Pesky Hornets - Help/Advice Pleeese (50)

[Geoff & Emma]

Our little holiday cottage is coming increasingly under attack each summer (via the chimney) from hornets. They seem to enter via the chimney entrance and make themselves a cosy nest in the chimney itself. 

On our last DIY and hornet-barracading trip a couple of weeks ago we went armed with yards of strong fine-holed wire mesh in order to secure over the chimney entrance, but unfortunately when it came to it neither ourselves or our neighbours had a ladder long enough (even though it's a single storey property).

We're really desparate not to endure another summer of swatting, ducking and diving for cover and whilst of course we cannot do anything about these over-sized buzzy things outside the cottage we would at least like to prevent and discourage them from joining us inside.  ANY help (paid of course) or advice from anyone would so be appreciated.  We have English neighbours/caretakers who could help with access to our property.

Happy 2005 to all.

Emma Sallows

 

 

[Kennymike]

Hornets were a real problem last year and seem to be on the increase.  We had a nest in an adjoining barn and I left them alone in the belief that they would not bother us.  However, this turned out not to be the case because as the weather turned cooler they became rather more of a problem.  We tried the Pompiers and asked at the Mairie. It seems you now have to pay to have a nest removed and that is what we did.  Cost around Euro 80.  I can give you a contact if this helps but, be warned, there is no guarantee that removing/exterminating a nest will ensure that they will not return the following year.  Our place is near St Sever, so let me know if you would like the contact number.

Ken 

[SC]

We had exactly the same problem in our holiday home and although we had the nest destroyed by the pompiers, the following year the hornets were back. We invariably arrived for our summer holiday in the dark, and when we turned on the light they came down the chimney. All that was missing was the Ride of the Valkyries!

We used a board that fitted over the fireplace with no gaps, and each year before we left, we built a big fire in the fireplace and then put the board in place. When we came back we just removed the board and with the aid of some parrafin, lit the fire for an hour or two (in Brittany one often needs a fire in August), and the hornets, nest and grubs dropped down the chimney.

More recently we had one in a hollow tree and we bought an aerosol in an agricultural merchants, especially for dealing with hornets' nests, that sprayed up to six metres. We waited until dark when they were all supposed to be in watching Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and sprayed the nest, did the same the following night to clear up the truents. This worked fine.

sc

[Will]

Hornets nests used to be dealt with by the sapeurs pompiers, but as indicated above, the process in 50 has been privatised and a company at St Lo now deals with it. Your mairie, or the pompiers, will give contact details.

If you don't want to pay that much, a French farming friend says that if you get some doryphore (colorado beetle) powder from a supermarket or garden shop, that is effective on hornet or wasp nests. It has to be used at night, apparently, otherwise it doesn't work.

[Punch]

For what it's worth, I've had my fair share of hornets nests in the last 16 years and I would never advocate to anyone that they deal with one themselves as it can be very dangerous and even one sting can be life threatening, so you would not want multiple stings as you could very easily die. All said and done, I have destroyed one or two easily accesible ones (outdoors) using the same chemical as the pompiers, intersting tip from Bill about the chemical to use. Although hornets are generally placid and not as vindictive as wasps seem to be, they will readily defend the nest in masses - so beware for war if you must be a hero!

I've seen a farmer try to get rid of them with petrol, large sticks, sprays and all kinds of other methods - IMHO, the only one that really works is the chemicals the pompiers use together with removal of the entire nest and queen where possible  (and I appreciate this is often not possible)

I've had Pompiers up here three times and they always seem to want to find and destroy the queen. This apparently helps to prevent returning year after year to the same place. At night they are docile, BUT are attracted heavily to light and always have a few "guards" on duty at the nest openings which you will see. Johanna MOH , was stung twice last year within the space of a few hours after treading on one in our bedroom - the pain was immense and her foot swelled up to the size of a rugby ball! One other tip in the summer if you have hornets is to check your beds and cutains before climbing into bed. They tend to crawl indoors more than fly and on a few ocasions we have had them on curtains and bedcovers. The nests are disgusting; hornets produce a honey for the grubs which seems to mix with their faeces to form a runny black sticky substance (which is how I located our last nest) running down an inside wall in an upstairs bedroom - yuk.

Emma - The only real way you are going to stop them coming into you home is to locate and destoy the nest. The best way to locate is to go outside around dusk when most are returning to the nest and just watch them returning.They like oak trees - both for living in and also it is a favourite constituent of their nest building material!

 

Paul

 

[Marcelliere]

We had hornets a couple of summers ago, living under the roof and sometimes coming into the house.  Bought a couple of the spray cans mentioned (about 15 euro at the time) and used these to blast the nest.  As some of the postings have hinted, not to be undertaken lightly and because the cans chuck their contents out with a fair degree of force (hence getting the 6 metre range), they don't last very long!!  I then sealed the entrance that they were using with some fine wire netting and so far, been lucky.  Did see them floating around the garden last summer a couple of times but nothing like when they were resident under the roof.

When I came back, found the following site which may be useful:

http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/hornets.htm

Regards,

 

 

[Geoff & Emma]

Dear All,

A big thanks for all you advice, we're pretty sure the nest in the chimney has gone so it is a case of doing what we can to prevent the blighters from returning again. Am waiting to hear from a few contacts now who might be able to help over there and hopefully we won't be plagued by them to the same degree.

Thanks for taking the trouble to respond,

Emma

[Le Scouse]

[quote]Hornets were a real problem last year and seem to be on the increase. We had a nest in an adjoining barn and I left them alone in the belief that they would not bother us. However, this turned out n...[/quote]

I am by no means a hornet expert... but I know a man who is.

I have a "Little" hornet problem.. by little I mean the nest is only the size of a double wardrobe. I came across it one night when I went into a room in our ruin. Its the only room in the whole building with four walls and a door (long story), so it has become our "little room". Whilst it does have four walls, what it doesn't have is a roof, so the view above is of the roofspace. one night I ventured in to answer a call, and took up residence on the portaloo (don't worry, thats as graphic as it gets). I fumbled around looking for loo roll and my torch momentarily shone upwards, which alerted the sentinels around the nest... A nest I was unaware of.

I heard buzzing, looked up and saw two big buzzy things.. then my torch illuminated a creamy coulored tube with an intricate design.. resembling one of those 1970's plastic lampshade that you pieced together yourselves by snapping the folder plastic sails onto the plastic frame. I didn't know what it was, but the buzzing cut short my visit. The next day, I ventured out of the caravan and armed with a rolled up newspaper and a flyswat, climbed up the ladder to our Upstairs (well it would be if we actually had stairs)

I looked into the general area where I recalled seeing the "Thing" and to my horror saw this monstrosity. It looked like an uncooked kebab meat, the kind you see wrapped around a spit in the window ofm a dodgy fast food place.. you know the one I mean.. only considered edible after a crate of stella artois ..

This "thing" was at least four feet tall. As I stood up on the last remaining sound beam of my first floor, the creaking, awoke the beasts within and I hastily retreated, followed by a couple of the blighters who saw me off back toward the caravan.

I steered clear for the remainder of my week, satisfied that natures balance was intact. I had a perfectly good caravan that sleeps three and they had my house, which could easily sleep six (eventually), but was currently sleeping about five million of them. "not to worry.. " I thought.. "plenty of other jobs to do for the next five years.. no great rush to actually inhabit my holiday home..."

Upon my return I went to work and over a crafty bensons at playtime with my pals, I mentioned this horror story. An unlikely hero stepped forward.. A fork lift truck driver (hence highly qualified)...

"tell you what you need to do there mate//" he said, putting out his fag and drawing a long breath for maximum theatrical effect

"Pi55 on them"....

There was a hush.. eyes looked left and right

"Pi55 on them?" I scoffed... "Just how long do you think my little fireman is?"

It turns out that his solution entailed this following process, which I will now lay out for you all in as much detail as I can recall

• Attack mid-day !!!
• Take one wooly jumper.. wrap around head
• Take one pair of ankle boots.. place on feet
• Take one pair large socks.. place over boots and as far up leg as poss
• Take one pair of gloves.. place on hands
• Take one pair of swimming goggles.. cover eyes
• Take one scarf... wrap around neck and mouth
• Take one big coat... put it on
• Take a cup of Pi55 (my own I hope?)... Douse myself with it
• Take one childs super soaker water gun... Fill it (not with water!!!)
• Go into lions den (area around hornets nest).. get pumping !!!
• RUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amid

[Geoff & Emma]

Oh my goodness!  I don't really know what to say, sure made us giggle though. 

Just 2 immediate questions spring to mind; 1, does it seemed to have any affects at all (on the hornets and not, bless him, your son)? and 2, did your wife have a camera to hand as I think I may have done if Geoff had given it ago?

All ideas still welcome - but we don't promise to follow any of them and of course we are not getting away from the fact that these are very dangerous blighters either, before anyone thinks we are.

Emma x