# Help with wasp hives!



## gobug (Jul 13, 2012)

Unlike a yellow jacket nest with one queen and ~3000 workers this time of year, you have what is a common name for this type of wasp:an umbrella cone wasp. All of these wasps are "queens". Hence, since they work in the day, and, since you eliminate their nest in the day, when they come home, their home is gone. So they build another nest.

Knocking the nest down does not kill the queens, unless they are all home. Either smash the nest at night, or use a little spray on them.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Great info Gobug.

Either spray inside the nest and/or cover it with a kitchen garbage bag and remove from the ceiling then tie it tightly but whatever you do do it after dark when they are home and inactive.


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## gobug (Jul 13, 2012)

Yellow jackets are NOT dormant at night. Almost all of the worker/foragers/defenders are working on the outside of the nest (wherever it is). Using a flashlight draws them to you, especially if you are being aggressive to the nest.

October is about the time frame when the year's new queen yellow jackets leave the nests, mate, and find a place to make it through the winter. 

Hornets are the same.

Umbrella cone wasp nests have many fewer wasps and most of them are out foraging for food in the daytime. Hence, they are all home at night, and that is the best time to squash the nest or spray it with something. It would be difficult to try to take a plastic bag and enclose it. Easier to just spray it since it is open (not closed).

Just like there are several species of yellow jackets, the same for hornets and umbrella cone wasps. If in doubt, capture 1 and take to the ag department. In CO the state ag department controls the pest control industry and they have free information for residents. They will identify the bug and give the best information for control.


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