Dear Jonathan,
The bees are nesting in a hole in a tree in our backyard. They are easily two inches long with stripes. They swarm all the time and have just bit my dog this morning. How can we destroy the nest?
E. C.
There are several types of bees and wasps that can nest in a tree. The most common we see doing this include Honey Bees, Yellow Jackets, Bald Faced Hornets and European Hornets. I’m guessing (based on size you report) this might be a Bald Faced Hornet or European Hornet nest. Remember that even though they are entering a “hole”, many times there will be a large space or void behind the hole which makes for excellent nest site. This is true whether the bees or wasps are nest builders or void dwelling by nature.
Though it might seem logical to use a liquid spray to treat, many times is not the best option. Bees and wasps are wired to instinctively choose locations which are well protected and sheltered from the rain and other elements. This natural protection will in turn serve as a type of shield making it hard for liquid sprays to reach their mark.
Additionally, nests can sometimes be located up high and out of reach. You don’t mention if you have access to the entry hole and this will factor in when deciding treatment options. If the nest is at ground level and you can direct an aerosol spray directly into the hole, a product like D-FORCE AEROSOL will usually be all that’s needed. It’s fast acting and strong enough to deal with any nest when you have a direct access point. If you think the nest might be large and include several hundred or even thousands of members, I might be a little concerned about using a lot of aerosol in direct contact with what could be a weak spot of the host tree. Aerosols use solvents and when these petroleum based ingredients are applied to a plant or tree they usually cause a little damage. To avoid tree injury, use a dry material like PYGANIC DUST. This option is very safe. As a dry compound it has no additives that can injure the tree. Additionally, it lends itself well to this type of treatment since dusts tend to penetrate open spaces and voids naturally. Use a HAND DUSTER when making the application and be sure to get enough dust into the void so it feels like the whole area has been completely penetrated.
Lastly, you may have to protect yourself with a BEE SUIT, VEIL and GLOVES if you want to be sure of avoiding stings. If you have any more questions concerning this treatment, give us a call at 1.800.877.7290.
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