Underground Wasp Nest Help

I found an underground wasp nest next to a walkway. It must be quite large as there is continuous stream of wasps in and out, every 2 or 3 seconds. Last night when there was no activity I hit it with the foaming type of wasp spray then a couple of hours later I sprayed the entrance with the streaming type of wasp spray. This morning they are as active as ever, guess I didn’t get the spray in deep enough.

The entrance is located deep in the undercover brush and hard to get to without alarming them. Tonight I was thinking of putting a can of Raid on pole and fogging the entrance for a good while. Hopefully the fog will get deep inside the nest.
Does anyone have any other suggestions or experience on what might work at getting rid of this nest? (Fire is out of the question)


Thank you in advance

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Originally Posted by IFH

I found an underground wasp nest next to a walkway. It must be quite large as there is continuous stream of wasps in and out, every 2 or 3 seconds. Last night when there was no activity I hit it with the foaming type of wasp spray then a couple of hours later I sprayed the entrance with the streaming type of wasp spray. This morning they are as active as ever, guess I didn’t get the spray in deep enough.

The entrance is located deep in the undercover brush and hard to get to without alarming them. Tonight I was thinking of putting a can of Raid on pole and fogging the entrance for a good while. Hopefully the fog will get deep inside the nest.
Does anyone have any other suggestions or experience on what might work at getting rid of this nest? (Fire is out of the question)


Thank you in advance

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If you can manage to pour a quart or so of gasoline into the hole somehow and then cover the hole wth a shovel full of dirt or something . This works for me,it seems to shrivel them up and really do a number on them. Good luck.

It depends on where the hole/nest is. If it's too close to your house and you can't use gasoline down the hole and light it,the only alternative you have is foam spray with Permethrin in it. It may take two or three applications. TSC usually keeps the foam in stock.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

It depends on where the hole/nest is. If it's too close to your house and you can't use gasoline down the hole and light it,the only alternative you have is foam spray with Permethrin in it. It may take two or three applications. TSC usually keeps the foam in stock.

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I have had success trimmer without lighting gas. Just contact with it does a number on them!!

Another spray is good old easy off oven cleaner it foams and stays for awhile any wasps that fly thru it will die

Sounds like a tricky one using multiple cans of foam with no guarantee to get rid of them. Before you start spending all kinds of money on Raid foam it may be worth getting a quote from a pest control service. At least they are using the best product on the market that us regular folk cant get our hands on with a guarantee.The easy kills I will do myself but when they are the hard to reach ones I always call a pest control company. Prices are usually fair with a guarantee.

Foam last longer than spray but both are useless as soon as they dry plus the wasp can smell the pytherin an will avoid it. Use dust instead. Dust any entrances you find just lightly. As much as though your running your finger along the top of your tv and getting dust on your finger. May take a day or two but it will work. Longer than 2 days redust. The wasps will get the dust on them and spread it to each other as they rub up against each other.

Those wasp's must wear winter coats in Iqaluit ? :)

Hahaha there's actually quite large bees up here. Not many but about twice the size. I was a pest control technician in BC before coming to Iqaluit.

I have used a shop vac, using the long extensions place the nozzle within an inch of their entrance hole, turn on the vac and let it run for an hour, my experience using this method is that the hole swarm of them gets sucked up and killed.
This method really works well late in the evening as they all head for the nest for the night.
Have done the same where they had a hole under my small barn window, I taped the nozzle in place about an inch from the hole and turned on the vac. within an hour the whole nest of them were sucked in and dead, absolutely no trace of any others.

I shipped a pup to Iqaluit about six years ago. Also had a friend move to and work at the hospital in Igaluit .

Simplest thing I've found is to use a rolled up newspaper in the middle of the day when they're coming in and out. Give the newspaper to your mother in law have and tell her to have at it.
It doesn't get rid of the wasps or hornets but its a good laugh and its the last you'll see of your dear M-I-L for some time.

LOL your full of good advice today!

WD40....That's all you need

If you can get at the entrance hole, how about just plugging it up at night when they're all inside?

If there's only one entrance, that could do it.

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Originally Posted by justinmch

If you can get at the entrance hole, how about just plugging it up at night when they're all inside?

If there's only one entrance, that could do it.

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They'll dig a new one. They are digging wasps, after all.

With picks and shovels. Little ba#tards !

Boiling water

can you get the lawnmower over the exit? set is a low as possible and keep it running for 30min

I could be wrong, but I don't think they are digging wasps. Those are large parasitic wasps. These are likely yellow jackets who use spaces under the ground made by moles, chipmunks, etc.

So,I'm in the backyard this afternoon cleaning up and putting away lawn furniture and I keep hearing this low drone humming noise. I keep looking around because it's not going away. I look up in a 30' Crimson King Maple tree and hanging from the middle branches, there's a gigantic paper wasp nest that's got to be 24" diameter. How the hell do I get that sucker down without getting attacked by those nasty buggers and a shotgun isn't an option?

Pour a couple gallons of bleach into the hole. Buy plain unscented no name. This is cheaper than gas or diesel and is less harmful to the environment (degrades to salt and water pretty quickly in an outdoor environment) than anything suggested so far other than the boiling water.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

So,I'm in the backyard this afternoon cleaning up and putting away lawn furniture and I keep hearing this low drone humming noise. I keep looking around because it's not going away. I look up in a 30' Crimson King Maple tree and hanging from the middle branches, there's a gigantic paper wasp nest that's got to be 24" diameter. How the hell do I get that sucker down without getting attacked by those nasty buggers and a shotgun isn't an option?

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Slingshot, baseball, 7 metre survey rod. Honestly though if they aren't stinging anyone I'd just leave em.

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Originally Posted by Species8472

Slingshot, baseball, 7 metre survey rod. Honestly though if they aren't stinging anyone I'd just leave em.

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Leaving them is likely the best way to handle it. They're about 12' high,enough that nothing should bother them as long as the racoons don't disturb them. We've been walking under them all summer without incident. Once the cold weather makes them go dormant,I'll knock it down,then.

I'd spray the nest, killing the wasps, but then LEAVE the nest in place. It will prevent other wasps from building in the area....

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Originally Posted by patvetzal

I'd spray the nest, killing the wasps, but then LEAVE the nest in place. It will prevent other wasps from building in the area....

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The neighbors saw it and they're freaking because their kids have allergies even though they don't come anywhere near it. I hate to,but,I better do something with it ASAP.

Put a ladder up after dark when they are all in the nest and place a large black garbage bag over the whole thing and take it down .
It helps to wear coveralls tapped at the wrist , gloves and a head net over a hat , I have done this several times over the years when I can't get at them any other way .

Just don't bump anything (like the wall) with the ladder......
I'd sooner spray them with wasp killer from a safe distance....

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

So,I'm in the backyard this afternoon cleaning up and putting away lawn furniture and I keep hearing this low drone humming noise. I keep looking around because it's not going away. I look up in a 30' Crimson King Maple tree and hanging from the middle branches, there's a gigantic paper wasp nest that's got to be 24" diameter. How the hell do I get that sucker down without getting attacked by those nasty buggers and a shotgun isn't an option?

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These ones are simple. Go in the evening when most the wasps will be back in the hive. Get yourself a can of foam spray with the long red nozzle on it. Put the nozzle in the entrance of the nest and give it a squirt. The foam will block the entrance so the wasps cant get out. Push the nozzle into the nest half way up and give it another squirt. This will start killing them. Take a garbage bag and put it around the whole nest and close it up. Either cut the branch or just pull the nest of the branch. Tie off the bag and put in the garbag.

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Originally Posted by TheProvider00

These ones are simple. Go in the evening when most the wasps will be back in the hive. Get yourself a can of foam spray with the long red nozzle on it. Put the nozzle in the entrance of the nest and give it a squirt. The foam will block the entrance so the wasps cant get out. Push the nozzle into the nest half way up and give it another squirt. This will start killing them. Take a garbage bag and put it around the whole nest and close it up. Either cut the branch or just pull the nest of the branch. Tie off the bag and put in the garbag.

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Thanks very much. I'll be going to war with the nasty buggers in an hour or so. I'll let you know how it works out.

It's just like a Red green episode !

Bug hat. Plaid long sleeved shirt, chest waders and hockey stick. Don't forget the gloves and swing like Billy Smith. Go get me trimmer.

Em. Damned spell check gets me every time.

Pretty sound advice Trimmer but incase things go south it would be awesome if Mrs Trimmer was video recording some video for you/ us.

I will supply the popcorn and beer !

I am in!

Just be careful.

Well! That was an adventure. I waited until nearly dark,snuck the ladder in and filled around the entrance. I didn't think there would be more than one hole,but,there was. The hive was a hell of a lot bigger when I got up to it than it looked on the ground,damn near three feet in diameter. When the Wasps started pouring out of the two top holes,I'm thinking "Oh,oh I'm screwed,now",but,thanks to Wilson's,they started dropping. I didn't get stung once. I used most of the can and soaked the exterior of the nest,too. Returning Wasps were dying on contact. That is good stuff. I left it for now and I'll check it in the morning,but,it's looking good,now. Thanks for all the expertise and advice.

break cleaner will drop them in flight.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

The hive was a hell of a lot bigger when I got up to it than it looked on the ground,damn near three feet in diameter.

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That is fricken big! Take a photo would ya?

Glad it worked out for ya as being up a ladder is no place to be taking hits from angry flying devils.

Youtube video already online and has had over 200,000 hits already.

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Originally Posted by Hunter John

Glad it worked out for ya as being up a ladder is no place to be taking hits from angry flying devils.

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Well,it seems I spoke too soon. I just went out and the little buggers must have worked all night to repair the damage. All that's changed is they've moved the entrance hole to the back side of the hive which will be very difficult to access. Wilson's insecticde spray foam seems to be totally ineffective because it appears they haven't been adversely affected one iota other than being a little more agitated than usual. I'm going to use Raid Spray foam tonight and if that still doesn't work,I'll burn them out. The hive is in a beautiful Crimson King Maple andI hate to damage it,but,I can't take the chance of someone being attacked,especially,the neighbors kids.

Home Hardware has a pretty good spray as well. Killed a few nests in the past two years.....

Raid foam works very well but be on alert for the little buggers coming up behind you on there way back to the hive.

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Originally Posted by IFH

I found an underground wasp nest next to a walkway. It must be quite large as there is continuous stream of wasps in and out, every 2 or 3 seconds. Last night when there was no activity I hit it with the foaming type of wasp spray then a couple of hours later I sprayed the entrance with the streaming type of wasp spray. This morning they are as active as ever, guess I didn’t get the spray in deep enough.

The entrance is located deep in the undercover brush and hard to get to without alarming them. Tonight I was thinking of putting a can of Raid on pole and fogging the entrance for a good while. Hopefully the fog will get deep inside the nest.
Does anyone have any other suggestions or experience on what might work at getting rid of this nest? (Fire is out of the question)


Thank you in advance

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Sorry,IHF. I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

Thanks for everyone’s input and suggestions and no worries about hijacking the thread Trimmer21 it’s been entertaining.

As mentioned in my first post I ended up mounting a can of Raid on a pole (1 x 4 board) and fogged the nest. First I sprayed the entrance with some of the long range wasp spray, left it for a while, then use the Raid, the long handle allowed me to get the can through the bushes and the nozzle a few inches from the entrance. I used the whole can hoping the spray would move through the convolutions of the nest where the foam and long range wasp spray couldn’t get to. Then I cover the entrance with a shovel full of dirt. Well it worked, a week later still no activity.

I have attached a photo of the can of Raid mounted to the pole, it doesn’t look pretty, simply pull the yellow cord this moves the hinge down which presses the spray nozzle and away she goes. It’s now stored in the shed for future battles.

On a side note when I was getting the Raid at the general store where you can get everything from soup to nuts the fellow said they have had a hard time keeping wasp spray on the shelf this year.

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Originally Posted by IFH

Thanks for everyone’s input and suggestions and no worries about hijacking the thread Trimmer21 it’s been entertaining.

As mentioned in my first post I ended up mounting a can of Raid on a pole (1 x 4 board) and fogged the nest. First I sprayed the entrance with some of the long range wasp spray, left it for a while, then use the Raid, the long handle allowed me to get the can through the bushes and the nozzle a few inches from the entrance. I used the whole can hoping the spray would move through the convolutions of the nest where the foam and long range wasp spray couldn’t get to. Then I cover the entrance with a shovel full of dirt. Well it worked, a week later still no activity.

I have attached a photo of the can of Raid mounted to the pole, it doesn’t look pretty, simply pull the yellow cord this moves the hinge down which presses the spray nozzle and away she goes. It’s now stored in the shed for future battles.

On a side note when I was getting the Raid at the general store where you can get everything from soup to nuts the fellow said they have had a hard time keeping wasp spray on the shelf this year.

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Now,that's an innovative approach. I didn't use the Raid foam. The Raid I used was almost like an oil based clear spray that fired from 15' away. One solid stream soaked the entire nest and it killed everything,even the few late returning stragglers that tried to land. I had a nice mess of disintegrated nest and dozens of dead wasps to clean up in the morning,but,Raid sure did the trick. End of problem.