Posted on 07/24/2004 6:48:32 PM PDT by NCjim
This is something for the list of usual suspects: Advanced domestic chemical warfare.
Giant hornet's nests are, essentially, a bug aircraft carrier. For something like that, I'd want to rethink the problem. Maybe approach it on a cool night, and encase it in a Hefty bag, and forget about it, for example.
The soapy water spray idea is best for onesie-twosies that you run into, or especially for any of the things that get into the house.
Might attract potheads thinking they found the motherload of hi-grade. ;-)
Mind you, if you dont have a needle DONT pour it in the vent holes behind the hood either
I do the job on my large Lab myself. Good pair of latex gloves, heavy paper towel or similar, and immediate disposal inside zip-lock. It is a strong odor. Would be a perfect payback against those people who park in your space. I think you could push it thru a syringe if it was diluted somewhat. Good luck and tell us how successful you are. At least there isn't a law against possession of anal gland contents---yet.
Your initial impulse is sound - I don't go within a mile of the thing if I can avoid it. The neighbor has called three pest control companies, and none of them want to tackle it either. Bagging it might be a solution, but its high up in a tree and there are branches you have to move to get to it. All a chancy proposition with angry hornets buzzing around you.
This thread should be flagged WMD and Terrorism. I wonder if these ideas could be useful counter terroism. Perhaps use the yellow jacket attractant on turbans. Fox urine bombs in mosques and caves. Spray enemy guerillas with skunk oil grenades that way after night battles in a city you can follow your nose to uncover their lairs. Or would skunk oil not be strong enough?
Are they active in the winter time? If it were me, I'd wait until then, and do some experiments to see if they can be roused by distrubing the nest in winter. If not, I'd climb the tree and saw the limb with the nest off, on the coolest (in relative terms) night possible- bag it, and forget about it.
If you're going to try the soapy water spray idea, I'd get multiple hoses on it, multiple uh...'hosers', and lots of serious protective clothing. And 'take off', if you get overwhelmed, eh?
Or maybe you can get your neighbor to agree to let you just burn the tree down.
Many insects breath through tiny holes in their abdomens, and a film of soapy water, which covers these holes will suffocate them. while being non-toxic to just about everything else. However, they must be 'coated' with the solution. And a small solution, such as 5-10% works even better than the higher concentrations.
But I wouldn't want to try it on a wasps nest, except from far away.
They do (or did) make wasp killer, which was an aerosol bomb which fired a stream about 12 feet.
PS - just about the only insect I found on which it doesn't work (the soapy solution) was for some reason - spiders. Though they are technically not insects.
Probably could as this political group is where they get the ingredients.
I thought it was derived from Democrats
I thought that it suffocated them somehow, thanks for clearing that up.
When at Marine Corps Combat Engineer School at Lejeune many years ago, I blew up a hornet's nest with several pounds of C-4. That was *enormously* satisfying. I am a big believer in leaving anything alone that leaves me alone, but these little monsters would be after us when we were doing delicate things like crimping blasting caps on the demo range, so they had to go.
47 - "Fox urine bombs in mosques and caves. Spray enemy guerillas with skunk oil grenades that way after night battles in a city you can follow your nose to uncover their lairs. Or would skunk oil not be strong enough?"
Actually, that's a pretty good idea, and would be a great 'special forces' type project, to make skunk oil granades, and just toss them into each of the caves in Afghanistan.
But, no, that would be too cheap.
and not nearly as exciting and ego inflating griss for the war room sessions.
53 - "I thought that it suffocated them somehow, thanks for clearing that up.
***Yes, the surface tension creates a film 'bubble' across the tiny openings and they don't have the muscles to 'pump' up the film into a 'bubble' and burst it and breathe.
"When at Marine Corps Combat Engineer School at Lejeune many years ago, I blew up a hornet's nest with several pounds of C-4."
LOL - Not a technique I would normally recommend for around the house, though some houses, sure.
If he can put two and two together, he'd probably figure out it was you, and pay you back in spades . . . Best to follow him to the mall or sumptin.
PS - just about the only insect I found on which it doesn't work (the soapy solution) was for some reason - spiders. Though they are technically not insects
Carb cleaning spray or brake cleaner spray works like magic on spiders. Has a high enough pressure that you don't have to get up close and personal. They die quick. Even black widows...REALLY
PS - just about the only insect I found on which it doesn't work (the soapy solution) was for some reason - spiders. Though they are technically not insects
Carb cleaning spray or brake cleaner spray works like magic on spiders. Has a high enough pressure that you don't have to get up close and personal. They die quick. Even black widows...REALLY
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