Bee/wasp/hornet/whatever identification

[phylodog]

My wife had landscapers out yesterday to put down mulch and weed the flower beds around the house. They cut back some of the larger plants and I just discovered a ground nest. They're smaller than honey bees but I'd like to properly ID them before I go buy something to nuke them out of existence. I thought maybe yellow jackets but I always thought they were larger like a wasp. Anyone know?

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Hornets are about wasp size, and have the same kind of stinger, so they can sting multiple times without dying. I've heard the little ones called sweat bees, but that was when I was a child and may have been a colloquialism. Might be interesting to study them and straighten it all out.

ETA: Looks like yellowjackets: http://www.pestworld.org/news-and-views/pest-articles/articles/stinging-insects-101/

 

[upalot]

Yellow Jackets for sure, nasty sting from them as they attack in a group, nest usually is underground and night time is the best for spraying then with killer or a half cup of gas down the hole will do the job.

 

[Hop]

Those are more commonly called *******s! or motherf'ers!

 

[phylodog]

I believe you guys are right. After looking around online I believe they are yellow jackets, I always thought they were larger. I've been pretty close to the nest and they haven't stung me but I'll be picking something up to deal with them this afternoon.

 

[woowoo2]

Be careful, they will attack as a group.

 

[1911ly]

Yellow Jackets for sure! And they can sting multiple times. Use wasp and hornet spray and get rid of those suckers.

 

[MTN]

I had the same thing next to the foundation to my house. I got rid of them with a lighter and can of wd-40. Sat there for about 20 minutes blowtorching them until no more. Dug about a 2 foot hole and never found the nest. Haven't had a nest there since.

 

[Denny347]

Gotta watch getting stung.

Family Guy- Bees - YouTube

 

[Cameramonkey]

when you find the nest, dust the area around the opening with Sevin dust. they track that stuff deep into the nest and it kills them all. Its also best done around dusk so you dont have to worry about them.

ALso, it wont be immediate. it will take a day or two of them tracking the stuff into the nest. It worked for mine.

 

[printcraft]

Here is a diagram to help determine the species.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The sister of an old GF of mine just was sent to the hospital unconscious with anaphylaxis from multiple yellow jacket stings. She'd never previously reacted and they only got her about half a dozen times.

The good news is that if you don't die or suffer brain damage from your airway shutting off, recovery is usually pretty complete and relatively (1-2 days) quick.

 

[CHCRandy]

I got stung 10-15 times by these little bastages about 30 years ago......and obviously I still remember it. I was mowing and rolled a telephone pole over to mow along it, hit the nest and started getting stung, like a fool I stopped to figure it out, didn't take long and I figured out they were coming out of the mower deck.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I believe you guys are right. After looking around online I believe they are yellow jackets, I always thought they were larger. I've been pretty close to the nest and they haven't stung me but I'll be picking something up to deal with them this afternoon.

They're just now becoming active. In the next couple of weeks they will start getting aggressive. Kill them. Kill them now.

 

[Leadeye]

The dust trick works very well but requires some patience, hard if you've just been gang stung by them. Like Cameramonkey says go out at night and spray the dust in and directly around the hole, takes a few days but it a sure kill.
Watch for the big ones in the spring, those are the lone queens starting out, every one you kill is one less hive to deal with later.

 

[Dirtebiker]

They ARE yellow jackets! And Yellow jackets ARE wasps!
be careful, they attack and you will get stung multiple times very quickly!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

How to identify a WASP:

 

[phylodog]

I've conducted several sneak attacks and emptied most of a large can of killer on the nest. I don't know how effective it'll be but it's been pleasurable. They didn't have the dust at the store when I went for dinner supplies, I'll find some tomorrow and finish it off.

 

[Bennettjh]

I had the same thing next to the foundation to my house. I got rid of them with a lighter and can of wd-40. Sat there for about 20 minutes blowtorching them until no more. Dug about a 2 foot hole and never found the nest. Haven't had a nest there since.

That's awesome!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

You can tell they are WASPs if they were skiing by your house: