It sounds like you have a paper wasp nest attached to the chair (paperwasps are not into diplomacy at all). Moving the chair on a cool night (temps under 50 F ) might work) but a spray is safer.

Use one of the directional hornet/wasp sprays after dark (the cooler the better). I don't like sprays either, but most of the hornet sprays(streams actually), use a variety of permethrin, pyrethremin, or a third I (forget the name, but its similar to the other two). Which are base on a chrysanthemum derived pesticide (short lived toxin). Use it at night and soak down the nest, you should be able to reclaim your chair.

Don

Thanks Don. I looked at paper wasp nests and yellowjacket nests, and the nest looks like a yellowjacket.

I knocked the nest down because I had moved the chair near the door in my garage, so I was protected, but they are not leaving. :(

I may try a complicated mission: push the nest onto a piece of cardboard, wait till everyone settles down, and then place a bucket on top. Move it out to the back of the yard, and take the top off after they have settled down.

I also bought a trap, but now I just saw one of the yellowjackets munching down on a tomato hornworm, which are all over my tomato plants.

Thanks again, and thanks for the reassurance about the permethrin; I have not ruled out the spray idea.

Having been stung 15 times around my ankles last summer after walking into a yellowjacket nest in a pile of leaves, I think you are a brave person!

We have them around our log home as well, always trying to make nests in the eaves, and under log beams which jut out from the base before the foundation. Our means of control is to do a weekly patrol and if we spot one nest being started, we remove it in the evening. You have to take every little piece off whatever it's attached to - and I mean every teeny-tiny piece - or else they will start to rebuild there and will not leave. We use a small brass wire brush for this.

There is only one entry way into their nests, so if you can cover that before you move it, you'll have less of a problem. (But really, one of those buggers is just as bad as a load of them since one can sting you over and over and over again...)

As you've discovered, there are benefits to having them in the area. They will eat non-beneficial insects. For that reason we leave them to nest in one high spot close to the roof.

But after my experience last year, only one nest is allowed!

Egad! 15 times! I would have been squealing and thrashing and doing everything you're not supposed to do!

How do you cover the hole before they are onto you? Then how do you move it? Do you put it in something? It sounds like you do it quite early.

For right now, I think we have worked out a "relationship"; I am able to walk pretty close to the nest without disturbing them, and I don't have to do it too often. So, I may just let them be. Unless they eat my monarch caterpillars! :)

Last year there was nest up in our eaves, and I left it--absoutely no problem.

I have butterfly gardens, as well as veggie gardens. I hope they don't like my yard because of butterfly larvae. There are plenty of other things for them to eat.

Thanks again!

bernergirl,

I am all in favor of saving beneficial insects, but draw the line at getting stung, by my guests. Permethrin is short lived and effective, multlple stings can cause toxic reactions. Interlopers may be beneficial, but they can also be dangerous. Worse the effect can be cumulative! I've endured multiple stings, but my MD hopes that I don't take anymore chances( he's worried about cumulative sensitivity)!

My best advice is to eliminate the nest that might affect people (yes I know where I'm posting!) but stings hurt and can be dangerous to some people.

I left a large nest of paperwasps alone (22" diameter) not a threat to most visitors, but I will not allow a nest to be close to the house or public areas.

Permethrin works well, multi[ple stings hurt like heck and can kill! I was lucky, only six stings, and I'm still here.

If the nest is too close to a public area, eliminate it, they'll move!

I'm not terribly allergic to stings (my MD wonders why). I've been stung multiple times, by multiple species(nut European ground hornets (5 at a time) can push me over the edge!

Eliminate the threat to visitors and you will be okay!

Don