NFR Queens are out and about

Non-fishing related
I rank yellowjackets up there with ticks. The damned things will sting you just for the hell of it. Normally, a honey bee will leave you alone once they figure out you have no pollen for the taking but the yellow versions seem mad all the time.

When I was a kid just about every weekend during the summer my family would go on a fishing and picnicking trip to a local river. The yellowjackets seem to be waiting for us to show up. When you'd tried to eat the fried chicken the damned bees would attempt to claim it as their own. Eventually we started giving them their own plate of chicken and they seemed to get the idea. We'd eat our fried chicken and they'd eat theirs. It was obviously extorsion on the part of the yellowjackets but it worked.
 
That is helluva lot of queens in one area
 
@clarkman Yes, it’s a lot! We had the mildest winter in many years. I’m doing my part to thin out the Yellowjacket population. I’m concerned about the bald faced hornets though. I’m not sure how to trap those beasts.
 
One afternoon a couple weeks ago I arrived at a remote boat launch to find a swarm of yellowjackets hanging out right at the waterline. Being allergic, I was hesitant to barge through even if they weren't acting aggressive.
Tried my soapy water spray, but that only drove away the few that took direct hits, not the hundred coming and going.
After pondering for a bit, I peeled that morning's menthol pain patch from the small of my back and dropped it right in the middle of the swarm.
Two minutes later the ramp was clear of hornets!
I now have peppermint extract in my van to add to the spray bottle for next time :cool:
 
three queens in two traps so far...much bigger than the drones trapped with them. The Rescue traps are flat out effective.
Annoying as hell are the ones here on the high lakes that will buzz around the boat until the only way to ditch them is to run and reset elsewhere.
 
Eastside said:
What do you use for bait? I haven’t caught any in mine this year using the standard liquid bait. Killed two nests forming already.
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The standard Rescue cone-shaped bait that pairs with the traps. I’ll recharge with the liquid in another couple of weeks and again once a month until fall.
 
Eastside said:
What do you use for bait? I haven’t caught any in mine this year using the standard liquid bait. Killed two nests forming already.
Click to expand...
For the cone shaped yellow-green cone traps a cotton ball soaked in apple cider with about 1" of raw bacon (that keeps honey bees out of the trap) has worked better at our place than than the bait supplied with, and for the traps. Lasts for 2-3 weeks or so.
 
SurfnFish said:
three queens in two traps so far...much bigger than the drones trapped with them. The Rescue traps are flat out effective.
Annoying as hell are the ones here on the high lakes that will buzz around the boat until the only way to ditch them is to run and reset elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Maybe you need a butterfly net on the boat, along with a landing net. Net and squish.
 
This is the third year in a row that I have Bumble Bees living under my raised beds. Their entrance is always on the "back" so I don't have much interaction with them. They have never bothered me and we get along fine plus (hopefully) they are good pollinators for veggies. Much better than having Yellow Jackets!
 
Definitely on pace for a personal best. Traps have been up 30 days and I have 115 queen yellow jackets. I typically continue to catch them through mid-June. Here’s hoping reducing the neighborhood nest count by 100+ makes August and September more pleasant.
 
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