# so I'm outside grilling....



## MA_PE (Aug 23, 2008)

and I notice something stuck in the bushes. Why do the kid's kick a soccer ball into the bushes and just leave it there?...

I go over to retrieve the ball...

Time for a midnight "raid"


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## squishles10 (Aug 23, 2008)

Oh holy crap!!!!!


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## Dark Knight (Aug 23, 2008)

What the heck is that MA?


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## sehad (Aug 23, 2008)

Dark Knight said:


> What the heck is that MA?


HORNETS!!

Good stuff. Those can hurt


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## Dark Knight (Aug 23, 2008)

sehad said:


> HORNETS!!
> Good stuff. Those can hurt


Ahhh.OK

Thanks Sehad


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## MA_PE (Aug 23, 2008)

sehad said:


> HORNETS!!
> Good stuff. Those can hurt


You ain't kidding. I'm waiting until dark and armed with a flashlight and a can of the spray that shoots a stream about 20 ft, I intend to take the thing down.

Where's Sap? I could you someone with some combat experience.


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## IlPadrino (Aug 24, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> Where's Sap? I could you someone with some combat experience.


I'm sure being a sapper he could help you blow the thing up. If you don't have access to some good C4 I think an M-80 would work wonders!


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## cement (Aug 24, 2008)

go ahead and kick it!


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## MA_PE (Aug 24, 2008)

Do you think stoning it to death would work?


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## roadwreck (Aug 24, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> Do you think stoning it to death would work?


there's one way to find out. Give it a try (and let us know how it works out for you) :thumbs:

Edit:

I have dealt with one of these large nests before. Fortunately the hornets/wasp nest usually only has one entrance/exit. Get a full can of wasp spray, preferably one of those that will allow you to spray from 10+ feet away and that kills on contact. Stand back and just spray into the entrance of the nest. The hornets will come out straight into your stream of poison and drop to the ground. Eve if they don't die straight away they will likely be to busy struggling to bother with coming after you. Keep spraying until the bugs quit coming or you run out of bug spray. If the later occurs before the former RUN!


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## Guest (Aug 24, 2008)

So, was the operation a success? 

JR


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## sehad (Aug 24, 2008)

jregieng said:


> So, was the operation a success?
> JR


I'm interested to know the success story or the what not to do story.


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## squishles10 (Aug 24, 2008)

Yeah what happened?

Hopefully you made it out okay :-O


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## A Smith (Aug 24, 2008)

Watch out, hornets can sting more than once!!! Get an assistant with a water hose to back you up &amp; use a full can!!!

I have yellow jackets under my front porch, must be in a ways, after spraying they still come &amp; go. So 5lb of sand and cover entrance with 6" of rock &amp; they still find another entrance. More rock, spray with water to knock down and step on them. Got a trap &amp; took a day to get a bunch more. Wish I could see the nest.

Now for the engineering question, what can be used to fill an air space, we have expansive clay soil so a polyurethane foam would just cause the concrete to heave. Other wise to plan "C", check if th ACME Co has some dynamite.


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## EM_PS (Aug 24, 2008)

What'd they do on American Chopper? douse the nest w/ gasoline, and throw a flaming rag on it. . .can always rebuild the deck, right?

i'm kidding of course. . .

sort of anyways :210:


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 25, 2008)

Hmmmm...MA seems to be MIA. Guess things didn't go so well.


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## MA_PE (Aug 25, 2008)

I procrastinated another day. We went visitng family yesterday. I'll post a closure pic when the job is done.

I think I'll send my kids out ot do it. That's why we have them in the first place (to do the dirty jobs) right?

RW: That is exactly my plan, I just haven't gone out to do it yet. The only thing I'd add to your description is to do it at night when they're all in there and if it's cool, that's all the better because the move slower. I have the spray that shoots a stream 20+ feet and I'm staying close to a door to the house so I can retreat and escape if necessary.

I took down a similar nest a couple of years ago. It wasn't as big (closer to a softball, this one is literally as big as a soccer ball) and it wa hanging under my deck. I recall that the spray "dissolves" the nest and the nest fell down on the ground. I'm a little concerned that if this one falls into the bush then the bush will block my line of sight with the spray onto the nest.

Time to just git 'er done.


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## ktulu (Aug 25, 2008)

I am wondering how come none of us got invited to the cookout?


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## roadwreck (Aug 25, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> RW: That is exactly my plan, I just haven't gone out to do it yet. The only thing I'd add to your description is to do it at night when they're all in there and if it's cool, that's all the better because the move slower. I have the spray that shoots a stream 20+ feet and I'm staying close to a door to the house so I can retreat and escape if necessary.


The nest I took down was in Houston, so waiting until nightfall for things to 'cool down' in Houston in the summer is futile. It was also standing on the roof. I figured being able to see was important so I did it when the sun was still up and figured if any of the pests were not in the nest they would either be killed by any residual poison or realize their nest had been destroyed and just move on. In any event, it's actually kind of fun to take down wasp after wasp as they come pouring out of the nest. Maybe you should get a reserve can of spray, just in case your primary weapon runs out of ammo in the middle of the fight.


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 25, 2008)

Oh, I think a redundant can a spray would be a wise move. And use them both while screaming, "Taste liquid death, motherfarkerss!!!"


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## sehad (Aug 25, 2008)

^^ :th_rockon:

Nothing works like warm water mixed with JOY. My grandmother mixed that up all the time and I swear it will kill anything that flies!


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## MA_PE (Aug 25, 2008)

sehad said:


> ^^ :th_rockon:
> Nothing works like warm water mixed with JOY. My grandmother mixed that up all the time and I swear it will kill anything that flies!


Then did she put Windex on the stings?


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## Flyer_PE (Aug 25, 2008)

^^ That Windex is miraculous stuff! :lmao:


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> Then did she put Windex on the stings?


:Locolaugh: :Locolaugh: :Locolaugh:

My Big Fat Greek Wedding ?? :bananalama:

JR


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## DVINNY (Aug 25, 2008)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have an assistant with a digital camera taking pics of this raid for EB.com!!!


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## MA_PE (Aug 25, 2008)

jregieng said:


> :Locolaugh: :Locolaugh: :Locolaugh:
> My Big Fat Greek Wedding ?? :bananalama:
> 
> JR


That's where I was coming from.


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## Sschell (Aug 25, 2008)

roadwreck said:


> Maybe you should get a reserve can of spray, just in case your primary weapon runs out of ammo in the middle of the fight.





Capt Worley PE said:


> Oh, I think a redundant can a spray would be a wise move.



I was going to suggest a second can as well... either that or one of those bug bombs you can throw over your sholder as you begin your retreat...

or.. instead of the spray... you could mix up some epoxy foam, build an applicator gun with an exceptionally long nozzle and blast the nest full of that... that'll teach em!

(I'd still have the two cans of srray handy just in case my hair brained scheme doesn't work)


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## Road Guy (Aug 25, 2008)

holy crap!

looks like a great opportunity for some youtube video right there!


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2008)

Road Guy said:


> looks like a great opportunity for some youtube video right there!


Statements like that show exactly why you are El Jefe !!!! :lmao: :lmao:

:respect:

JR


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## sehad (Aug 25, 2008)

The Dude said:


> I was going to suggest a second can as well... either that or one of those bug bomb you can throw over your sholder as you begin your retreat...
> or.. instead of the spray... you could mix up some epoxy foam, build an applicator gun with an exceptionally long nozzle and blast the nest full of that... that'll teach em!
> 
> (I'd still have the two cans of srray handy just in case my hair brained scheme doesn't work)


I'm all for the expandable foam idea! Sounds like a blast to watch SOMEONE ELSE do. Any bets on how many make it out before it seals?


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## TouchDown (Aug 25, 2008)

Funny story. My X Brother in Law went turkey hunting one fall and found a big hornets nest. It was cold that morning, he didn't see any hornets, so he thought it was abandoned, cut it down to hang up in his house and put it in the truck until he was done hunting.

Came back early morning after no luck hunting to see that his windows were covered in hornets. The truck was warm enough to let the lil boogers out of the nest. He ended up leaving it overnight and armed with a couple cans of hornets spray went back early the next morning. He was able to toss the nest out of the truck.

So, MA - maybe you smoke them out or something, get rid of them, and keep the nest as a talking piece for your house or your work???


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## Dexman1349 (Aug 25, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> I'm sure being a sapper he could help you blow the thing up. If you don't have access to some good C4 I think an M-80 would work wonders!


If you need access to C-4, just go down to your local auction house:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26383425/?GT1=43001

A suitcase full should be enough to level everything on the property. :thumbs:


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## Sschell (Aug 25, 2008)

sehad said:


> I'm all for the expandable foam idea! Sounds like a blast to watch SOMEONE ELSE do. Any bets on how many make it out before it seals?



I think you need a fairly high volume applicator... so that if any do escape, they have some foam on them... preferably right on the stinger!


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## FLBuff PE (Aug 25, 2008)

Shoot it with a potato cannon!

And be sure to video it. Submit to AFV and get some ca$h.


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## snickerd3 (Aug 25, 2008)

FLBuff said:


> Shoot it with a potato cannon!
> And be sure to video it. Submit to AFV and get some ca$h.


Then use the winning to fund EB.com for however long that kind of money lasts.


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## Sschell (Aug 25, 2008)

shove the biggest bottle rocket that will fit in the hole in it. maybe get some good caulk around the top of the bottle rocket first to keep them from escaping. that should be fun to watch (via remote camera in a safe and secure location)

oh wait... never ask another man to put his caulk into a hornets nest.


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2008)

I sense this thread is going to go down hill in 3 .... 2 .... 1 .....

JR


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## Sschell (Aug 25, 2008)

what percentage of threads in this fourm go that direction?


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## Vishal (Aug 25, 2008)

^ should we rather ask, what is probability of every thread going in that direction??!!!


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## roadwreck (Aug 25, 2008)

Vishal said:


> ^ should we rather ask, what is probability of every thread going in that direction??!!!


100%

The question is when, not if.


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## maryannette (Aug 25, 2008)

Well, I'm just interested in the hornet nest demolition.


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## EM_PS (Aug 25, 2008)

TouchDown said:


> Funny story. My X Brother in Law went turkey hunting one fall and found a big hornets nest. It was cold that morning, he didn't see any hornets, so he thought it was abandoned, cut it down *to hang up in his house *and put it in the truck until he was done hunting.


why oh why would someone want to do that (other than making for hilarious retelling of the tale)? Did your ex BIL take over residence of the unabomber's plywood shack or something?


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## TouchDown (Aug 25, 2008)

Let's just say that where I'm from most people are missing teeth or have dentures by the time they are 30. The inside of my X-BIL's trailor was covered in stuffed (insert animal here)s.

Here's a rundown of what I can remember:

4 Deer heads - living room

2 Elk heads - living room

3 or 4 wide mouth bass above the kitchen table

2 pheasant - bathroom

He had 6 or more other things in his bedroom that I never went into, but this guy had more money invested in taxidermy than he did in his pickup.


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## knelli (Aug 25, 2008)

Bra-Kleen works better than any hornet spray..... Kills em INSTANTLY!


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## cement (Aug 25, 2008)

Did you mean: Brake-Kleen? 

talk about sending a thread downhill fast!


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 26, 2008)

error_matrix said:


> why oh why would someone want to do that (other than making for hilarious retelling of the tale)? Did your ex BIL take over residence of the unabomber's plywood shack or something?


Pretty popular in the South. My dad had one hanging in the pump house for years (may ven still be there) and the BBQ joint I used to frequent had at least 7 mounted on the wall, all at least twice as big as MA's.


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## MA_PE (Aug 26, 2008)

> at least twice as big as MA's


now I have "nest envy" I'll have to leave it there and let it grow bigger.


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## sehad (Aug 26, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> now I have "nest envy" I'll have to leave it there and let it grow bigger.


Good call


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Aug 26, 2008)

I'd offer to be your wingman on this mission, but I'm totally phobic of flying insects regardless of whether they sting or not.


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## Chucktown PE (Aug 26, 2008)

Capt Worley PE said:


> Pretty popular in the South. My dad had one hanging in the pump house for years (may ven still be there) and the BBQ joint I used to frequent had at least 7 mounted on the wall, all at least twice as big as MA's.


Whats all this about knocking the taxidermy. For the record, I have a few ducks; a pintail, a widgeon, and a mallard. My wife won't allow me to hang them in any place of prominence but in either case, I consider them tokens of my achievments as an outdoorsman (freezing my ass off in a duck blind).

As another note, the hornets nest is a pretty cool thing to save. Once the hornets are dead you should cut off the limb and save it for your kids for a science project. I can remember cutting one down and doing the same when I was in elementary school.


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## roadwreck (Aug 26, 2008)

VTEnviro said:


> I'd offer to be your wingman on this mission, but I'm totally phobic of flying insects regardless of whether they sting or not.


:f_115m_e45d7af:


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 26, 2008)

Chucktown PE said:


> Whats all this about knocking the taxidermy.


I think it is a cross between Southern stereotypes and the Norman Bates angle.


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## A Smith (Aug 26, 2008)

"Hornets, like many social wasps, can mobilize the entire nest to sting in defense: this is highly dangerous to humans"

"They can also bite and sting at the same time."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornet

haha, I think mine is bigger, just cannot see it 

"The colony then expands rapidly reaching a maximum size of 4,000 and 5,000"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowjacket

I am ready to start mixing concrete to cover the entrance.


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## C-Dog (Aug 26, 2008)

Chucktown PE said:


> As another note, the hornets nest is a pretty cool thing to save. Once the hornets are dead you should cut off the limb and save it for your kids for a science project. I can remember cutting one down and doing the same when I was in elementary school.


Hey kids, come here. I have a pesticide soaked nest I want you to play with. All the hornets are dead and in a few years you will be too.


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## roadwreck (Aug 26, 2008)

C-Dog said:


> Hey kids, come here. I have a pesticide soaked nest I want you to play with. All the hornets are dead and in a few years you will be too.


Common sense would dictate that you shouldn't let the kids eat it.


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 26, 2008)

Well, depending on the definiton a 'few' we'll all be dead in a few years, so the kids will be dead regardless of whether or not they consume a Hornet's Nest Souffle.


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## csb (Aug 26, 2008)

Some species of hornets are territorial, so if they see a nest already up they won't build another one. That's why you can buy fake ones online.

We had TWO hornets nests in the window wells near our driveway last summer. We didn't know there were two...we killed the first nest and then wondered where the other ones were coming from...till we looked in the other window well on the other side of the chimney. Took them out with the long distance Raid.


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## Wolverine (Aug 26, 2008)

With prodigious apologies, I'm going to inject a dose of reality back into the thread.

To get rid of flying insect nests, go for a heavy dose of Drione dust pumped out of a mini-bellows. Kills everything. Forever.

Available at local DIY pest control stores.


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## EM_PS (Aug 26, 2008)

^yeah but can it shoot through schools?


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## squishles10 (Aug 27, 2008)

*knock knock knock* "FBI!"


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## Sschell (Aug 27, 2008)

so... MA... still procrastinating? I want to see the after pictures (and hopefully some during pics as well)


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## MA_PE (Aug 27, 2008)

yes I am. We've had something going on every night this week. Looks like the assault will be this weekend. Pictures will be dark, this is a nocturnal mission.


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## SSmith (Aug 27, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> yes I am. We've had something going on every night this week. Looks like the assault will be this weekend. Pictures will be dark, this is a nocturnal mission.


Please remember to equip your camera with your handy set of PVS-7Ds. There will be a video, right?


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## A Smith (Aug 28, 2008)

"Kills everything. Forever."

Sounds good to me!!

Another tip, do not spray wasp &amp; hornet spray straight up in the air to pick off attackers. Also watch the wind direction!

I got a yellow jacket trap &amp; knocked a bunch off, 4,000 more to go on mine!


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## squishles10 (Aug 28, 2008)

Yeah I don't understand how it'll be dark if you blow it up. Pics should turn out just fine.


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## testee (Aug 28, 2008)

hey Squishles, nice av!


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## MA_PE (Sep 2, 2008)

OK after much apprehension, mission accomplished. It went surprisingly easy. On Saturday night my son and I, waited until dark (~10:00 PM) and then armed with a flashlight and two new cans of Raid (1 for each of us)...

cautiously approached the nest...

We didn't hear any noticeable noise and there weren't any comings/goings out of the entrance. So we simultaneously blasted the dang thing from two angles, concentrating first on the hole and then while he was nailing the door I soaked the rest of the nest. The cans of Raid were empty in less than a couple of minutes and the thing was soaked.

The instructions say it continues to kill bugs for at least several days after application.  This picture is from Sunday morning ~6:40AM.

I haven't cut it free of the bush yet. When I do I'll take a couple of more pictures.


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## Capt Worley PE (Sep 2, 2008)

:thumbs:


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## EM_PS (Sep 2, 2008)

Are you gonna hang it in your kitchen? apparently its the trend in exciting decor (word on the street)


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## MA_PE (Sep 2, 2008)

error_matrix said:


> Are you gonna hang it in your kitchen? apparently its the trend in exciting decor (word on the street)


maybe, after I give it 3 or 4 coats of shellac.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Sep 2, 2008)

Congrats on a well executed mission!


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## Road Guy (Sep 2, 2008)

was there a specific reason to do it at night? do those things actually sleep? just curious........


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Sep 2, 2008)

At night they tend to all be congreagated in the nest so there's a better chance of getting them all. Also, as cold blooded creatures they are less active during cooler, nighttime weather.


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## squishles10 (Sep 2, 2008)

id spray it again just to make sure...

congrats though- im sure id be in the ER!


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## MA_PE (Sep 2, 2008)

> was there a specific reason to do it at night? do those things actually sleep? just curious........


AS VT said, the insects are most likely to be in the hive when it's dark out and colder temperatures (big changes at night as opposed to midday here in New England) slow them down substantially.

FWIW, the instructions on the can recommend early dawn or dusk as they're more liklely to all be at the hive.

We were close to a door into the house where we could escape if necessary. I was kind of surprised we didn't hear a lot of "buzzing" when we first hit it, could have been because of the adrenalin rush or the hissing of the cans and I'm not sure how tightly packed they are in there. Drenching the opening prevented anything from coming out at us.


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## EM_PS (Sep 2, 2008)

So what happens when that thing's friends come back. . .


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## Sschell (Sep 2, 2008)

well done! looks like one made it out... but did not survive long,


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## C-Dog (Sep 4, 2008)

Hive Removal

So which one are you MA?


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## Road Guy (Sep 4, 2008)

so why would anyone want "hornet larve"? the video broke up, is it actually worth something??


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## C-Dog (Sep 4, 2008)

Road Guy said:


> so why would anyone want "hornet larve"? the video broke up, is it actually worth something??


According to their web site, they use they sell them to medical labs for allergy patients.


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## MA_PE (Sep 4, 2008)

C-Dog said:


> According to their web site, they use they sell them to medical labs for allergy patients.


NOW you send me this.

too late. we nuked the bastards.

If you want I'll mail you the remains. (COD)


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## Sschell (Sep 4, 2008)

C-Dog said:


> According to their web site, they use they sell them to medical labs for allergy patients.



the pic of the nest he shows is sic!


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## C-Dog (Sep 4, 2008)

MA_PE said:


> NOW you send me this.
> too late. we nuked the bastards.
> 
> If you want I'll mail you the remains. (COD)


Saw it this morning for the first time.


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