How To Get Rid Of Hornet’s Nest In A Hay Baler?

Hornets and wasps tend to nest in places you don’t want them. Garages, barns, parked cars, and even heavy machinery. Hay balers have plenty of space that draws those pesky hornets and wasps. So, it’s only right to find a way to get rid of the current nests and ensure no others come creeping in! So how to get rid of hornet’s nest in hay baler?

Hornets In The Hay Baler

Hornets In The Hay Baler

If you have a closed-in space away from the elements, you have to propensity to harbor hornets and wasps. Since balers have plenty of internal space away from the elements, it’s only natural that these flying pests make their way into the equipment to nest.

It’s no different than why mice and rats like to nest in hay balers!

Since most balers aren’t working on a daily, or even weekly, basis, the wasps have plenty of time to infiltrate and build. Then, you come along ready to bale some high-quality forage and the hornets come out and swarm the machine.

Nests inside balers can get quite large if you don’t know they are there and work to eradicate them regularly.

Ways To Get Rid Of Hornets In A Baler

Ways To Get Rid Of Hornets In A Baler

Here are some of the most recommended ways to get rid of hornets and wasps inside your hay baler:

  • Vacuum
  • Sevin powder
  • Traditional wasp/hornet spray
  • Gasoline/Oil
  • Mothballs
  • Boiling water
  • Bleach and water mixture

Vacuuming The Hornets

If you see the entrance to the nest, you can utilize a vacuum to suck up the majority of the nest’s population. They will hear the vacuum and feel the urge to fly out and attack, meaning they simply get sucked into the vacuum.

Better yet, use a wet and dry vacuum and use the wet setting to suck them up. Once you have them in the chamber, vacuum a good amount of water to drown them in the chamber to ensure disposing of them is safe.

Sevin Powder

The common insecticide Sevin is known to work against wasps. Sprinkle it as needed and watch your problem go away!

Wasp Spray

As long as the ingredients aren’t damaging to the moving parts of your hay baler, you can stick to traditional hornet and wasp spray. Spectracide is one brand that is touted among hay farmers.

Make sure to soak the nest well to get the best bang for your buck. Doing so at night ensures none of the hornets are out and about, meaning you get the whole population under control immediately!

Gasoline And Oil

Gasoline will kill wasps and hornets in no time. However, ensure that you are not pouring gas or oil onto the ground. It’s a pollutant and it’s illegal! If you can pour some on a nest and make sure none spills onto the ground, go for it. Oil works as well and doubles as a lubricant for your machinery.

Mothballs

Wasps and hornets (and most other pests) hate the smell of mothballs. Since there is no shortage of nesting areas on a typical farm, most hornets will simply choose to nest elsewhere if mothballs are tucked into your hay baler. You can get the current population to move out as well.

Boiling Water

One of the most eco-friendly solutions is to simply burn and drown them at the same time. Boiling water onto a nest during the night will destroy the nest and take down the wasps themselves. Just make sure you dry everything afterward to avoid rusting.

Bleach And Water

Mixing bleach and water in a 50/50 solution will also take care of hornets in a hay baler. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and go to work. It doubles as an effective cleaner, as long as you follow it up with oiling to avoid corrosion.

Prevention Is Key

Keeping your hay baler working more often and avoiding storing it in the dark all the time will help avoid future nests. Make sure you aren’t setting up the perfect environment for hornets and wasps to set up shop.

Keeping mothballs in place and keeping parts as open as possible will reduce the risk of future infestation as well. A well-oiled machine will ward off hornets since they dislike the sense of oil around their nesting areas.

Regularly checking for new nests is the best way to make sure no nest becomes a big problem. A few hornets here and there are bound to show up and start the nesting process. But, taking care of 2-5 is a lot easier than hundreds!

Know Your Species

If you know the prominent species in your area, you’ll have a better idea of how to keep them out of your equipment. Check this out if you need a visual and information about the nesting patterns of the wasps you currently have!

Cheers To Pest-Free Baling!

Some wasps are seen as beneficial insects since they take out other problem species. But, that doesn’t mean you need to let them nest inside your hay baler so that they attack every time you need to use the baler!

Take care of the current nests and prevent future ones by following the guidance in this article. You’ll be on your way to hornet-free baling in no time.

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