Darn yellow jackets and wasps.

[hellbirdman]

I could not find any where else to post this but I saw the Yellow Jacket header and just could not resist. Had two wasp story's for today and looked every where else here to post them but no luck. First one was this morning . No cool on a split system roof top mounted condenser. Opened up the disconnect and 6 wasps flew out and chased me back 50 feet. Went back to 3 phase condenser and found it had power to only 2 legs. Darn, Too chicken to open disconnect again so went down to check 3 ph breaker...ok. Went back up and found it was a disconnect with fuses and one was blown. Faced off with the 2 wasps guarding the nest and pulled the blown fuse and put in a new one. Closed the cover and had a wasp or two buzz in my face for the next 40 min. while I checked the charge and washed the outside coil.

Next call was a residential no cooling and darn if the home owner had just dug? out a Yellow jacket nest right next to the messed up unit. There was a big hole there a shovel near by and two empty cans of wasp spray.
My helper put the r-22 tank on top of the out door unit and ran away saying he was not going any near the things and there were about 20 of the nasty devils flying around the unit stunned from 2 cans of wasp spray the HO used.

I have a deal with the paper wasps. I have replaced controls, tested voltages and what not for the last 20 years with their little active nests right next to my hands...no problem. They don't sting me and I don't kill them.

The Yellow jackets on the hand are out to get me ever since I swatted one of them a few years ago and stomped him dead with my foot.
I told the HO that I would be back when the Yellow jackets were gone.

bb

[ga-hvac-tech]

A can (or two) of wasp spray is standard equipment on my van...

Saw a HORNET today... decided I was not gonna even think about it... back to the van and get the spray. One dead hornet.
BTW: That thing was almost as big as my entire pinky finger... and I am not a small guy.

And I like the subtle sense of humor of putting a thread about bees and wasps in the Yellow Jacket Corporate folder...

[Utahjohn]

i hate them and will kill them any tine i can. (not bee's)

[HVAC_Ryan]

No issues with bees. Had them land on my hands, walk around and fly away. No issues.

Bald faced Hornets or yellow jackets on the other hand.
Any insect that bites "just for the sake" is no friend of mine.
Mosquitos and wasps... UGH.





~ Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

[PMARS2345]

I like to spray them with WD-40

[ga-hvac-tech]

I like to spray them with WD-40

That will just irritate a hornet or wasp...

I prefer hornet spray.... the fall right where they were hit.

[uniservice]

Johnstone used to sell a wonderful yellowjacket spray, but they quit carrying it. The stuff they have now works, but it isn't as potent as the original stuff. Wish I could find it.

[hurtinhvac]

Spectracide Commercial Wasp and Hornet spray - makes quick work of all insects. I can literally deal with a twenty or so resident nest of wasps and yellow jackets in ten seconds from ten feet away. Just have to watch out for the ones who are out gathering supplies when you hit the nest.

This past week I just happened to notice a nest tucked up under the top of a condensing unit when I was looking to see how dirty the coil was. I doused 'em and went about my work. It had been a bad morning during an on call week as far as stiffness and soreness...from my shoulders to my ankles and I was thinking about popping a couple of my little white helpers. I'm bent over the electrical panel in pain and a straggling worker wasp returns to the nest and then blindly flees and bumps into the bill of my cap. It's nice to know that the adrenaline pump still works and I couldn't help but notice all that pain and stiffness was gone in an instant.

[Joe Harper]

Wasp discussion starts at #20

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....ondenser-units

[hurtinhvac]

Ho. Lee. Crap.

Those would quickly make me get in touch with my inner little girl.

{shivers}

[furnacemaninc]

I prefer spray glue, it stops them instantly and I get to pretend I'm spider man


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[bhahvac]

I used to sell wasp and hornet spray when I worked with an hvac chemical company. The best one FREEZES the wasp, which kills him quickly. It does not take much, lower his body temp about 10 degrees and that does it. So lots of good candidates for chemicals. The old BLAST clear chemical aerosol sprays that stink really work well also!!
But NOTHING is as fun as cookin' em with a torch!

[Travis meece]

I worked as an hvac and maintenance tech for a school system and every so often I would have to go grease bearings and check the belts on exhaust hoods on the roof. And we had many of them throughout the schools. But you could almost guarantee they had a wasp nest so I learned real quick to go up and tap the top and run back and asess the situation. So that is my trick now so I don't get the dreaded surprise. Plus if it's a bad nest and you have the time for it...go back first thing in the morning or late evening when they are all in the nest and moving slow...good luck !!

[Ernest Crossman]

I don't even worry about them anymore. I just open the case look if they are in it, do what I have to do and close it back up. I don't get stung anymore so I don't kill them. I have seen some pretty funny things over the years that have to do with wasps and muddaulbers. But when they did for that matter most dish soap in hot water will kill them and that's what I prefer. . The most important thing is either reading the label to see if it is a conductor or being certain the power is off.


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[lytning]

Nu Blast, I took out a whole colony of YJ's. Stuff ain't cheap but you can get them from 20 feet.

[Metalman0880]

In a pinch.....I use a flame thrower. I'll burn the world down before I let one of those little f**k**s sting me. That may be a little over the top for some people. I HATE yellow jackets.


Believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JohninJoliet]

Nu Blast from Nu Calgon (Johnstone) is instant death even to the prehistoric sized hornets. The only time I ever used more than one can was at Circuit City (remember them?) because their roof had all those aerial brackets and clutter which provided a HUD for wasps, biggest communities I ever saw. Just don't get the spray on you or you will learn the definition of "organophosphate poisoning".

[BBeerme]

[lytning]

Been doing that for years. You can knock them out of the air at 20 feet.

Nu Blast from Nu Calgon (Johnstone) is instant death even to the prehistoric sized hornets. The only time I ever used more than one can was at Circuit City (remember them?) because their roof had all those aerial brackets and clutter which provided a HUD for wasps, biggest communities I ever saw. Just don't get the spray on you or you will learn the definition of "organophosphate poisoning".

[BBeerme]

Target practice. And you get paid to do it !!

Been doing that for years. You can knock them out of the air at 20 feet.