Unconventional Wasp Nest Disposal

[Flying10uk]

HEALTH WARNING, please do not try replicating the following which is very dangerous and could result in serious injury to yourself or others. This was done before the invention of health and safety.

During the 1930s and 40s my Grandfather had a novel way of getting rid of ground wasp nests which I have never heard of anyone else doing anything similar. When my Grandfather had a problem wasp nest in the ground he would sprinkle a little gun powder over the top of the wasp nest and then "carefully" toss a lighted match into the gun powder. Because the gun powder was not in an enclosed vessel there was only a sudden flash then, presumably, a few flames and enough to kill the wasps. I have not personally witnessed this procedure but my father did and so I know it worked. Apparently you needed the sudden initial flash to kill the wasps instantly or the wasps may have had their revenge.

It is possible that my Grandfather learnt this trick in Australia where he spent a few years as a boy while his family attempted to make a living from sheep farming. I have mentioned this novel wasp disposal method to a number of people over the years but no-one has ever heard of anyone else doing anything similar. My Grandfather had access to the gun powder, I assume, because he was a shot gun and rifle owner for many years.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[WarPig1976]

Doesn't sound so crazy to me, in fact using explosives to rid oneself of an insect invasion is understandable. I do something similar only with a can of starting fluid and a lighter. Makes for a makeshift flamethrower that deals instant death to all would be Kamikaze insects and their demon spawn. Works well on a bug we call a Spricket around here too. They look like a cross between a spider and cricket, nasty little ....ers. Wife won't go in the basement to do laundry when they've invaded so they ALL gotta die.

[browningautorifle]

There are directional sprays available today that kill them dead without fail. You wait until evening, after dark preferably when they're all at rest and simply spray into the entrance, soaking the nest. No flames, no hazard...just dead pests.

[enfield303t]

The best pesticide I had knowledge of was Chlordane....banned in Canada decades ago and in the USA in 1988. It was amazing at killing infestations but super dangerous if misused.

[WarPig1976]

. No flames, no hazard

,no fun.

[jonnyc]

"Spricket"??? That must be a Delco thing........nothing like that up in Chester Cty!

[muffett.2008]

Just add a couple of snippets from my NOT TO BE RETRIED file.
Had an army mate that hated red ants, would always do a war dance on their nest to stir them up.
This time he dug a small hole and slipped a grenade simulator into the nest........yep, we were covered in angry red ants, no fun at all.

The second time was paper wasps. Small and angry little buggers, gave the nest a squirt with flyspray......well you know the average flyspray is lucky to work on flies, let alone wasps........boy were they cranky and boy can they sting.

[CINDERS]

Thing is Muffett those paper wasps usually have a squillion few mates with them and they attack in droves multiple stinging you whilst your legging it, I managed to get hold of some stuff from a telegraph pole mob they used to use in treating them along with the arsenic but this stuff they had was instantaneous as soon as it hit them they did not even know they were dead just curled'em up in a blink.
Lorseban worked really well but now that has been banned at least here in the West........

Having suffered the dreaded Sgt Ant attack (Red Ant) myself the swelling on top of my hand took @3 months to subside infact in Wisemans SAS survival book he warns you of them they are very aggressive and apparently can jump @6" the other ones that are bad are the green tree ants I have heard horror stories from Qld about those little suckers.
Any fire ant infestations where you are Muffett.

[Bob Womack]

In my "yoot" we took care of yellow jackets (ground wasps) by pouring gasoline (later kerosene) down the hole and throwing in a match.

Bob

[browningautorifle]

,no fun.

I had entertained the idea of a can of spray silicone and a lighter. The directional spray actually works better...