Yesterday, as I was pushing the pace on my MTB getting a good workout, I bumped into a yellow jacket coming the other way- with my mouth open. I didn't see but felt it, exhaled hard, tried to brush it away, and felt instant pain on the inside of my lower lip. Within an hour my face was swollen like a pumpkin. I was just plain lucky not to have inhaled it. It is a drought year and they are always more numerous in dry years, also more aggressive as the summer turns to fall. Now, after a day and a half of benedryl and ibuprofen, it is rapidly subsiding. I hope nobody else has this experience.

Glad you are ok. I can't cut my grass right now without getting stung. Best to have benadryl on hand.

Funny, I can't cut the grass around here without getting stung by a summer beer.

Denis, haven't noticed the yellow jackets this year (knock, knock famous words of bad luck), but over the years I've had several bees/yellow jackets/wasps fly into me. Either went down my shirt or once, I almost swallowed it. Stunk the back of my throat. Yep, ya herd right. Back of my mouth started swelling up real bad, fortunately no major issues (but I wuz 18.)

Mowed over yellow jackets nest in the past, numerous. Now, that is not a fun experience.

I've got a wasp's nest in one shrub (6" long or so), that I've nuked with foaming pesticide. Think I killed 'em, but not sure. Any recommendations?

Nuke it again, a couple hours after sun set when they are all in the nest.

Got whacked in the head by a wasp yesterday while on the MTN bike.

Then walk all around the house and check under all overhangs for dangly nests.

Good point. They may have moved to a new house. They built a nest in the soffet of a shed earlier this year.

I think I'll nuke it one more time (after dusk as Denis suggested.) Then take a hockey stick to it a few days later. After dusk is probably another good idea. I have to do some work around the nest (pruning, weeding, etc.), so I guess I'd rather find out if there are still wasps in it via a long hockey stick than smaller shears. (Haven't seen any activity around it, but ya never know.)

Any suggestions for removing a very large hornet's nest in the ground? Spray did not work. Several people have suggest pouring a can of gasoline down the hole. I'd prefer a less toxic means, but the nest appears well-fortified and it is right next to where I need to have a fence installed and a shed rebuilt. Can't let them bee (pun?) in that spot.

Once nice thing about winter and skiing. Don't need to worry about critters, varmits and stinging insects.

Yeah right. Critters running all over the Bonner Mtn Ranch in the winter time.

JohnL,
the best way to get rid of the ground hornets nest is after dusk pour Sevin dust in the hole and sprinkle around the ground opening. They will enter/exit and carry dust into the chamber thus killing all including the queen. It will take a couple of days. You can purchase Sevin dust at any Home/Garden center or nursery.

Garden-variety ethanol will work similarly to gasoline; the rubbing-alcohol-packaged ethanol (make sure you get ethanol and not isopropanol here) is not 'denatured' enough to make any sort of toxicity hazard. You can practice your flambe skills while you're at it.

Which spray did you use? I've found cheap Aqua-Net hair spray to work wonders in blocking insectoid breathing spicules and in making their wings too goopy for flight, but it requires close-in approach.

Good point. And he'll have dust left over for rose sprinkling &c.

That's a shameless accusation of a fine 5 star resort! It may be more true now that the a big "critter" has taken up full time residence there. Might need an exterminator to get it out if things don't improve.

I thought the previous critters were classified as pets?

Does the big "critter" sport an impressive red coat during the winter months?

Last year was bad for me. Seemed like I got stung on nearly every ride. And on different trails. Never got one in the mouth/throat though thankfully.

I got hit last weekend doing some trail work. Note to self: look around before you start disturbing the surroundings. Was lucky only to get one sting. We finished our work, but very carefully...