[Curtman]

raydan raydan:

Looks like aphids to me... and if you see ants around them, it would pretty much confirm it.

How's the weather around there, are the corn crops having problems?

Yeah, there's ants everywhere too. And wasps. It was hot for a long time, we got 2 weeks of low temps, and they showed up then. Thanks, that gives me something to Google.

[raydan]

Curtman Curtman:

raydan raydan:

Looks like aphids to me... and if you see ants around them, it would pretty much confirm it.

How's the weather around there, are the corn crops having problems?

Yeah, there's ants everywhere too. And wasps. It was hot for a long time, we got 2 weeks of low temps, and they showed up then. Thanks, that gives me something to Google.

Wasps prey on them and ants "milk" them.

The dark ones are corn leaf aphids... I think.

[DrCaleb]

http://www.killsbugsdead.com/home.asp

[Regina]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

http://www.killsbugsdead.com/home.asp

Hey I just used the Wasp & Hornet Killer the other day! My house backs onto a ravine so I cut the brush down on the other side of my fence to the tree line. After hammering around on the brush and a mound of dirt that had a ton of "flies" on it.......I notice they weren't flies but pissed off Yellow Jackets. No idea why I didn't get stung because I was practically standing on the nest whipping the hell out of them. After I finished the brush cutting I went back with a rake........and REALLY pissed them off. After about three good swipes with the rake I got stung in the arm. Then I saw how huge the nest was!! They didn't seem happy about the garden hose either.
So then I got all Hi Tech, went to CT and got a big can bug death which reaches out with 20' of spray. The can said wait till dusk when they are less active and in a better mood because they're getting ready for bed. But hey........I was playing hockey later and besides, where's the fun in that? So before supper I jumped up on the retaining wall on my side of the fence and hammered them with 1/2 the can. Then ran like hell because there was a dark black cloud forming 6" above the entrance. Went back after dinner to check out the carnage and there were still a few hundred hanging around, so I gave them the other 1/2 can and again left quick. Keep forgetting to check it out but I think they're done. I'd never seen a nest like that in the ground which must have been more than 12" in diameter with the entrance being a 3" hole. I'll get the rake out again this weekend and see just how big this thing is.

[2Cdo]

Regina Regina:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

http://www.killsbugsdead.com/home.asp

Hey I just used the Wasp & Hornet Killer the other day! My house backs onto a ravine so I cut the brush down on the other side of my fence to the tree line. After hammering around on the brush and a mound of dirt that had a ton of "flies" on it.......I notice they weren't flies but pissed off Yellow Jackets. No idea why I didn't get stung because I was practically standing on the nest whipping the hell out of them. After I finished the brush cutting I went back with a rake........and REALLY pissed them off. After about three good swipes with the rake I got stung in the arm. Then I saw how huge the nest was!! They didn't seem happy about the garden hose either.
So then I got all Hi Tech, went to CT and got a big can bug death which reaches out with 20' of spray. The can said wait till dusk when they are less active and in a better mood because they're getting ready for bed. But hey........I was playing hockey later and besides, where's the fun in that? So before supper I jumped up on the retaining wall on my side of the fence and hammered them with 1/2 the can. Then ran like hell because there was a dark black cloud forming 6" above the entrance. Went back after dinner to check out the carnage and there were still a few hundred hanging around, so I gave them the other 1/2 can and again left quick. Keep forgetting to check it out but I think they're done. I'd never seen a nest like that in the ground which must have been more than 12" in diameter with the entrance being a 3" hole. I'll get the rake out again this weekend and see just how big this thing is.

My wasp/hornet problem seems like nothing compared to yours!

I had about half a dozen small nests and a couple small ground nests and dealing with them cost me 7 stings.

[Yogi]

I don't use chemicals anymore, mainly because they require I be in pretty damn close proximity to the nest & I have discovered that wasps/hornets/bees etc can fly a hell of a lot faster than I can run!

Instead, once I have identified the entrance to the nest, whether a hive or a ground-nest, in the evening AFTER they have settled in for the night, I position the hose of a UNPLUGGED shop vac-withthe button in the 'on' position- about 2 inches from the entrance point. I run the cord over to a plugin a safe distance away. 5:30 A.M. I plug the vac in & let it run all day. As the critters 'head off to work' in the morning, they are sucked into the shop vac. This is usually only a one day process, but I have done a couple of nests which require more time. In which case I shut the shop vac off AFTER dark, plug the hose & repeat the process the next day.
You can then leave the vac hose plugged for a day or so to make sure that the critters are dead, or you can then, while the vac is running, spray some chemicals down the hose into the vac, & then replug the hose for an hour.

[Curtman]

I'm not real excited about using chemicals either my problem is in the kids play area of the yard. And I don't even know where the wasps are nesting.

I think its time to call the pro's in and just hose everything down after.

[crystalsm]

I haven't posted a picture here in a while! But since this topic is up, here's one. My favourite shot of mine to date so far.

Taken near Three Guardsmen Lake in the Northwestern corner of BC.

[Regina]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

My wasp/hornet problem seems like nothing compared to yours!

I had about half a dozen small nests and a couple small ground nests and dealing with them cost me 7 stings.

7 bites??? I must run faster than you.
I've had the little ones before and just knock them off with a hockey stick, then just step on it, or hit it with the hose. Never been stung before either. Still have no idea why they didn't attack me when I was brush cutting their nest. I was pretty much standing on it for 1 or 2 minutes.

[Curtman]

Regina Regina:

2Cdo 2Cdo:

My wasp/hornet problem seems like nothing compared to yours!

I had about half a dozen small nests and a couple small ground nests and dealing with them cost me 7 stings.

7 bites??? I must run faster than you.
I've had the little ones before and just knock them off with a hockey stick, then just step on it, or hit it with the hose. Never been stung before either. Still have no idea why they didn't attack me when I was brush cutting their nest. I was pretty much standing on it for 1 or 2 minutes.

Probably 2cdo's bad Karma.

[Regina]

[2Cdo]

Regina Regina:

2Cdo 2Cdo:

My wasp/hornet problem seems like nothing compared to yours!

I had about half a dozen small nests and a couple small ground nests and dealing with them cost me 7 stings.

7 bites??? I must run faster than you.
I've had the little ones before and just knock them off with a hockey stick, then just step on it, or hit it with the hose. Never been stung before either. Still have no idea why they didn't attack me when I was brush cutting their nest. I was pretty much standing on it for 1 or 2 minutes.

I don't run until the job is done.

$1:

Probably 2cdo's bad Karma.

My karma is actually quite good right now. Fish have been biting all summer, dog has dealt with the few coyotes that are dumb enough to come near the house and the riding has been fantastic all summer. The only thing could ruin my karma is to find out you bought the closet house to me!

[SprCForr]

I do the garden hose, tennis racket and smoke bomb method. Getting stung is just incentive to flail faster with the racket.

[Regina]

Smoke bomb? Has a nice ring to it. Tell me more!!

[Gunnair]

SprCForr SprCForr:

I do the garden hose, tennis racket and smoke bomb method. Getting stung is just incentive to flail faster with the racket.

Best thing is take take a Dodge Ram, wind it up 75 kph and hit that wall.

Solves two problems...