Hornet nest in attic- what to do??

[manoucherie]

We have what sounds like a HUGE hornet/ wasp/ bee next in the attic of an empty house we are about to put up for sale. We don't have two dimes to rub together for an exterminator. Does anyone here have a DIY solution? We can hear the buzz from the interior of the house but can't tell what they are from the outside. ???

[Anon001]

You need to find out what it is first. If it is bees, you can call your local beekeepers association or beekeeper (if you know one) and he will come remove them for you. Or you can start your own hive with them. If it is hornets or wasps, you can get what is called "Dairy Bomb" at your co-op. It is an aerosol can. I think it works much better than wasp killer. Spray it toward them. Then destroy the nest. You may have to go back up there from time to time to make sure they don't start nesting again. This is just my opinion. I'm sure others have better ideas.

[MooseToo]

napalm

[huckelberry]

i think paul is right on top a this ;)

[docsoos]

i think paul is right on top a this ;)

Ditto. ;D

If it is a bee hive, as Paul stated, a local beekeeper would most probably be happy to "evict" them for you. My mother had a wild hive in a pine tree in her front yard about 20 years ago, and one of the local apiaries came and moved the whole hive, no charge.

If they are wasps or hornets, I'd suggest (since you stated that the house is currently vacant) an aerosol "bomb". These can be purchased at Wal-Mart for about $6.00, and it will kill EVERYthing in that attic in a few hours. We had a serious Black Widow problem in our basement when we moved into our house about 15 years ago, so I bought a couple of these "bombs" the day before we moved in.

Next day, I picked up over 90 dead Black Widows, and assorted other creepy-crawlies, due to the fact the crazy guy we bought our house from left the basement door open, so his dogs could have free reign.

Good Luck!

DocSoos

[bookwormom]

can you see the nest and can you get close to it? we had a huge one once in the attic,
DH put a plastic tub under it, we filled it with water, the low part of the nest was just into it. In no time flat it absorbed water and fell into the tub, drowning everything.

[epeterd1]

Wow bookwormmom, you have a brave husband. How did he manage to avoid getting stung?

[reedb66]

I wouldnt recomend this in your case ( the bomb idea sounds the best)but my dad had a cool way to get rid of hornets and wasps.He opened and removed the shot from shot shells (12 gauge)and filled them with sand.Bye-Bye bees and nest !!!Even worked good at a distance,30 feet or so and no damage to buildings.They just kinda vaporized ;D ;D ;D ,Probably need to use an older shot gun,I really dont know if it hurts the shotgun or not but sure is fun therapy!!!!

[docsoos]

I wouldnt recomend this in your case ( the bomb idea sounds the best)but my dad had a cool way to get rid of hornets and wasps.He opened and removed the shot from shot shells (12 gauge)and filled them with sand.Bye-Bye bees and nest !!!Even worked good at a distance,30 feet or so and no damage to buildings.They just kinda vaporized *;D ;D ;D ,Probably need to use an older shot gun,I really dont know if it hurts the shotgun or not but sure is fun therapy!!!!

Reed, that is AWESOME! I sat here and laughed for 5 minutes after I read your post! I've GOTTA try that on the next big nest I see!

OUTSTANDING! ;D

DocSoos

[manoucherie]

Thanks so much for the great replies. A wasp bomb! I'm going today to look. Will a bee keeper come to our place to take them if they are bees? I'll post what happens.

[Anon001]

If they are bees a beekeeper will come to your house and remove them at NO cost to you.

[sethwyo]

If it is not bees, and you want them out, get some 2 liter bottles of pepsi/coke and pour half of it out, then set the half empty/full bottles in the attic, the wasp will go for the cola and get stuck in the bottle and syrupy liquid. then throw the whole thing away

[bookwormom]

Wow bookwormmom, you have a brave husband. How did he manage to avoid getting stung?


no big deal. it was like a huge gray paper balloon hanging from the rafter. their exit was in a crack to the outside world, so they were not swarming around inside the attic.

[epeterd1]

Okay, that makes sense. I was envisioning them flying all around while he put the water under the nest.

[reedb66]

I always thought it was fun (bad bees one minute ,dust the next ;D ;D ;D) I personally dont get along well with bees,they all need to die!!!(ex honey bees)Bees see me as a really big bullseye >:(, and they are very accurate .I am not allergic to them we just hate each other.I have collected those big nests that look like big paper ballons,1 to 2 foot around .Their easy to get with the bees in them.when you find one go back after dark with a flash light and a big heavy black garbage bag and a pair of nippers to cut off the branch the nest is on ,quickly and carefully slide the bag up and over the nest and tie off the top of the bag TIGHT then cut off the branch .Now you have a bag of REAL happy bees,shake them up ,smile ,enjoy the god like feeling ;D ;D,take them home and leave the bag it an old car or somewhere safe and in the sun for 2 weeks ,all the bees should die.Save the nest as they are worth money (up to 200 bucks in some places)or if there is someone you dont like(bill collector ) give them a present before the bees die ;)

[rantinraven]

I always thought it was fun (bad bees one minute ,dust the next ;D ;D ;D) I personally dont get along well with bees,they all need to die!!!(ex honey bees)Bees see me as a really big bullseye >:(, and they are very accurate .I am not allergic to them we just hate each other.I have collected those big nests that look like big paper ballons,1 to 2 foot around .Their easy to get with the bees in them.when you find one go back after dark with a flash light and a big heavy black garbage bag *and a pair of nippers to cut off the branch the nest is on ,quickly and carefully slide the bag up and over the nest and tie off the top of the bag TIGHT then cut off the branch .Now you have a bag of REAL happy bees,shake them up ,smile ,enjoy the god like feeling *;D ;D,take them home and leave the bag it an old car or somewhere safe and in the sun for 2 weeks ,all the bees should die.Save the nest as they are worth money (up to 200 bucks in some places)or if there is someone you dont like(bill collector ) give them a present before the bees die ;)



My goodness that has to be one of the best ideas I have read in a long time! I don't mind bees they can stay but I wish we would have thought about that when my husband got the hornets nest down!

[Tuckahoe]

What you more than likely have is bees. Go take a look they are coming out of your house somewhere. Good advise from all. My dad had bees living in the top of his house he took a can of expanding foam insulation and filled up the hole in the siding during the winter. They never came back.

[annabella1]

If you hear the buzz it may be honeybees not hornets unless youv'e seen the hornets. Some times a beekeeper will take honeybees off your hands for free, but they may have to cut into the walls or rafters to get to them.

I don't know what happened, when I clicked on this link there was only the first posting then I replied and all the other posts were there, I guess great minds think alike

[reedb66]

reed~ don't you know there's supposed to be a bee shortage going on? geesh

No shortage of them around my place(wasps,hornets,wood bees ,yellow jackets ect) I wouldnt hurt a honey bee if you paid me but the rest stay away from me or its bad news for them