Yellowjackets! need help.

So this is my first grow, I have two plants in 5 gals in what is usually a very moist area. When I first planted them at this location it was very wet and the mosquitoes were everywhere. Been a couple weeks and now it is much more dry and I have real problems...Yellowjackets. When I went to check on my plants at First I saw about a golfball sized hole dug into the soil in one of the buckets. Soon after I was stung twice by yellowjackets chased off.

I know that wasps can be good pest control for the pests that can actually harm my plants but they don't seem to like me very much. Right now I'm thinking that they may have dug the hole to build a nest in or around my plants and I'm worried if I let it get worse they are gonna chase me away from my babies, now I'm wishing i had the mosquitoes back instead of these damn things.

tl;dr: No bees when I planted, too weeks later I get chased off by two yellowjacket stings. Are the wasps the ones digging up my soil to build a nest in or around my plants, or is it some more sinister creature, and what can I do about this?

I'm assuming that the moistness and richness of the soil is attracting them to my plants, but apparently now they are THEIR plants.

I have never heard of this problem before. I say u get some insecticide and get rid of those guys ASAP

That may be a pretty easy solution but I have a few qualms with it. I'd rather not use insecticides in general and especially near my plants, and I'm not sure where the nest even is. Especially considering that they were not there when I first planted.

i would observ the area from a distance for a while and you will begin to see where the yellowjackets leave and enter then if it is in your pots i would leave it and let them guard your plants till harvesting time, get hornet spra and kill them the day of harvest so your plant doesnt have insecticide sucked into the roots. If not then just sray the nest with hornet killer.

smoke em out

some good ideas here, thanks for the input. I'm NE so come harvest time it'll be cold and they'll be slow.

Yellowjackets suck! I got stung all over my head and hand the other day, must have stepped on their nest. I'de hit up the organic section of your local grow store and see what they have for bees. I would avoid using anything non organic, even on the day of harvest because the spray is bound to get all over the place. While the bees suck for you right now, they do make a great a security system. You don't need to worry about anyone stealing your plants and getting far with them, but if you see someone walking around with a bee keeper suite on I'de keep a close eye on them!

KushXOJ said:

smoke em out

Click to expand...

Yes do that, throw some green burning vegetation near the nest. They'll soon scatter. And don't use pesticide like some people said,it probably won't work, it will get into your plants and you don't really want to kill them now do ya. Another easy way is just to keep disturbing their nest with a long stick, they'll soon realise that spot ain't worth the hassle and move away.

sounds like getting a good smoke going with a makeshift bee suit on harvest day and cropping and running like mad is my best bet, it's just the watering that needs to be done almost weekly that is an annoyance right now. The location is not very easy to get to as well.

or at walmart you can get those yellowjacket traps. uses sugary juice like stuff theyre attracted to and works great! plus you wont have to worry about chemicals or anything else. just buy a few and place around your plants.

Long pants, long sleeves and a bug net, go scout the nest during the day. Destroy at night while they are asleep. Good luck!