Treevet's big bald faced hornet adventure

JustinK said:
Eh. Call it bullshit or what you want, but I've seen several bald faced hornets meet their demise by calmly walking up to them with proper spray (not raid from wallyworld) and cutting loose right at the hole.

Some sort of foaming spray my buddy gave me a case of that was an exterminator.


Got rid of two here at the house like that.


Also been within 4-5ft, calmly, of nests before I realized they were there (two in spruce, a couple in crab apple trees) and they never paid no mind.

Eagerly awaiting the bullshit call. No proof, but I reckon I felt like I didn't need it (still don't, cause I don't give a shit), because it wasn't a big deal.

I figure hornets and wasps are about like most any other critter, stumble into em and surprise them, they'll be pissed. Act excited and they'll get excited.


Sure there are exceptions, but getting within 5-6ft of a bald faced hornets nest without getting popped isn't too unbelievable.
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50 feet up on a limb that every move shakes the nest and the limbs HAS to come off.
 
RyanCafferky said:
No offense @treevet but you seem to have an energy that just attracts the attack. I've lived with wasp nests all around my cabin for over 7 summers now and have only been stung once which I deserved.

The only time I was near a bald face hornet nest was during a crane removal. The log was in the middle of a giant rhododendrun. After I set the choker, I rappelled down into the rhody and glanced to the right. There was a basketball size nest about 3 feet away. I dropped out of the tree and didn't get stung once. The crane operator was ok with us taking a large pick so we thankfully didn't have to deal with the hornets.

I used to be more aggressive and got stung pretty regularly. These days it is a rare occurrence.
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same answer as above
 
Sounds exactly like what I'd expect from someone in tune with yourself and nature as you are, Ryan......

I've also not had any disastrous run ins with bald faced hornets.... the ground based little whirling dervishes are worse, however...not only are they extremely pissed when disturbed, but they, being hidden, are surprise attackers.

That said, I've never had more than a half a dozen stings, but my groundies have gotten it worse a few times.

I also have never had quite as an elaborate of an adventure, either, Dave. Not sure I'd have had the balls to complete the task.
 
JustinK said:
Yes... I agree if the limb/nest is disturbed. I'm talking knowing its there first and developing a plan first.
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Yeah, the plan would have been to put off til winter if I had not already done $5k of work, the limb was in the rest of the contract and it had already been isolated by removing some of it, so no turning back. Plus there is a long pool right over that roof the length of the house and tans are very important to this new owner.
 
Roger_Barnett said:
Sounds exactly like what I'd expect from someone in tune with yourself and nature as you are, Ryan......

I've also not had any disastrous run ins with bald faced hornets.... the ground based little whirling dervishes are worse, however...not only are they extremely pissed when disturbed, but they, being hidden, are surprise attackers.

That said, I've never had more than a half a dozen stings, but my groundies have gotten it worse a few times.

I also have never had quite as an elaborate of an adventure, either, Dave. Not sure I'd have had the balls to complete the task.
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Yeah, Ryan would have just made friends with them....kinda like libs want to make friends with ISIS....very groovy. 1901506_604620089632433_1624148551_n.webp
 
Levi.CO said:
Not a wuss, just smart is all(y)

Last summer I got stung a couple of times on the arm, quick escape after I saw @sherwood7 more or less jump out of a tree we were in...

A few weeks later I was attempting to set a line in an AB maple when my throw all went directly through what I thought to be the trunk of the tree. Turns out it was a hornet's nest the size of a beach ball, it was a very lucky instance.
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Ha, that was a fun one. Think that was the fastest I ever got out of a tree. Still got stung like 6 times. I didn't even see the nest till I started getting stung. My escape was not graceful, but it was quick.
 
Tom Dunlap said:
Wasps concern me more than almost any other hazard that we might find.
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I agree Tom. In my experience it's nearly impossible to keep your composure. There is no defense, they DO NOT relent until you are gone, and panic can set in pretty quick. Maybe not as huge a deal in a bucket, but a real threat to a climber. God forbid you were between tie ins.....

Although a cornered raccoon ain't much fun either.
 
I slowly and calmly climbed right up to it. The guards went on alert, but didn't leave the nest. I let them settle before I hit them hard and mercilessly.
 
Still not buying it.

I think wasps are relatively pussy cats compared to white faced hornets. The wf hornets don't let you go until you are way away and hit much harder imo. You wonder if they will not stop until they kill you. If you tell me you are calm and composed ....I call bs. There have been studies as to how far away until different bees/wasps/hornets relent. The worse were the killer bees.
 
Bucknut said:
I agree Tom. In my experience it's nearly impossible to keep your composure. There is no defense, they DO NOT relent until you are gone, and panic can set in pretty quick. Maybe not as huge a deal in a bucket, but a real threat to a climber. God forbid you were between tie ins.....

Although a cornered raccoon ain't much fun either.
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A friend and fellow climber on Bartlett of mine back in the early 70's hit a big nest unseen way up in an oak in a park and had to do a re tie in after they swarmed in on him. He was ambulenced to the hospital and they said he nearly died.
 
treevet said:
Still not buying it.

I think wasps are relatively pussy cats compared to white faced hornets. The wf hornets don't let you go until you are way away and hit much harder imo. You wonder if they will not stop until they kill you. If you tell me you are calm and composed ....I call bs. There have been studies as to how far away until different bees/wasps/hornets relent. The worse were the killer bees.
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Lol. Think what ya want, I killed the nest with no problems and I'd do it again. Next time I'll film it.
 
I had 2 run ins last week. One climber was stung a few times about 50' up a pine and came down. There were 3 more cuts to make and a couple of hangers. I saw the nest and decided I could get up there, make the cuts and pulled the hangers and then get out of there before they knew I was there. I swear my guys were passed to watch me come down without a sting ;)

Next time a different climber was only 15' up and started getting hammered. I waited and asked the guys where the nest was and they said the top of the tree had a small nest. I started up the same path as him and noticed that he was at the height I was when paused to look around. Looked towards the top and didn't see anything at all. Then I looked to my left and BAM! Was a huge nest right by my face. I bailed fast!! No stings. I pulled my rope out and climbed a neighboring tree and dropped down to the work. Finished the tree again without a problem.

My guys think I'm nuts. I just have the advantage of seeing where they are and then working around them. Maybe my luck will run out, but so far I look like a pro :bailando:
 
My little pets were fine until I cut their nest out and then pulled it out with a throw line onto the pool deck. After that they were gonna hit anything that moved. If I could have left the nest there I doubt they would have stung me as they warned me by "bumping" me about half a dozen times with no sting.
 
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