Ah Yellow Jackets...

[Jackie B.]

Anyone else about to have a come apart with the copious amounts of yellow jackets hanging around the feeders and waterers? I believe they are the ground dwelling type of yellow jacket and there are plenty of places for the !@#$%^& to hide so I can't go searching every hole in the woods for their lairs. I've had to move the feeder and waterer out of the coop because they are just tormenting the flock and I've got a broody and an injured flyer holed up in their pad. Not to mention I've got my Epi Pen armed and ready each time I go out there, just waiting for the prick from the sting and the scream to come out of my mouth.

Can I deter the buggers away from the feed and water? I know there's just no way to erradicate them becasue I live in the woods but can I at least distract them to another place in the yard?

Thanks,
Jackie

 

[Oregon Blues]

The only way to get rid of them is to spray the nest, but you can greatly reduce their numbers by hanging yellow jacket traps every place you see them congregating.

 

[Nicole01]

I was mowing(before I broke my neck) and I ran over a yellow jackets nest under ground. They swarmed me and I had several attached to my legs and one went up my shorts. I had to pry each one off with my fingers. I barely made it walking up the hill due to the intense pain from the stings. It hurt real badly for an entire week! I will never forget that day!!!

We are lucky and don't have them near the coop yet. We'd spray the nest asap if one were to ever show up. It's best to spray the nest in the evening when the wasps are sleeping.

 

[Jackie B.]

Yeah that's the thing, I can't find the nests b/c there's at least 2 dozen holes in the back yard between the snakes, field mice, and those lovely little friends. And, of course, all the holes are right where the chicken slike to hnag out the most so I don't want to spray them. Yellow jackets traps is the way I'm going. Thanks!

 

[darkmatter]

I use to have the same problem with Yellow-Jackets. Once I added Guineas to my flock which fly out of the Run and cruise the property for ticks and bugs, the Yellow-jackets also disappeared! Coincidence----I think not!

 

[Jackie B.]

Quote:
Yes! Another legitimate excuse, er reason, to get more birds!

 

[thekid]

take a rag, dip it in gas, put it in the hole, and then light it on fire and dig it out the next day works every time

 

[dewey]

They're thick here! Can't even walk around outside without worry of being attacked. I need more traps but the stores near me are all sold out til late this week. The chickens kill any that they can get to in their pen but it can't make a dent in the population since the trees in the yard are literally full of wasps, and like your place, there's no finding the nests here. Hopefully some traps can help you out.

 

[Ole rooster]

Last week while I was clearing an area for my new coop, I must have gotten some very angry at me. They got me 7 times. 4 in the same spot on my back. The worst part is the pain last so long. I was sore for over a week. I did buy some hornet spray. I can get a number of them at a time when they bunch up. They are cannibalistic. If you can kill one, leave it and wait. Bunches will come to eat that one. Or put out something like orange crush. They love that stuff. When they get there shoot um with the hornet spray. If you find the lair, you better get um all. They are mean when they're mad.

 

[Jackie B.]

I put out 2 traps and within 15 min I've caught at least 20-in each trap. Time to re-load!