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Last update 12/09/2010

Death from Above
or.....
Dontcha Just Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning...

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Yellow jackets nuked since 05/27/07

08/28/06 - I was sitting on the porch of my cabin when I noticed an ominous buzzing coming from my kindling storage box.  Then I saw it - a stream of yellow jackets going in and out of the crack in the box (arrow).  What the hey!  This is the first time I've ever seen yellow jackets nest above-ground.  We've had a very wet spring so maybe that's the reason.

Since I'm deathly allergic to stings, this situation could not be allowed to continue.
 

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Just like the 82nd Airborne, I like to rain death from above (in this case, sorta sideways) using our old friend, the all purpose fluid - gasoline.

Gasoline is instant death to wasps.  They just cease moving.  Amazing.

The plan was to wait until dark when the critters are all in the nest and can't fly and then napalm 'em!  Without the fire, of course.  That's exactly what I did.

With about a quart of gas in the sprayer, my super-bright LED flashlight in one hand and the nozzle in the other, I nuked 'em. 

As usual, they had guards posted at the entrance so I got to look 'em in the eye as I nuked 'em!

They buzzed REAL loud and then... it... just... stopped...

Tools of the trade - gasoline and a garden sprayer


 

Do I really have to tell you not to try this at home, kiddies?  That playing with gasoline can burn your house down, rot your teeth and make your penis shrink?  I thought not.

Yeah, I had a big-assed fire extinguisher just out of the camera's view. Duh.

After the buzzing stopped I donned gloves and took a look.  There it is in all its papery glory!
A close-up.  There doesn't seem to be too many wasps here...
Ahhh, there they are.
A close-up.  I think the large larvae are queens in the making.  I ain't no etymologist so sue me if I'm wrong!  
This view shows the nest structure.  A yellow jacket high-rise as it were.  
Good thing I caught this nest when I did.  Look at all those beady little eyes poking through the paper caps on the cells to the right.  Another few days and there would have been a few hundred more wasps to deal with.
The outer structure of the nest.  I've read that they layer it in like this for insulation and water resistance.  Again, I ain't no etymologist so sue me.
Look at the stinger on that sucker!  No wonder they hurt so much.

Mission Accomplished!