Originally Posted by
spartannation
So I went to the job site before daylight today. Took a rake, flashlight and a gallon of stale gas. What could go wrong? The plan was to use the rake to pull back the wood mulch so I could find the entrance. Then, simply pour the gas down the hole and bam, no more yellow jackets.
I had marked the general area with a long 1x2 yesterday so I would know where to start. I was holding the flashlight in my mouth while I gingerly pulled back the mulch. I had a 2' circle raked back and didn't see any hole so I moved in for a closer look. Again, what could go wrong. The next swipe with the rake uncovered a mound of yellow jackets the size of a saucer and probably an inch thick. They hadn't built their tunnel yet and were piled up to stay warm, I think. They must have known death was right around the corner because they started to "come to the light". And I mean fast! The manly exclamation of surprise (not a scream like a little girl) caused the flashlight to fall out of my mouth and shining in the wrong direction. I didn't dare run, it was dark, dark, dark, and I had ladders, patio furniture and numerous bushes and trees around me and couldn't see a thing. Some how with all my whooping, dancing, flailing and swatting I didn't get stung. When things settled down I was able to retrieve my flashlight and hit the mound with bee killer. Man, what a way to start the work day.