Last month I was in the backyard, trying to keep Nipper the dog out of trouble, when I saw a telltale sign of invasion.
A single yellow jacket was hovering near the grass, not close to any clover blossoms or anything else that might attract a member of the hymenoptera order.
Sure enough, it landed and made its way into a secret hole, a hideout in the lawn itself, where a nest had been built. These were ground-nesting beasts, waiting for a careless moment when I or one of my faithful dogs would stride too near, and then attack!
Later that day, when I was alone, I took my can of wasp spray and a bucket of dirt down to the backyard. I filled that hole completely with poison. I let it sit for a while. Then I covered it with earth.
Job done. Except for one yellow jacket. One lone wasp that had been out on the hunt. It returned to the hole to find the entrance sealed. It hovered and bobbed, looking for a way in.
It was now the warrior with no chief. It was the samurai with no master. It was... RONIN!!!!
!!!!!!
You shouldn't add dirt to the hole for a bit. Then you can watch the absent wasps return, crawl in, and die.
ReplyDeleteOh, and keep the wasp spray handy while you watch. Practice until you can hit a wasp in flight. It might be important.
Mark the spot.
ReplyDeleteWait until dark, reacquire the enemy's location.
Pour whatever liquid death you choose down the hole and cover it with a brick.
Backfill with whatever you like, the next day.
They are all in the nest at dark.
Celebrate with your favorite liquid!
Now I feel like the big bad in the martial arts movie.
ReplyDeleteMurder them all! Mwah ah ah!
I LOVE killing yellow jackets. I found a hole in the front yard last year. I had to apply my KILLING spray 2 or 3 times before I saw no activity around the hole. One year we found an uncovered nest out behind our yard. My husband went out after dark and poured gasoline on it and set it on fire. KILL THEM WITH FIRE! I was always mystified why it was torn open....just recently found out that skunks will rip the nest open and eat them.
ReplyDeleteNuke it from orbit!
ReplyDelete