Last year I was stung 75 times. It hurts worse at the beginning of the season. After awhile I hardly notice. My wife has only been stung 5 times in all the years she's been helping me. She has developed an allergy is receiving the venom therapy. We are entirely covered with a high quality bee suit. We are very knowledgeable about the habits of these stinging creatures and know how to avoid stings.
We do this for free for the home or business owner. We have found that if we charge even a minimal fee, people will be less likely to donate their yellow jackets and hornets. This is a public service we do for communities.
The lab we work for pays us per pound. They need lots of yellow jackets and hornets. This is only a part-time gig for us. We do not make a living off of this but it does give us some added help for our household of six.
This really is a win-win-win-win situation. You win because we get rid of your yellow jackets and hornets for free. We win because we can sell them to the lab. The lab wins because they get their venom. Sting-allergic patients win because they get real help for their allergy. Everybody wins because pesticides have not been absorbed into your bodies and dumped into the environment.
The venom is used for sting-allergic patients. They are given small amounts of the venom to build immunity to its effects. For more information see the article I wrote on this.
How many yellow jackets and hornets does it take to make a pound?
I estimate it takes 6,960 yellow jackets and 4,640 white-faced hornets to make a pound. I base this on the calculation that it takes 15 yellow jackets to make up a gram. There are 464 grams in a pound. I’d say it takes 10 white-faced hornets to make a gram.
It probably takes 8-10 average size yellow jacket nests to make a pound here in Connecticut. Once in a while we have come across a nest that has given us half a pound but that is very rare. Yellow jacket nests do not get very large in Connecticut. On average it will take 5-6 white-faced hornet nests to make up a pound. The really big ones can yield up to half a pound.
Nope. I only do this for a few weeks in August and September. The rest of the year I pastor the Covenant of Grace Church here in New Hartford, Connecticut.
No. We collect most nests but there are several reasons we will not collect a nest:
The nest has been treated with pesticides. We cannot collect these nests per order of the USDA. The venom is actually injected into people. Pesticides are poisons. Please do not lie about spraying your nest. Someone's health may depend upon it.
It is not a variety we need. We get a specific order for particular varieties from the lab. Here is a list of the names of the types of yellow jackets we need.
We have fulfilled our order. Our order from the lab is not unlimited. They agree to purchase certain amounts of varieties. Once the order is filled the lab is not interested in them. At this point we cannot collect for free. If you live outside of Connecticut or it is not our free collection season (August-September), you can go to my Going Green Pest Control Consulting website.
Rude people. We are very appreciative of home and business owners donating their nests to a worthy cause. Most people are kind, appreciative, and polite. Occasionally we encounter mean people. If a person is rude to us, we will simply walk away and not collect the nest. Please be kind and polite. We will treat you with respect and kindness and we expect the same.
Too far away. Believe it or not we get calls from people all over the United States. I do phone consultations for people living in other states. I can help you identify what type of yellow jacket is bothering you, work with you to find all-natural solutions, and save you from making big mistakes that can cost you lost of money. I have saved people lots of money, as well as, saved them from getting poisoned from exterminators.
Yes, we have collected for several public and private schools in Connecticut. The United States government has mandated that school systems start using an IPM or Integrated Pest Management. They want schools to stop poisoning our youth. We remove nests from public and private schools and are available to train custodial staffs on safe and pesticide free ways of managing their stinging insect problems. Contact us if you are interested in this service.
Many people are so appreciative of our free service they want to bless us with a tip. This is not required but it is very much appreciated, especially with the price of gas.
Not only have people given us tips, but also they have offered cold drinks on hot days. We love kind words, and hearty thanks. Thank you for your many blessings. Kind smiles go a long way in encouraging us.
Can we hire you for "all natural" extermination if you do not need our nest?
Yes! Go to Going Green Pest Control Consulting. Our service is unique because I use "all natural" solutions for all your pest problems. I have developed proven techniques to remove yellow jackets and hornets and any pest using 100% organic methods. Pesticide companies claim they can get rid of your problems using some chemical and not poisons. I don't believe them.
No. Anti-venom counteracts venom. Immunology uses venom by injecting small amounts into the patient so they build immunity. Over time the patient will not have violent reactions to stings. See my article for more information on this.
You will see some activity in yellow jacket nests after we leave. Our idea is to collect 90-95% of the workers. Often this is enough to kill the nest. There are also workers who did not come home to the nest while we were collecting. We let our vacuums run for 40 minutes. This is usually enough time to get most of the field workers. The ones who come home after this find an empty nest. Because of lack of workers the larva in the nest will starve. Do not take any chances. Consider the nest still active after we leave. This way no one gets stung. If you notice an increased amount of traffic, contact us to come back to get the rest.
We have developed a technology that requires vacuums. I invented an "in-line" trap to vacuum yellow jackets and hornets as they come out of their nests. The bugs cannot die. If they do, they are no good to us. So we need to collect them alive. We need a power source to plug in our vacuums.
No way! Please do not ask us to do this. If you choose to treat the nest after we leave, we will instruct you how to do this. But take my word for it; the poison is more dangerous to you and your family than the yellow jackets and hornets. I spent most of the winter researching pesticides. There is a great deal of deception on the part of pesticide companies concerning their poisons. It is multi-billion dollar industries with lobbyist in Washington who make sure laws are past that protect the industry and not the homeowner.
I am sorry, but I cannot use it. Most of the time the homeowner calls me after they have sprayed. The reason is the spraying didn't work. If you directly hit the nest, you will kill it and everything else around it. You have killed your yellow jackets and hornets and many other creatures as well. Your body has absorbed these toxins and over time will kill you. Why do people think that the poison will only selectively kill the yellow jacket and hornet? It is poison. It is not intelligent. It simply kills. See my article on this. You can hire us to remove a sprayed nest, but it cannot be removed for free.
These wonderful creatures have many positive attributes. For example, yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps get rid of tons of harmful catapillars and other destructive larva. You'd be amazed at how many flies these stinging critters eat. Old time farmers loved having them on the farm as they keep the fly population down.
No. Only honeybees and bumblebees make honey. Honeybees make lots of honey. Bumblebees make honey but it is only very limited. Yellow jackets and hornets do not make honey.
I would be willing to talk to you about getting involved. There are many initial startup costs such as getting a bee suits, vacuums, advertising, screening calls, and training. It is fun and interesting.
The most curable disease is sting allergy. Most HMO's pay for epi-pens. They are cheaper than immunotherapy but they are also not as effective. Often the pens fail or people forget to bring them wherever they go. How can you predict when you will get stung? The best prevention is to ask your doctor about venom therapy. I have written two articles on this subject.
I can only collect yellowjackets in Northwest Connecticut for free. Occasionally I will travel but not for free. If you are outside of this area, to go Going Green Pest Control Consulting to get the help you need.