# Mowed over a bald faced hornet nest



## Artemis2007 (Jul 13, 2012)

I ran my big field mower over what (I think) is a bald-faced hornet nest at the base of the little tree I was trying to take down. As soon as I saw them I turned and ran. Nobody followed me, which seems odd, since they're supposed to be so aggressive. But now I have to retrieve my mower, which is still partly on the nest. Any ideas on the best way to do this?


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Get an exterminator. Bald face hornets can keep on stinging. We had some in our neighborhood....one of my neighbors got stung pretty badly.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Suit up and wait until dark.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

As close to dark as you can and be fast. Not sure where you are but the colder the better and dress in heavy clothing. That will get your mower back and then maybe you will be able to see the access point for the nest.

Now, I had a yellow jacket nest in the ground that was full of very active and mad yj's. Seems a skunk had attacked the nest during the night and tore most, not all, of it apart. They would not let me get close to apply my Seven dust so I used a couple lengths of pvc attached to my shop vac. Slid the pipe up clost to the nest and applied power from the far end of the cord. I didn't expect the results exactly. Turns out the yj's didn't like the noise at the end of my pvc and they attacked it, slurp, slurp. After 10 or so minutes they were all gone. Cycled it again later as some had been away from the nest and the vac got them. Tossed a pinch of 7 dust into the intake and then sealed it up for a couple of weeks. Be sure to clean the vac if you use the 7 as the exhaust would probably be contaminated.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

That's a good plan, and my little shop vac is small enuff to put in the freezer, so death shortly do us part.


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## That Guy (Aug 19, 2017)

I had a football sized hornets nest in my pond shack earlier this summer, and was stung 2x... I didnt even bother them I was checking the pump...

Well FINE!

I walked up to the house, snagged my 410, with some bird shot... one minute the nest is there, the next its 'deleted'

I win....

In other news I was then again stung earlier last week in the back on the way to work... (the brakes in the new truck work great!)

That left me with a moderate allergic reaction... I called MASH, they wanted $650 for the epi shot... yet a crack head can get narcan free.. ugh!

Anyways, go buy a bunch of seven, and COVER the area with it at night, then in a day or so, put on a respirator and go get your tractor


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Artemis2007 said:


> Any ideas on the best way to do this?


After you recover your mower...after dark, put Bonide on where you think is the entrance to the nest. It is a white powder that the hornets will track into the nest and will eliminate them. It may take a few days.
But all of the hornets do return at some time and when they do they will be poisoned. Just do everything at night. A flashlight is fine but don't linger.


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## Artemis2007 (Jul 13, 2012)

OP here. This is what I did last night: Homemade bee-keeper suit, with jeans, sweatshirt, work gloves, baseball cap and floating row cover over the cap to protect face. All joints sealed with duct tape. Went back close to dark and sprayed nearly a whole can of wasp insecticide from a distance. Not sure if any of them came after me but I didn't get stung. After there was no more activity, I threw an old blanket over the nest and tried to start the mower. New lesson learned: When you run from the mower in a panic and leave it "start" mode, the battery runs down. Dragged it 10+ yards away from the nest, covered it with tarp against the rain. Now I have to recharge the battery. Somehow. Really sorry that I poisoned the field with all that chemical.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

I had a beach ball sized hornets nest in a tree here about 15 feet up. I bought the beekeeper hat on amazon, and suited up in Carhart coveralls, boots, gloves, goggles, etc. Waited till cool evening and sprayed the whole nest. Went back night 2 and did it again. Completely wiped out the whole nest.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Artemis2007 said:


> New lesson learned: When you run from the mower in a panic and leave it "start" mode, the battery runs down. Dragged it 10+ yards away from the nest, covered it with tarp against the rain. Now I have to recharge the battery. Somehow. Really sorry that I poisoned the field with all that chemical.


************************************************
Or you can dis-mount that tractor and leave it running as i did but need to go back and find your glasses that were knocked off when attempting to keep the hornets away from your face.:vs_laugh:


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## fireguy (May 3, 2007)

Bill & I partnered up and got a forest service contract cutting small trees on the corners of the forest service roads. Some of the trees had yellow jackets nests in the trees. Our solution was to take gas/oil chain saw mix, pour some in an empty can, walk to the tree and toss the gas/oil mix in the nest. Then we poured some mix on the ground. Then it was off the next tree, to see if we were going to drop the tree, or put gas/oil on that tree.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

fireguy said:


> Bill & I partnered up and got a forest service contract cutting small trees on the corners of the forest service roads. Some of the trees had yellow jackets nests in the trees. Our solution was to take gas/oil chain saw mix, pour some in an empty can, walk to the tree and toss the gas/oil mix in the nest. Then we poured some mix on the ground. Then it was off the next tree, to see if we were going to drop the tree, or put gas/oil on that tree.



I have used gas many times. It works really well. Maybe not the approved method but as many times as I have been stung by those rascals the only thing I want is them gone. It doesn’t take very much at all. And no I don’t try and light it lol


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

BayouRunner said:


> I have used gas many times. It works really well. Maybe not the approved method but as many times as I have been stung by those rascals the only thing I want is them gone. It doesn’t take very much at all. And no I don’t try and light it lol


How about some Hornet Gumbo? 

Sorry, couldn't help myself, Devil got into me. . . . :devil3:


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Lol. Not much we can’t make taste good!


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