# What do you do when the bees are actually hornets?



## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

In Indiana if you charge you need to have a removel lic. I work with an exterminator, if he finds bees he calls me and if I find wasp or hornets I tell them to call him.

*This time of the year ask a LOT OF QUESTIONS before you make a trip about 95% if the calls I get this time of the year are yellow jackets last week I was 2 bees for 5 calls.*


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## scrapiron (Aug 18, 2011)

Run! Change your phone number! Hommie dont mess with no hornets. :no:


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## abejorro (May 9, 2011)

scrapiron said:


> Run! Change your phone number! Hommie dont mess with no hornets. :no:


Serious question: why?

I *have* heard that some states require lic exterminator etc. but frankly, if i'm already out, and it's a blast from a can of hornet spray, I'm questioning 'why not'?

Before anyone thinks i'm a natural born killer of all things living - I did suggest letting them do their thing over winter (in tree, 15' from ground), but they have kids that play in the yard and are deathly afraid of them. Dunno...


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## scrapiron (Aug 18, 2011)

Why you say?

"but they have kids that play in the yard and are deathly afraid of them."

There you have it! Im with the kids on this one.


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## johnth78 (May 26, 2012)

In Texas if you don't have a pest control licence and charge for pest control then you are indanger of fines.


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## Northwest PA Beekeeper (Mar 28, 2012)

Those paper nests burn very easily. And at night, all of those nasty hornets are inside the nest. Get a long stick that will reach up the hive, put a rag on the end of the stick, put some oil on the rag, light it on fire, and hold the torch up to the nest. Chances are you won't even have to suit up, because as the fire burns up through the nest, the hornets are killed before their fried bodies fall.

I'm quite certain there aren't any "exterminator" police out on patrol looking for illegals!


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

In our state you can't even advise the home owner to spray without a license. By the letter of the law I don't think we can even remove swarms, but we all do it anyway. Several local exterminators refer their removal, & swarm calls to beekeepers.


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## hemichuck (Oct 27, 2009)

In Kentucky you can remove bees without any license but you cant go on someone elses property and kill anything without an exterminators license. The homeowner can but you cant.


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## doc25 (Mar 9, 2007)

Honestly I would have sprayed them, taken the $75.00 and made sure to remove and destroy the paper nest. I do bee removals for free so at least I would have covered the wasted prep time and expense of going there.


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## dnichols (May 28, 2012)

Probably would of been better just to do the deed and not let us all know about it...:no:


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Don't exterminate them! Suit up real tight, sweatsuit under bee suit, double pants, hunting boots, duct tape the joints (they can sting through a bee suit). Work at night when they are all home. Bag them with a net bag, cut the paper nest out, move the colony to a safe location. No laws broken, critters get to live, and continue doing their job in the environment. Next time, charge way more for hornets!


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## doc25 (Mar 9, 2007)

Kilo I would relocate them to a bucket of water personally. But you're right about charging way more. Maybe tell your customers if it's bees the price is $75/hr all other stinging insects $150/hr that way the customer is responsable to identify the insects before you arrive.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

I find it funny a bunch of beekeepers being so scared of wasps and hornets.


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## abejorro (May 9, 2011)

JRG13 said:


> I find it funny a bunch of beekeepers being so scared of wasps and hornets.


Most of my question had to do with liability and possible legalities of delving in 'extermination' as a result of 'bee calls'. But i like the suggestions (Kilo's) which include removing the actual nest, as it minimizes issues with spraying pesticides and issues associated with that. E.g. in my case, it was a backyard where several young children play, so i'd rather not have stream of pesticide dripping on grass.


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## wildforager (Oct 4, 2011)

I just heard of a guy in CT who does yellow jacket removals with a bee vac then sells them to labs for their venom. How can we get into this avenue!? Sounds like a good thing all around.


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

abejorro said:


> Serious question: why?
> 
> I *have* heard that some states require lic exterminator etc. but frankly, if i'm already out, and it's a blast from a can of hornet spray, I'm questioning 'why not'?
> 
> Before anyone thinks i'm a natural born killer of all things living - I did suggest letting them do their thing over winter (in tree, 15' from ground), but they have kids that play in the yard and are deathly afraid of them. Dunno...


As a kid I got in trouble for throwing rocks at hornet's nests.

IMHO, the fee for cut-outs includes the bees. If they don't want to pay an exterminator's market rate, why should you give them the job for half price?


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

I am surprised that so many beekeepers say, "kill, kill, kill". Those hornets have a job to do out there in nature just like the bees do. Relocate is still intervention, it just does less damage to mama nature's wonderful critters. Coexistence with the little buzzing beauties, not anihilation.

Chief Seattle concluded his speech, "One thing is certain. Continue to defecate in your own bed, and one day you will not awaken, having smothered in your own waste."

I'm no hippie, it just seems so plain to me that if we continue losing species, our species comes up on the list sooner than later.


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