Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Ground Hornets


HELP!!!!! We have an infestation of black wasps with white stripes.  The more I read, the more it seems they are actually ground hornets. Their nests are holes in the ground. All of a sudden there are hundreds of them in one section of the garden and they're kind of scary. They apparently are quite vicious and can sting repeatedly.



Has anyone ever had these? How did you get rid of them? Google answers suggest anything from gasoline down the hole and lighting it (yikes!) to pouring ammonia on the nest. These methods do not sound environmentally friendly at all. Also, do I have to wait until autumn to try extermination?

Any advice would be much appreciated - thanks!




7 comments:

HELENE said...

Ouch! Seems like I am not the only one with uninvited guest in my garden! I did a quick search myself and also found that ammonia was a good way of getting rid of them, did you see this instructive explanation?
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Ground-Digger-Wasps-%28Cicada-Killers%29-from-Your-Lawn
Good luck, hope you get rid of them, and in any case, they’ll be gone soon as their life cyclus seems to be quite short. Take care, Helene.

Astrid said...

Hi Helene
I think you are right. I read the articles about the cicadas but somehow dismissed them - I guess I was just too worried and concerned. But then I saw these 2" long grasshoppers yesterday so those must be the cicadas and if they are the hornets' targets, and the whole situation goes away in a week or 2, we'll be fine. If the hornets don't return for 7 years, I'm going to put this worry on the back burner. Thanks so much for the info.
Astrid

Nadezda said...

Astrid, I'm afraid of black wasps, once it stгng me in my neck and I suffered some time.
Russian way to deal with wasps is:
You have to take a bucket of beer (the cheapest) and pour in it some dichlorvos (dichloride).
All adult wasps will be in the bucket
and the rest of the beer can be poured into the holes in the ground.
I think nothing organic ways won't help you.

Astrid said...

Thanks Nadezda - beer plus dichloride is something I never would have thought of.
Astrid

Layanee said...

I have some bees in a tutuer so I stay clear and know that the frost which will arrive all too soon will kill them. They are probably doing something good out there.

Jennifer said...

We once had wasps in my compost pile, but I noticed them right away and so it was easy to deter them- we simply closed their main entrance by burying it with dirt. I have no idea what to do with a serious problem like yours. You could always wait for frost, but I always find wasps get a bit aggressive in the fall. I have been stung by wasps on a number of occasions and it isn't fun. Nadezda's solution sounds good. You also might call a pest company if there is no way to do it yourself. Good luck!

Astrid said...

Hi Layanee
Probably bees are doing something good and you're right: let's not even start thinking about autumn, let alone winter.
Astrid

Hi Jennifer
Just last night my husband said he Googled "black…hornets…ontario" and now thinks they are bald-faced hornets. These have nests way up in the trees and are not cyclical.
I looked and looked up into the pussywillows this morning but could not see any sign of a nest. And then I watched a Youtube video about bald-faced hornets and their colouring is different. So maybe we do have digger hornets after all. Since they are supposed to disappear by mid-August, I think we'll wait another week or two and see what's happening then. And you're right - an exterminator may have to be the solution.
Astrid