Using Powder to Get Rid of Ground Bees

Ground bees also known as ground hornets or yellow jackets can be a nuisance if their nests are located around your home. Getting rid of ground bees requires strategic timing and tactics. Using powder insecticides is one effective method to eliminate ground bee nests and keep new ones from forming.

What Are Ground Bees?

Ground bees build underground nests and are more aggressive than other stinging insects. Their nests contain up to 4,000 bees that vigorously defend their colony if disturbed.

There are two main species of ground bees in North America:

• Eastern yellowjackets – Most common ground bee with black and yellow bands. Nests in lawns, fields, under shrubs.

• Western yellowjackets – Larger and less common. Nest in rodent burrows trash piles, cavities.

Ground bees have barbed stingers and can sting repeatedly. They scavenge for food and are attracted to sugary substances meat, and open trash cans. Colonies die out by winter except for new queens that hibernate and start new nests each spring.

Why Use Powder for Ground Bee Control?

Using a powder treatment is an effective way to kill ground bees and deter new nests from forming. Benefits of powder insecticides include:

• Kills ground bees through contact and digestion

• Long residual action keeps killing new bees over time

• Powder flows into nests easily through openings

• Low application effort compared to liquids

• Generally low toxicity to pets and humans

• Prevents nests from reforming in treated areas

How to Apply Powder for Ground Bees

Follow these steps to properly apply powder to eliminate ground bee nests:

Choose a Powder Pesticide

• Sevin® insecticide powder – Contains carbaryl, approved for ground bee control

• Drione® dust – Pyrethrin powder also labeled for bees and wasps

• Diatomaceous earth – Natural but less effective than pesticide powders

Identify the Nest

• Look for holes in the ground surrounded by bare earth

• Watch bee activity to find main entry/exit points

• Use powder’s residual activity by treating potential nesting areas

Prepare the Powder

• Use a handheld duster applicator for easy treatment

• Avoid breathing in powder by wearing a respirator mask

• Apply early morning or at night when ground bees are less active

Puff Powder into Nest Openings

• Generously apply powder into all holes and cavities

• Puff extra powder around entrances to form a light coating

• Reapply after heavy rain or irrigation

• Check nest daily and re-puff if bee activity resumes

Take Safety Precautions

• Wear protective clothing to avoid stings during treatment

• Keep children and pets away from treated areas until powder settles

• Carefully approach hives and have sting treatment available

When to Apply Ground Bee Powder

The best time to apply powder for ground bees is early in the season before colonies build up. Key times include:

• Early spring when overwintered queens start new nests

• Throughout summer at first sign of ground bee activity

• Areas where previous nests have formed like fence posts or patio edges

• Late summer to kill nests before new queens emerge

Avoid using powders labeled only for agriculture crops. Carefully follow all label directions for proper ground bee control.

Alternatives to Powder for Eliminating Ground Bees

If you wish to avoid using powders, alternative methods to get rid of ground bees include:

• Liquid insecticide sprays – Effective but more difficult to get into nests

• Soil treatment sprays – Prevent nests by creating a treated barrier

• Foaming aerosols – Inject insecticide foams directly into nest openings

• Traps – Capture foraging worker bees but do not kill entire colony

• Water treatments – Drown ground bees by flooding nest entrances

• Professional pest control – Bee exterminators use variety of elimination methods

Ground bees pose a unique problem when their nests infest lawn and garden areas. Applying a residual powder pesticide provides lasting control by killing bees through contact and digestion. A light powder treatment around nest entrances and potential nesting sites provides outdoor pest protection with minimal effort. Always follow label directions carefully when using powders or other pesticides.