It's mid August, and in southern Ontario that translates to wasp and
hornet season. The other day I was using the weed whacker with a steel
blade to cut the grass and weeds in the stream that runs through my
yard. I know I should have dressed for the occasion, but I was in shorts
and sandals because it was hot, and I am used to getting nicked in the
lags and ankles by bits of grass, weeds and wood. That's what I thought
was happening... until I realized I was getting stung. I had come
across a hornet nest, and they were not happy. I got stung 6 or 7 times.

I immediately took a Benedryl and applied a paste of baking soda and
water. It provided a bit of relieve. A friend told me about Benedryl
cream. I went out to the pharmacy and got some and applied it immediately.

Holy Cow!. That stuff is like magic. It immediately reduced the pain and
itching. I have been applying it twice a day and there it has eliminated
the pain and itching.

On 8/17/2016 8:03 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> It's mid August, and in southern Ontario that translates to wasp and
> hornet season. The other day I was using the weed whacker with a steel
> blade to cut the grass and weeds in the stream that runs through my
> yard. I know I should have dressed for the occasion, but I was in shorts
> and sandals because it was hot, and I am used to getting nicked in the
> lags and ankles by bits of grass, weeds and wood. That's what I thought
> was happening... until I realized I was getting stung. I had come
> across a hornet nest, and they were not happy. I got stung 6 or 7 times.
>
> I immediately took a Benedryl and applied a paste of baking soda and
> water. It provided a bit of relieve. A friend told me about Benedryl
> cream. I went out to the pharmacy and got some and applied it immediately.
>
> Holy Cow!. That stuff is like magic. It immediately reduced the pain and
> itching. I have been applying it twice a day and there it has eliminated
> the pain and itching.
>
The gel is even better, as it also has an immediate cooling effect. I've
used the spray, too, but prefer the gel (or the cream, if the gel is
unavailable).

Dave Smith wrote:
>
>It's mid August, and in southern Ontario that translates to wasp and
>hornet season. The other day I was using the weed whacker with a steel
>blade to cut the grass and weeds in the stream that runs through my
>yard. I know I should have dressed for the occasion, but I was in shorts
>and sandals because it was hot, and I am used to getting nicked in the
>lags and ankles by bits of grass, weeds and wood. That's what I thought
>was happening... until I realized I was getting stung. I had come
>across a hornet nest, and they were not happy. I got stung 6 or 7 times.

Only an imbecile says he does weed whacking in shorts and sandals. I
wear Bean boots, long sweats with elastic at the ankles, safety
glasses, and a respirator... the exhaust fumes from those things is
right in your face, weed whacking for ten minutes is like chain
smoking a whole pack of Camels

Some here call them waspers.

On 2016-08-18 8:38 AM, wrote:
> Some here call them waspers.
>

To be more specific, these were yellow jackets, the little buggers who
build their nests in the ground. If you are alert you may notice the
activity around the opening and avoid it. If you get too close they will
attack en masse..... as they did the other day.

LOL thinking back a couple years about a nest I was monitoring on the
trail behind our house. I knew it was there and tried to steer clear,
but I have to mow the tail to maintain it and it was getting out of
hand. It was so big that at any time there would be at least a dozen
wasps buzzing around, apparently guarding it. The opening was about 4
inches across and 6 inches deep, then veering off to one side. One
morning I went by and it was quiet so I had a peak. There was a fresh
pile of coyote shit in it. Some very brave coyote had made a statement.

On Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at 8:02:13 PM UTC-4, Dave Smith wrote:
> It's mid August, and in southern Ontario that translates to wasp and
> hornet season. The other day I was using the weed whacker with a steel
> blade to cut the grass and weeds in the stream that runs through my
> yard. I know I should have dressed for the occasion, but I was in shorts
> and sandals because it was hot, and I am used to getting nicked in the
> lags and ankles by bits of grass, weeds and wood. That's what I thought
> was happening... until I realized I was getting stung. I had come
> across a hornet nest, and they were not happy. I got stung 6 or 7 times.
>
> I immediately took a Benedryl and applied a paste of baking soda and
> water. It provided a bit of relieve. A friend told me about Benedryl
> cream. I went out to the pharmacy and got some and applied it immediately.
>
> Holy Cow!. That stuff is like magic. It immediately reduced the pain and
> itching. I have been applying it twice a day and there it has eliminated
> the pain and itching.

Guinea fowl will wipe out yellow jackets.

On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 09:20:34 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 2016-08-18 8:38 AM, wrote:
>> Some here call them waspers.
>>
>
>To be more specific, these were yellow jackets, the little buggers who
>build their nests in the ground. If you are alert you may notice the
>activity around the opening and avoid it. If you get too close they will
>attack en masse..... as they did the other day.
>
>LOL thinking back a couple years about a nest I was monitoring on the
>trail behind our house. I knew it was there and tried to steer clear,
>but I have to mow the tail to maintain it and it was getting out of
>hand. It was so big that at any time there would be at least a dozen
>wasps buzzing around, apparently guarding it. The opening was about 4
>inches across and 6 inches deep, then veering off to one side. One
>morning I went by and it was quiet so I had a peak. There was a fresh
>pile of coyote shit in it. Some very brave coyote had made a statement.

Says to be wary weed whacking:
http://insects.about.com/od/antsbees...ts-hornets.htm
Lots of paper wasp nests in my barn but they don't bother me. They
also build nests inside my Weber. I've met a few people here who
collect paper wasp nests as a hobby.
http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=pa...yword_rollover

Guinea fowl also kill snakes.

On 8/18/2016 10:48 AM, wrote:
> Guinea fowl also kill snakes.

But, but . . . snakes can be very good critters, non-venomous and
venomous alike; they keep vermin at bay. With that said, it's
preferable to avoid personal contact with the poisonous ones, that's for
sure

Sky

================================
Kitchen Rule #1 - Use the timer!
Kitchen Rule #2 - Cook's choice!
================================

I had a nest of yellow jackets in the ground under the tulip tree I had removed. Those
devils retaliate with a fury if any of their number is disturbed (read "attacked").

My poor tree guy got stung twice. It took my neighbor's adult son and me and 3 different
products to kill them all off after the tree came down and the stump was removed. They
must have had a whole trail system of tunnels under the ground. It was awful.

N.

On 2016-08-18 5:17 PM, Nancy2 wrote:
> I had a nest of yellow jackets in the ground under the tulip tree I had removed. Those
> devils retaliate with a fury if any of their number is disturbed (read "attacked").
>
> My poor tree guy got stung twice. It took my neighbor's adult son and me and 3 different
> products to kill them all off after the tree came down and the stump was removed. They
> must have had a whole trail system of tunnels under the ground. It was awful.
>
>

Attack the nest at night when they are asleep. The tunnel leads to a
little cavern with the nest in it. Douse it with gas.

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> I got stung 6 or 7 times.
>
> I immediately took a Benedryl and applied a paste of baking soda and
> water. It provided a bit of relieve. A friend told me about Benedryl
> cream. I went out to the pharmacy and got some and applied it immediately.
>
> Holy Cow!. That stuff is like magic. It immediately reduced the pain and
> itching. I have been applying it twice a day and there it has eliminated
> the pain and itching.

Dave...good that you immediately took a Benedryl. That's recommended for
people that are allergic to bee stings. The other thing best to do (and
my doctor told me this years ago so I'm not guessing)... Anyway, he
told me that bee venom breaks down within 5-10 minutes so if you have
ice available quickly, ice the sting area for 10 minutes. The ice slows
down the spreading into your body while it's still active.

It does work too. I just got stung by a wasp like 3 weeks ago. I
immediately walked out to the truck and got some ice from the cooler.
Kept it on the spot for 15 minutes. No swelling or pain and by the next
day you couldn't even see the little red dot where I was stung. I didn't
use Benedryl as I'm not allergic to stings.

Dave, we did douse the area at night...still had a few late partyers flying around.
I didn't use anything but hornet killer because I didn't want to kill off the grass in
half my front yard! We did kill off the critters, and the next spring I had a
landscaper lay new sod over the affected area.

I think the hornets took advantage originally in a hole under the roots caused when
the tree was struck by lightning. That was the only nest I knew of within a two-block
area. I have not had any here since.

N.