In late summer I had a bees/wasp nest in the ground in the duck enclosure, but in the furthest corner away from them. I ended up hanging up a bee/wasp trap with 3 different attractants in it. This reduced the amount of flying ones to almost none. Now is winter and nothing is flying around and I thought the nest was gone for sure. Boy was I wrong. The 9 ducks found it and dug it up completely. They ate everything that was dormant and sleeping in it. Good duckies!!! Now I'm sure the nest is gone for sure. No survivors means no off springs next year. This also tells me that I have to take on beekeeping away from the duckies. No problem with 22 acres.
I'm betting that there are survivors. A lot of next year's reproductive females probably left the main nest (guessing that they are yellow jackets) and are hibernating in safe hiding places.
I guess that is nature and I put up the hanging trap next year when I notice activity. I just hate to use poisons and the hanging trap worked well last year. So the ducks have dug the biggest crater you can think off. Must have been rather tasty, because they keep on going back and dig it over and over. At least they are in it in winter.
They will also have a back door that can by pretty far from the 'front door'. Their nests can also be may feet under ground and balloon to a huge colony. Good thing the duckies like them as snacks though. Also, put out the hanging traps before they get active. Good luck!
If they come back use 7% sevin dust. That is my only "poison" allowed in my pens, although Im sure the diatomicious earth would work fine too.
