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Started By
Message
Yellowjackets in the car engine? Suggestions?
Posted on 9/16/24 at 10:59 am
Posted on 9/16/24 at 10:59 am
There are yellowjackets all over my car. This morning I counted at least 20 of them crawling over the outside. Now, there is a good buildup of sap on the car from being parked underneath trees. I imagine that's what they're attracted to.
But what worries me is that I drove off this morning and noticed they were gone from the car as I was driving. I parked and checked out the car and didn't see any before walking off.
I came back out to the car two hours later, and it's covered again. I noticed a large wasp crawling on the hood and then disappeared into a crevice. It came out and flew around a bit and then went back into the crevice going into the engine.
I imagine that's the queen, right? The other yellowjackets would have attacked a different wasp?
Sooooo looks like there might be a nest forming in the engine. I've seen no signs of them inside the car.
I called Orkin and they said they don't treat cars.
Any suggestions? I would imagine driving long enough would heat up the engine to kill them, but this has been an ongoing issues in our driveway. I've also seen quite a few yellowjackets around the yard (I made a post about it a few weeks ago when I couldn't find a nest).
I'm thinking about waiting until night time and then opening the hood to check it out. Blast any signs of them with spray.
Will they really be that docile in 70 degree weather at night? Say around 9pm? Or will they still be active if it's not that cool?
But what worries me is that I drove off this morning and noticed they were gone from the car as I was driving. I parked and checked out the car and didn't see any before walking off.
I came back out to the car two hours later, and it's covered again. I noticed a large wasp crawling on the hood and then disappeared into a crevice. It came out and flew around a bit and then went back into the crevice going into the engine.
I imagine that's the queen, right? The other yellowjackets would have attacked a different wasp?
Sooooo looks like there might be a nest forming in the engine. I've seen no signs of them inside the car.
I called Orkin and they said they don't treat cars.
Any suggestions? I would imagine driving long enough would heat up the engine to kill them, but this has been an ongoing issues in our driveway. I've also seen quite a few yellowjackets around the yard (I made a post about it a few weeks ago when I couldn't find a nest).
I'm thinking about waiting until night time and then opening the hood to check it out. Blast any signs of them with spray.
Will they really be that docile in 70 degree weather at night? Say around 9pm? Or will they still be active if it's not that cool?
9
Posted on 9/16/24 at 11:31 am to StringedInstruments
Popping the hood at night may work, or they may come after you once you hit the nest with the light. Pending there is one.
Just an idea but maybe try setting off a fogger on the ground under the engine bay and back off and watch.
Just an idea but maybe try setting off a fogger on the ground under the engine bay and back off and watch.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 11:32 am to Cypressknee
quote:
Just an idea but maybe try setting off a fogger on the ground under the engine bay and back off and watch.
Would that put bug spray inside the car? I worry it'll get through in the vents and make the car smell horrible.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 11:58 am to StringedInstruments
quote:
I called Orkin and they said they don't treat cars.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 12:15 pm to cgrand
I bet you they get that call more than you'd think.
A couple years ago I almost made that call. We kept having ants in the car. I'd spray them with Windex (remarkable at killing ants), they'd clear out, then be back the next time I got in the car. There was nothing they were after, food wise, and I was about ready to drive the car into the river. I opened the back driver's side door (which I had opened several times) and happened to spot a ball of ants on the doorjamb, tucked in where the door wouldn't hit them when it closed. It was a full colony with eggs and everything. Getting rid of them was easy after that.
I figured out what happened by accident. We had been having a lot of rain.....days of it with some heavy downpours. This was in early Spring. On one of the drier days when the sun came out I was walking across my front yard and noticed thousands and thousands of ants on the grass. I saw no winged ones, so they weren't mating/swarming yet, I don't think. What I do believe happened was that they needed to move because the rain had probably flooded their nests to the point that they were unusable, so they headed to high ground at the first chance they got. The car was parked on the driveway maybe three feet from the edge of the grass. The tire was one of the first vertical things they came across, so they moved their house to the car.
A few shots of Windex and a later wipe of a paper towel ended the infestation that had bewildered me for several days.
A couple years ago I almost made that call. We kept having ants in the car. I'd spray them with Windex (remarkable at killing ants), they'd clear out, then be back the next time I got in the car. There was nothing they were after, food wise, and I was about ready to drive the car into the river. I opened the back driver's side door (which I had opened several times) and happened to spot a ball of ants on the doorjamb, tucked in where the door wouldn't hit them when it closed. It was a full colony with eggs and everything. Getting rid of them was easy after that.
I figured out what happened by accident. We had been having a lot of rain.....days of it with some heavy downpours. This was in early Spring. On one of the drier days when the sun came out I was walking across my front yard and noticed thousands and thousands of ants on the grass. I saw no winged ones, so they weren't mating/swarming yet, I don't think. What I do believe happened was that they needed to move because the rain had probably flooded their nests to the point that they were unusable, so they headed to high ground at the first chance they got. The car was parked on the driveway maybe three feet from the edge of the grass. The tire was one of the first vertical things they came across, so they moved their house to the car.
A few shots of Windex and a later wipe of a paper towel ended the infestation that had bewildered me for several days.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 12:17 pm to StringedInstruments
Minimal. A ton will not make it in the engine bay as it’s not a closed location. What little gets in won’t hurt anything. If you’re worried close the ac vents.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 1:15 pm to StringedInstruments
Dawn soap and water in a pump sprayer will kill them.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 1:43 pm to StringedInstruments
quote:
Just an idea but maybe try setting off a fogger on the ground under the engine bay and back off and watch.
Would that put bug spray inside the car? I worry it'll get through in the vents and make the car smell horrible.
Wouldn't be a big deal if it's not running and cycling air. I would try a fogger underneath then get a really good car wash to get the sap off.
Foggers spray upwards, so try to put it underneath the engine in a place with a gap to the top. You can open the hood first and look down to see you see any of the ground to figure out where to put it. That way it'll at least get everywhere under the hood.
This post was edited on 9/16/24 at 1:47 pm
Posted on 9/16/24 at 6:17 pm to StringedInstruments
I would also suggest placing a bug bomb/fogger on the ground under the engine compartment. However, those things use butane as a propellant, so don’t do it in your garage or open the hood until the fog has cleared or you’ll blow yourself up!
This post was edited on 9/16/24 at 10:12 pm
Posted on 9/16/24 at 7:42 pm to StringedInstruments
Go through a car wash
Posted on 9/16/24 at 8:47 pm to StringedInstruments
Burn the car and buy a new one.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 9:31 pm to WeagleEagle
quote:
Go through a car wash
This is either a brilliant idea that solves your problem or a horror movie scene when the car wash action causes a swarm to find their way inside the car and you die.
Posted on 9/16/24 at 9:57 pm to StringedInstruments
Wash you car!!
Posted on 9/17/24 at 7:04 am to StringedInstruments
What in the redneck tarnation is this??
Posted on 9/17/24 at 7:43 am to StringedInstruments
Get a couple of these traps and place near the car.
I wiped out a nest with one of these traps over a couple of days.
Yellowjacket Trap
I wiped out a nest with one of these traps over a couple of days.
Yellowjacket Trap
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