Yep. That's a baldfaced hornets nest. Sandhill hornets build their nests in the ground or in walls.
Holy Bees nest batman!
- Thread starter msjinkzd
- Start date
Yep. That's a baldfaced hornets nest. Sandhill hornets build their nests in the ground or in walls.
My husband will take it down. Surprisingly (knock on wood), no one has been stung at all yet. Its also getting pretty chilly here, so I am sure it will be ok to take it down soon. Of course, I will hide in the house!
House I grew up in was built in the 1800's had a couple of chimney's in it (despite being a small house). We only ever used the one fireplace. One year started having honey bees show up in the house- could never understand where they were coming from until one day they swarmed... out of the un-used chimney. (which explained why we always had honey-bees in the house).
My dad captured the swarm and from thereon out we kept bees... (well... at least until we moved to America).
Fascinating creatures...we eventually had three hives in the back yard... despite that- and despite the occasional football (soccer ball) going astray I managed to survive childhood without ever being stung by a bee (or a wasp for that matter).
My dad captured the swarm and from thereon out we kept bees... (well... at least until we moved to America).
Fascinating creatures...we eventually had three hives in the back yard... despite that- and despite the occasional football (soccer ball) going astray I managed to survive childhood without ever being stung by a bee (or a wasp for that matter).
There is no reason to take it down unless you want to hang it someplace to admire. As has already been said it is not bees but bald faced hornets.
They produce queens to start next year's colonies and then die out.
The nastiest time is right at the end of summer when they are having trouble finding food and they go after sandwiches and drinks and such with a vengence.
Just leave it alone and have it as a conversation piece.
If some hornets are still coming and going then a spray with the special wasp and hornet killer sprays that shot from 10 feet or so will finish them off if you think it's really necessary. But it's all about done anyway. No real need to risk falling or anything.
They won't come back to it next year, they start new ones. So leaving it doesn't mean you will have a big colony next year. You probably will, but it will be a new one.
Marv
They produce queens to start next year's colonies and then die out.
The nastiest time is right at the end of summer when they are having trouble finding food and they go after sandwiches and drinks and such with a vengence.
Just leave it alone and have it as a conversation piece.
If some hornets are still coming and going then a spray with the special wasp and hornet killer sprays that shot from 10 feet or so will finish them off if you think it's really necessary. But it's all about done anyway. No real need to risk falling or anything.
They won't come back to it next year, they start new ones. So leaving it doesn't mean you will have a big colony next year. You probably will, but it will be a new one.
Marv
I would like to take it down so the kids can see it easier.
Can I please shoot it out of the tree with my potato gun? Pretty please? I'll get you a new nest. 
Looks just like the one that was hanging in a tree one year when I was in my early teens. There was an idiot named Robert who lived up the street and Chris, one of my friends, along when we came across it. Robert was something else; we ran across him with a handful of .22 shells one day, sitting on the ground trying to set one off by hitting it with a rock. Naturally, he HAD to pick up a rock and throw it at the nest. It was a fair-sized rock, probably about 4" across, and flat enough to sail really well... right through the middle of the nest. Naturally, the white-faced terrors came swarming out. Chris and I had enough sense to freeze on the spot. Robert yelled and ran, they got him 3 times.
how about using a 12 ga. with #8 birdshot? should be nice.Can I please shoot it out of the tree with my potato gun? Pretty please? I'll get you a new nest.
