of a coke can and got stung in the mouth. The yellow jacket just about did me in. Hauled to the E.R., blood pressure 30 over zero. Another few minutes and it would have been all over. Anaphylactic shock. Capilaries slam shut and you can't pump blood and you die quickly. I then took a 2 year series of desensitization shots which were increasingly painful. They stopped at 100% venom. I was later stung by a scorpion, and that reacted less than a mosquito bite. But, that was over 20 years ago, and I haven't a clue if the desensitization is still working. Not taking chances.

Pete

Good thinking. Glad you made it through the initial attacks. Doesn't sound like you need any more.
Good luck with the removal. As I said before, the guys that took care of the nest by me did a quick job and I've only seen one hornet snooping around earlier this spring and none since then.

JerryKo · « **Reply #58 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:10:30 AM »

over shot wad...soft enough to not cause a hole in center of pattern...have to find right amount of layers for a specific load but make for very uniform patters in muzzle loading shotguns...
Good on ya Pete!
Jerry

petemi · « **Reply #59 on:** August 26, 2009, 11:24:14 AM »

Quote from: JerryKo on August 26, 2009, 11:10:30 AM

over shot wad...soft enough to not cause a hole in center of pattern...have to find right amount of layers for a specific load but make for very uniform patters in muzzle loading shotguns...
Good on ya Pete!
Jerry

They DO freeze out here in the winter. If I find an unsprayed nest this winter, I'll send it to you. With the CRS, you'll probably have to remind me

Pete