Pro help needed for eradicating ground bees (yellowjackets)

Pathfinder · 08-13-2022, 09:39 AM

I discovered a ground bee nest while mowing our lawn last week...the hard way.

We are customers of JP Pest, but they are "not licensed" for this situation. Suggestions for an exterminator, please?! Thanks!

root1 · 08-18-2022, 02:34 PM

You can order 'the good stuff' at http://domyown.com/pests from these people and take care of any/all bug problem you may ever encounter .... and save a bundle by doing it yourself.
I'd recommend 'Advion WDG Insecticide' .... works well on just about everything. And it comes in pre-measured packets to make 1 gallon at a time. It's never let me down; although I don't have any experience with ground dwelling bees.

SAB1 · 08-18-2022, 05:59 PM

In a couple weeks when cold sets in they will struggle. They will all head undgerground each night by dark. Get a can of wasp and hornet killer and just after dark spray in the hole. You will “bee” Al set

thinkxingu · 08-18-2022, 06:07 PM

Alright, so we had JP Pest treat for ground bees a couple times back when they were JP Chemical to no avail.

My solution, that worked amazingly well? Stand at the hole with a shop-vac for ~30 minutes and suck them all up. Seriously. And I've heard from others that it worked for them, too!

Sent from my SM-G990U1 using Tapatalk

Slickcraft · 08-18-2022, 06:39 PM

Wasp and hornet spray:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide...Killer/4480265

In daylight watch coming and going to identify the nest entrance. Like all bees, hornets etc, they wont bother you if you don't poke their nest.

After dark, with a flashlight. Put on your nylon pants and rain shell just in case but these guys need light to navigate. Bring a shovel. Saturate the entrance with the spray. Wait a bit. Dig a bit, if action spray more. If no action, dig a bit more and spray again. The actual nest is normally small, baseball size and not far down. Dig, spray, dig. Done now go pour yourself a beer.

Have done it many times, beer included.

Alan

camp guy · 08-18-2022, 07:27 PM

Slickcraft is absolutely correct. Go to the local hardware store, buy several cans of "bee & hornet spray", locate the ground nest, spray, spray, and spray again until the area is saturated, rough up the ground and repeat the spraying.
Good luck. (Keep your mouth shut, and wear long pants and long sleeves.)

SAB1 · 08-18-2022, 08:03 PM

I think slick missed my post. Lol. You don’t need a shovel …

Slickcraft · 08-19-2022, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAB1

I think slick missed my post. Lol. You don’t need a shovel …

Not true in general. Our last two nests the tunnel angled to the side and just spray down the hole did not do it.

Pathfinder · 08-22-2022, 04:15 PM

JP Pest came last week for our regular quarterly service. The guy who did the service had a bee suit, and he dusted the yellowjacket nest for us. He also sprayed paper wasps that were nesting inside a 2nd floor bathroom exhaust fan vent. The yellowjackets and wasps were pretty bent out of shape by the time he was finished with them, but there's absolutely no sign of any activity now. I have no idea why the rep I spoke with prior to the service said they couldn't take care of it.

neckdweller · 08-23-2022, 02:22 PM

A true do it yourself method that's worked for me multiple times. Get a can (not bottle) of beer. Drink about 1/3 of it then leave the can next to the hole in the ground. It may take a couple days/cans but you'll get them.

Spraying alone has never worked for me and I have no desire to spray/dig/spray. If you're adventurous you could try pouring gas and a well aimed roman candle shot but I don't advise it.

08-13-2022, 09:39 AM	#1
Pathfinder Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Pro help needed for eradicating ground bees (yellowjackets) I discovered a ground bee nest while mowing our lawn last week...the hard way. We are customers of JP Pest, but they are "not licensed" for this situation. Suggestions for an exterminator, please?! Thanks!

08-18-2022, 02:34 PM	#2
root1 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 64 Thanks: 21 Thanked 23 Times in 17 Posts	You can order 'the good stuff' at http://domyown.com/pests from these people and take care of any/all bug problem you may ever encounter .... and save a bundle by doing it yourself. I'd recommend 'Advion WDG Insecticide' .... works well on just about everything. And it comes in pre-measured packets to make 1 gallon at a time. It's never let me down; although I don't have any experience with ground dwelling bees. Last edited by root1; 08-23-2022 at 03:08 PM.

08-18-2022, 07:27 PM	#6
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,162 Thanks: 296 Thanked 505 Times in 284 Posts	Eradicating ground bees Slickcraft is absolutely correct. Go to the local hardware store, buy several cans of "bee & hornet spray", locate the ground nest, spray, spray, and spray again until the area is saturated, rough up the ground and repeat the spraying. Good luck. (Keep your mouth shut, and wear long pants and long sleeves.)

08-22-2022, 04:15 PM	#9
Pathfinder Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Following up on original post JP Pest came last week for our regular quarterly service. The guy who did the service had a bee suit, and he dusted the yellowjacket nest for us. He also sprayed paper wasps that were nesting inside a 2nd floor bathroom exhaust fan vent. The yellowjackets and wasps were pretty bent out of shape by the time he was finished with them, but there's absolutely no sign of any activity now. I have no idea why the rep I spoke with prior to the service said they couldn't take care of it.

08-18-2022, 05:59 PM	#3
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,209 Thanks: 186 Thanked 310 Times in 227 Posts	In a couple weeks when cold sets in they will struggle. They will all head undgerground each night by dark. Get a can of wasp and hornet killer and just after dark spray in the hole. You will “bee” Al set

08-18-2022, 06:07 PM	#4
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6,120 Thanks: 1,159 Thanked 2,023 Times in 1,250 Posts	Alright, so we had JP Pest treat for ground bees a couple times back when they were JP Chemical to no avail. My solution, that worked amazingly well? Stand at the hole with a shop-vac for ~30 minutes and suck them all up. Seriously. And I've heard from others that it worked for them, too! Sent from my SM-G990U1 using Tapatalk

08-18-2022, 06:39 PM	#5
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and West Alton Posts: 3,272 Thanks: 1,209 Thanked 2,045 Times in 938 Posts	Wasp and hornet spray: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide...Killer/4480265 In daylight watch coming and going to identify the nest entrance. Like all bees, hornets etc, they wont bother you if you don't poke their nest. After dark, with a flashlight. Put on your nylon pants and rain shell just in case but these guys need light to navigate. Bring a shovel. Saturate the entrance with the spray. Wait a bit. Dig a bit, if action spray more. If no action, dig a bit more and spray again. The actual nest is normally small, baseball size and not far down. Dig, spray, dig. Done now go pour yourself a beer. Have done it many times, beer included. Alan

08-18-2022, 08:03 PM	#7
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,209 Thanks: 186 Thanked 310 Times in 227 Posts	I think slick missed my post. Lol. You don’t need a shovel …

08-23-2022, 02:22 PM	#10
neckdweller Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Moultonborough & Southern NH Posts: 133 Thanks: 6 Thanked 37 Times in 18 Posts	A true do it yourself method that's worked for me multiple times. Get a can (not bottle) of beer. Drink about 1/3 of it then leave the can next to the hole in the ground. It may take a couple days/cans but you'll get them. Spraying alone has never worked for me and I have no desire to spray/dig/spray. If you're adventurous you could try pouring gas and a well aimed roman candle shot but I don't advise it.