Did you just find a yellow jacket nest in the ground on your land? Are you wondering can you drown yellow jacket nest with water?
Is it safe to do? Is it the best way to get rid of them?
Can You Drown A Yellow Jacket Nest?
Yes, You can drown yellow jackets with water. The method is suitable for earthen burrows and outbuildings. To exterminate yellow jackets in the ground, you put a hose into the burrow and run the water until it pours out.
The entrance to the burrow is covered with a stone or other heavy object. Note that a bucket of water may not be enough, as the burrows can be very deep and some of the liquid is absorbed into the soil.
The yellow jackets may have time to dig new holes and escape from the flooded dwelling.
If the nest of these insects is built under the ceiling, you can try drowning it in a bucket of water that is raised and pressed against the ceiling.
But this method requires skill, speed, and accuracy. The bucket must be pressed completely firmly against the surface, without gaps.
To keep the yellow jackets’ nest in the water for a long time, for at least a day, so you should think of some kind of support for the bucket beforehand.
Steps To Flood A Yellow Jacket Nest
Flooding a yellow jacket nest in the ground can be an effective way to eliminate the colony, but it should be done with caution and safety in mind. Yellow jackets can become highly aggressive when they feel threatened, so it’s important to take the following steps to minimize the risk of stings and ensure a successful removal:
- Identify the Nest: Locate the yellow jacket nest during the daytime when most of the colony is active. Look for the entrance hole, which is usually a small opening in the ground.
- Prepare Equipment and Protective Gear: Wear protective clothing, including a beekeeping suit or thick clothing that covers your entire body, gloves, and a veil or head net.
Equip yourself with a flashlight for nighttime treatments, a large plastic sheet or tarp, a shovel, a bucket or container, and a hose with a nozzle attachment. - Choose the Right Time: The best time to flood a yellow jacket nest is at night when the yellow jackets are less active and most of them are inside the nest.
- Seal the Entrance Hole: Before flooding the nest, seal the entrance hole with a large, heavy object like a flat rock or brick. Make sure the seal is tight to prevent yellow jackets from escaping.
- Flood the Nest: Carefully and slowly pour a mixture of soapy water or water with a dish soap solution into the nest entrance. The soap helps suffocate the yellow jackets by clogging their airways. Use a hose with a nozzle to deliver the liquid, as this allows you to maintain a safe distance from the nest entrance. Continue to pour the solution until the nest is completely flooded and you see no more yellow jacket activity.
- Wait and Observe: After flooding the nest, wait for a while to ensure that there is no further activity. Do not remove the seal from the entrance hole immediately.
- Remove the Nest: Once you are confident that the yellow jackets are no longer active, you can carefully dig out the nest and dispose of it in a sealed plastic bag or container. Be cautious while doing this, as some yellow jackets may still be alive or partially active.
- Dispose of Nest Materials: Dispose of the nest materials by sealing them in a plastic bag and placing it in the trash. Do not compost the nest material.
- Protective Clothing Removal: After handling the nest, remove your protective clothing carefully to avoid any remaining yellow jackets. Wash the clothing promptly.
- Monitor the Area: Keep an eye on the treated area for any signs of remaining yellow jacket activity in the coming days. If necessary, repeat the flooding process.
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Will boiling water kill the yellow jacket nest?
Boiling water is one way to deal with yellow jackets. You can take a large amount of boiling water and pour it on the nest to get rid of it. Also, try this option: pour water into a bucket and place the nest that has been knocked down in it.
While in the liquid, the insects should drown. The main thing to do when fighting yellow jackets with water is to flood the whole nest completely to kill as many insects as possible.
If the nest is placed in the ground, using boiling water will not give many advantages over cold water, but it may damage the plants and animals close to the yellow jacket nest tunnels.
What about cold water, any good?
It is better to use cold water to spray the nests with different solutions or to flood the nests in the ground.
This way there is no fear of damaging the environment. There may be other animals and plants near the nest which could be harmed by the use of boiling water.
What Can I mix with water to help kill the yellow jackets in the nest?
There are quite a few different insecticides that should be diluted in water. For example, an effective yellow jacket repellent is an aqueous solution of boric acid.
Add 100 grams of boric acid to 10 liters of water. You can even use boric acid to kill yellow jacket nests in vegetable gardens and greenhouses, as the substance is safe for the plants.
Another remedy against yellow jackets is a soap solution. Dilute a dishwashing liquid in water. This weak soap solution, when applied to the wings of the insects, glues them together and immobilizes the yellow jackets.
The solution is poured into the nest or sprayed on individual insects. The method works but will have to be used several times. But this method can take up to several weeks before the yellow jacket colony is completely eradicated.
Because dealing with wasps on your runs the risk of being attacked by a large number of angry insects, the safest and most effective remedy is to call in a specialist service.
When is the best time to flood a yellow jacket nest?
The best times to control yellow jackets are spring and autumn. Destroying nests on branches is safest in early spring and early summer when the queen and a few soldiers are in the nest.
From midsummer onwards, such a procedure carries a high degree of risk. In the autumn, yellow jackets lose their aggression, become sleepy and slowly say goodbye to life.
In the spring, however, the queen spends all her energy building a nest. All operations against yellow jackets must be carried out late in the evening.
Although yellow jackets never sleep, their activity decreases considerably at night. After sunset is the best time to destroy a yellow jacket nest.
When the sun goes down, all yellow jackets return to the nest and you have the chance to destroy all individuals at once.
When fighting yellow jackets be sure to use protection for your face and skin, as yellow jackets stings are very painful and can cause serious consequences.
