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FRELONS


Suninfrance
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Can anyone advise on the best way to get rid of frelons (hornets).

We have 3 nests in the end wall of our house and at least half a dozen in our barn. So far we've left them alone and they've left us alone, but I want to start raking out the joints in the stonework on the house ready for re-pointing soon, so need to do something about them.

Jan
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  • 4 weeks later...

[quote]Can anyone advise on the best way to get rid of frelons (hornets). We have 3 nests in the end wall of our house and at least half a dozen in our barn. So far we've left them alone and they've left u...[/quote]

Not overly helpful, but we ended up with a bee's nest which became a bit of a problem.  I think the local marie will be able to help sort it out.  We paid about 116 euro's I have no idea whether that was a good price or not.  It was well worth it any way!

 

Good luck Jane87

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We tried the pompiers they would not come out unless there was a danger to life/small children, even though we did have children , as the nest was in the garden.The marie tried to find some one to come out - price 160 euro ! in the end we bought a spray for frelon nests 14 euros ish from castorama, same stuff as used by the pompiers it says on can.You can spray them from 6 meters, it is very powerful and it does work (think it was a yellow and black can)  sorry cannot remember name in uk now  hope this helps Hazel.
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  • 2 weeks later...

We have had a major problem with hornets recently as they had nested in an oak tree about 10 metres from the living and bedroom windows.  It has been impossible to open any windows or doors at night as they come in for the lights, and we were still getting a few in through the cat hole (should be a flap, but dog has destroyed that!) in the door.

I rang the pompiers last week, and last night two of them arrived to deal with it.  The nest was about 5 metres up in a tree that was on a steep slope but they managed to get a ladder to the nest and sprayed with poison and then filled in with concrete.

We could not possibly have got at the nest ourselves, even with the 6 metre spray and we were extremely grateful they came.

The cost for this was 45 euros, and will (eventually) be billed by the Tresor Public. 

What wonderful service!

Judy

47 Lot-et-Garonne

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We have had a major problem with hornets recently as they had nested in an oak tree about 10 metres from the living and bedroom windows.  It has been impossible to open any windows or doors at night as they come in for the lights, and we were still getting a few in through the cat hole (should be a flap, but dog has destroyed that!) in the door.

I rang the pompiers last week, and last night two of them arrived to deal with it.  The nest was about 5 metres up in a tree that was on a steep slope but they managed to get a ladder to the nest and sprayed with poison and then filled in with concrete.

We could not possibly have got at the nest ourselves, even with the 6 metre spray and we were extremely grateful they came.

The cost for this was 45 euros, and will (eventually) be billed by the Tresor Public. 

What wonderful service!

Judy

47 Lot-et-Garonne

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We have had a major problem with hornets recently as they had nested in an oak tree about 10 metres from the living and bedroom windows.  It has been impossible to open any windows or doors at night as they come in for the lights, and we were still getting a few in through the cat hole (should be a flap, but dog has destroyed that!) in the door.

I rang the pompiers last week, and last night two of them arrived to deal with it.  The nest was about 5 metres up in a tree that was on a steep slope but they managed to get a ladder to the nest and sprayed with poison and then filled in with concrete.

We could not possibly have got at the nest ourselves, even with the 6 metre spray and we were extremely grateful they came.

The cost for this was 45 euros, and will (eventually) be billed by the Tresor Public. 

What wonderful service!

Judy

47 Lot-et-Garonne

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  • 3 weeks later...

We had a hornet's nest in a chimney six weeks ago and the pompiers were fantastic and FREE.

They arrived next day and had to climb to the top of the roof, which entailed calling for reinforcements. They then entered the house to unbrick another conduit of the chimney.

All done with good humour and while they were here I got them to remove a wasp nest and spray a tree hole about which I was concerned.

I can't praise them more highly and all they would accept was a cup of coffee.

Will definately be sending a christmas card.

Em 

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In our area (50) the Pompiers will not come any more but they have a list of contractors. Standard charge 80 euros.

Frelons are very dangerous if you are stung. get rid of the nest - it is not fair on yourselves or visitors to just leave it.

Hereford

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We had a wasp (guepe) nest under our veranda roof, we rang the pompiers (they do not deal with wasp nests any longer) and they put us onto a very good pest control company.  However this was in the Frevent area so may not be of much use to you.

If anyone wants the info just e-mail and I will be happy to pass on.  It cost 90 euros but depends upon the height they have to climb.  We could have bought the spray from them and done it ourselves for 11 euros - no fear!!

Sueyh

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  • 2 weeks later...

Had a wasps nest in the outside wall - called in the Pompiers who came at sunset in a torrential downpour and proceeded to rip the wall apart and spray the nest - good fun to watch and it only cost 44 euros (no bill yet, but I am assured it is coming!)

Then the cat found a frelon nest in the grenier - one large can of Raid bought from Auchan and sprayed into the nest at night - and the problem was solved.   After sweeping up the hordes of dead frelons and knocking the empty nest into a carrier bag and burning it, there is no trace that they were ever there.

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Just feel the need to speak up in defense of the poor, misunderstood hornet.  They really are gentle giants and will only sting you if you are bothering them or go too near their nest.  There is the misconception that the sting from a hornet is far more dangerous than that from a wasp or a bee but in fact the risks are exactly the same, despite their bigger size. 

Obviously if you have a hornets nest in or too near your house then I don't blame anyone for wanting to get it removed, but there is no need to be hysterical if the odd one or two happen to fly into your house.  When we let our cat in last thing at night occasionally a hornet will follow him in, attracted by the light indoors.  My husband just gets a glass and a piece of card and takes it outside again. 

A friend in the UK once got stung twice by a hornet she was bothering and though she wouldn't like to repeat the experience she lived to tell the tale and said it was no worse than when she'd been stung by a wasp. 

For further info look at www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/hornets.htm

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I'm sorry to have to disagree, Chouette, but I feel you understate the case.

Hornets WILL attack anyone who gets too close to the nest, and they DO chase you if you run off.

A sting from a hornet is FAR worse than one from a wasp, unless you are comparing with someone who is allergic to wasp stings, and someone who isn't allergic to hornet stings.

My wife had 3 about 18 months ago, just because she stood too close to a hornets' nest, and the local chemist shooed her to the doctor, who told her she should have gone to emergency at the local hospital as soon as it happened.

Her face looked like she had been assaulted, and viciously at that, for about 5 days, with one eye closed and one side pulled all out of shape, from stings on her forehead, not really near the eye!

My advice on hornets is twofold:

1.Give 'em MASSIVE respect keeping well away if you can.

2. If they are on, or near your property, GET RID!!!

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[quote]Can anyone advise on the best way to get rid of frelons (hornets). We have 3 nests in the end wall of our house and at least half a dozen in our barn. So far we've left them alone and they've left u...[/quote]

Wasps and Hornets life cycle is geared towards raising several Queens by the end of the summer. At this time the queens will mate and all fly away before hibernating over the winter. Spring they all wake up and each queen will start a new colony to raise the next lot of queens.

Only the queens survive the winter, the rest of the colony dies and this is the time to block up all holes that they use to get in your walls.They do not automatically return to their old nest but that is not to say that any passing queen will not choose a ready made home if discovered.

I say live and let live. Unless they are causing a problem or in a very inconvenient position just leave them alone until the nest dies. They are carnivorous and consume large quantities of aphids over the summer.

Although an American site http://www.pestproducts.com/wasps.htm does have information on the wasp family and tips regarding their removal.

Rob.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi, heres some advice on what not to do,  I had a large nest on the boundary of my garden, i told my friend I was going to call in experts, what he said, dont be daft pour petrol on em at night, thatll do the trick, hummm yea why not i thought , had a word with my neighbour who was keen on the idea,  so there I am can of high octain walkin down the garden, all of a sudden i get a brainwave,, I must be nuts getting this close, back up the garden to get some old bottles and rags,,,, would you believe it a direct hit with me first shot, waw Nuked the whole area, grass, fencing, etc , spectacular , did the job, created some excitement and lit up the night sky..........next day called the experts to get rid of the hornets,      on the up side, I dont have to cut the grass there anymore...I used to be nuts..now im on Prozac ha ha ha ha ....
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  • 3 weeks later...

I had an unpleasant experience not with frelons but with Guepes.  I was doing a bit of gardening and stuck a fork right through a nest (had no idea before that they could be in the ground)  Cue huge swarm of angry wasps   - I was wearing just shorts and T shirt so I was getting stung everywhere .  I jumped into the swimming pool that was only 5 metres away and swam underwater to the far end.  Funny the things that go through your mind but I could not remember ever being stung before and I was acutely aware of a friend of mine who is highly allergic to stings and always carrys a pen thingy to inject himself if stung as his throat could swell up and suffocate him.  Anyway, it appears I'm not allergic as I'm still here!  It hurt like crazy and I counted 25 stings on my arms and legs and a few more on my back - I didn't know that many could be dangerous but I'm a big lad so no harm done.  Stinging went on all night even with liberal application of sting relief cream.  Next day, stuck a hosepipe in the nest and drowned them out.  Felt a bit bad about that as they were only defending their home but I didn't want anybody else - especially my kids - going through the same experience as me. No problem with bees though and they set the lavender bushes humming all summer long           

(Perhaps they hum because they don't know the words )

Pierre ZFP

 

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Good grief. So many stings. I'd have been a complete quivering wreck.

I have never been stung and don't know if I am allergic. My dad always swelled up badly when stung and in a lot of ways I take after him (allergy to dentists injections and a total hate of the smell and taste of oranges). As far as wasps and buzzy things, I usually employ the "windmill effect" whenever anything buzzy comes near me (arms flapping everywhere). I now have a badminton racket which is always by my side in the summer. Ideal for the hornets.

Basically hornets will only attack when you get within 2 to 3 metres of their nesting site, but unless you see their nesting site, how are we to know!! Policy is, if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

If you get stung by a wasp several times and you are not allergic, no problem apart from the pain, but if you get stung by a hornet (frelon) more than once, take yourself off to the docs straight away.

Jan

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