underground bee hive

[TB1999]

We recently had a tree removed and in the process, uncovered a large underground bee hive. The tree guy put some additional dirt on it, hoping it would take care of the bees. Well, it didnt. Those little bastards just made themselves a hole in the dirt to go in/out. I saw a few things online, such as a slow drip of gasoline or emptying a can of bee/wasp spray down the hole. Any ers have some advice?

 

[17 squirrel]

When I have that problem I take a five gallon bucket with a lid on it and cut a 1" +- hole in the top, and fill the bucket with water and dursban or melathion mix of needed concentration and walk by the hole and flip the bucket upside down with the hole in the bucket as close to the entrance in the ground and briskly walk away.. By morning,.,., problem solved.

 

[funeralweb]

Ground bees are the worst! They don't bother me but love stinging my wife. Gas is a fun way to try and knock them down but Apicide is the most effective. It's a powder that is applied to their nest entrance. We use it regularly with decent results.

 

[TB1999]

When I have that problem I take a five gallon bucket with a lid on it and cut a 1" +- hole in the top, and fill the bucket with water and dursban or melathion mix of needed concentration and walk by the hole and flip the bucket upside down with the hole in the bucket as close to the entrance in the ground and briskly walk away.. By morning,.,., problem solved.

where does one get dursban or melathion?

 

[bocefus78]

Wait until dusk as they will all be in there.
Kerosene ( 2 gal) , and a lighter.
Problem solved.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

The last yellow jacket nest I found (last weekend), I didn't feel like waiting until dusk (recovering from stings makes waiting for revenge unappetizing) so I used a can of wasp killer and sprayed it at the hole until I didn't see anymore flying in/out. Then I poured about 1-2 cups worth of gasoline down the hole. Lighting it can be satisfying but is not necessary--besides doing it in the middle of the day, it wouldn't have been as dramatic.





(In all seriousness, lighting gas off can be very dangerous. Do it at your own risk).

 

[17 squirrel]

where does one get dursban or melathion?

Ace / true value / Lowes / home depot.. Garden center, co-op, agg supply. You can also use Sevin and a host of other insect chemicals.

 

[mrjarrell]

Well, if they're actually bees, like honeybees, please call a beekeeper and have them removed. Won't cost you a dime. If they're yellow jackets, as I guess they might be, then almost any of the suggestions up thread would work. I've used gasoline down their hole to great effect. Sometimes I light it off and sometimes I don't. Seems to work either way.

 

[17 squirrel]

Honey bees don't live underground, they live in hives Inside of hollow trees, holes in walls and man-made hives.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I've researched ground nesting hornets before and dealt with a mature hive in my yard. This late in the year the hive can be rather large. At night the entire colony is back in the hive and not active, don't do this in the day. Basically pour gasoline in the hole and they die instantly. Absolutely no reason to light it. I was a chicken and used the screen from a window. Walked slowly to the hole and put the screen on top so if I woke them they weren't coming out after me. The poured the gas through the screen, I could literally feel them shake the ground for a fraction of a second then silence. Not one got out.

 

[miguel]

Just be careful doing it!

Mrs. Miguel made the mistake of not being careful once. I looked out to the front yard where she had been pruning trees and thought, "What the hell is she running down the street for?" She looped back around and warned me. I got into the garage and shut the door behind her. She still had several on her, but we got her into the downstairs shower and she hosed off. Had at least 7-10 stings. I looked outside where she had disrupted them and they were flying around as thick as Zeros at Pearl on 12/7/1941! Was a couple of hours before they settled down.

We let the pruners lay where they were, just outside their lair, until a dark and rainy night. The next night, our little yellow friends got a Sevin sandwich.

I've researched ground nesting hornets before and dealt with a mature hive in my yard. This late in the year the hive can be rather large. At night the entire colony is back in the hive and not active, don't do this in the day. Basically pour gasoline in the hole and they die instantly. Absolutely no reason to light it. I was a chicken and used the screen from a window. Walked slowly to the hole and put the screen on top so if I woke them they weren't coming out after me. The poured the gas through the screen, I could literally feel them shake the ground for a fraction of a second then silence. Not one got out.

Remember, they can have multiple entrances, so don't forget to bolt the back door, too!

 

[MTN]

Grab a stool, can of wd-40 and a long handle lighter and go to town.

 

[Leadeye]

Can't speak for the city, but the lazy way to do this in the woods is with a banana. Peel, eat half, mash it with your hands and throw it next to the next to the nest. Smell brings in skunks and raccoons, which finish the banana and then dig up the nest and eat the larva.

 

[TB1999]

I don't have any bee spray, so I went at them with gasoline. I was dodge, dip, dive, duck and dodging (the 5 d's of bee fighting) them and didn't get stung. I put maybe a pint or so down the hole before running away like a little *****. I'll check back tomorrow and if there is still activity, i'll give them some more gas. I'll only torch it if i get stung.

 

[TB1999]

Grab a stool, can of wd-40 and a long handle lighter and go to town.

Im killing bees, not training a lion.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I don't have any bee spray, so I went at them with gasoline. I was dodge, dip, dive, duck and dodging (the 5 d's of bee fighting) them and didn't get stung. I put maybe a pint or so down the hole before running away like a little *****. I'll check back tomorrow and if there is still activity, i'll give them some more gas. I'll only torch it if i get stung.

If you did it during the day you probably didn't get them all. There are a lot of them out working. Now they are pissed. You need to move and change your look, cut your hair, grow a beard, use a different soap and shampoo. You will no longer be able to have contact with your neighbors and it would be a good idea to consider moving to an entirely different biosphere all together...somewhere where bees and hornets don't live.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I've put sevin dust in the entrance to kill them with success. Wait till dark and pour it in.

Not as exiting, and no flaming death, but it gets the job done.

 

[devious169]

Tannerite , lots and lots of tannerite!

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

1 gal of K-1 and a quart of used motor oil. Pour in entrances at dusk, set fire. Light, watch, and laugh.

 

[miguel]

My dad was a fan of gasoline and an almost-smoked-to-the-filter cigarette. That and much colorful language regarding the heritage of the critters and what he thought of their mothers. Not to mention his opinion of their assumed actions with mothers...

He was a grand man!