A Bird In The Stove is Worth Two In The Bush

Along with coons, coyotes, skunks, and just about everything else that lives in the wild......also domestic dogs.
Surprised that you said bats aren't good. Maybe creepy to a lot of people, but they are good bug eaters!

 

Every year I hunt down and kill as many wasps and hornets as possible. Usually I'll get the entire nest, but I do a lot of individuals too. Now the subterranean yellow jackets are another story. Those I watch during the day and often times find their nest that way. Then after dark, I'll take a flashlight with a red lens or red plastic cover (they can't see red) and fill an empty beer bottle or similar about a 4th of the way with fresh gasoline and go for the nest. They usually keep a guard at the door but if your quick enough, you can nail it too. Shove the open end of the bottle into the hole and and wait for the carnage to begin. The larger nests will actually vibrate the ground as they are trying to get out. The buzzing is actually quite loud. But it gradually gets quieter and pretty soon nothing. Leave the bottle in overnight to make sure all of them are dead. Last year I eliminated 7 large nests that way.

I also go after those carpenter bees one at a time with wasp spray.

You do have to be ever vigilant to keep all of those hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, and carpenter bees under control. Honey bees and bumble bees are exempt at least in my book.

I've never had any nest in my chimney. I'm guessing the smoke smell repulses them.

I also have a few helpers that hunt down the nests. They seem to love to snack on them and are oblivious to the stings. They are the skunk. I think raccoon might enjoy them too, but I'm not entirely sure.

 

I couldn't get my furnace to work once about 10 years ago. I had it all apart. Finally, I pulled the vent the draft blower went to and there was a crust starling. Pulled it out, re-assembled and it fired right up.

 

I did not say that bats are not good, go back and check. I was referring to having a bat in a stove in which you have to handle the creature to remove it. It is a potentially dangerous situation if the bat bites one during the removal process. You would either have to kill the bat, have it checked for rabies, or you would have to assume it has rabies and begin treatment. Any mammal can become infected with rabies.

I keep meaning to build some bat boxes to increase the number of bats here; as you said, they help to control insects. I like to set out on the side porch on a summer's evening and watch the bats hunting until it gets too dark to see them.

 

I leave them be unless they are a potential problem; although I am not allergic so no worries there. Yellow jacket wasps can be a nuisance when they are foraging; you are more likely to get stung when you walk by their nest; they have guards that watch for potential intruders. I stepped on a bumble bee once, I was barefoot in the garden, but they are barbless so it was able to detach and fly away. I was moving leaves out of the mulch pile one year and found a hornets nest; I simply stopped getting the leaves out. I did destroy a yellow jackets nest last year in the front garden on one of the flower beds; it was impossible for me to weed and maintain the bed with the wasps there. I do take exception to yellow hornets; not sure of the classification, as they strip the bark from my lilac bushes. Yellow hornets are also active at night as well as day and are attracted to light. I had six of the things to get in the kitchen one year when I had the door open to carry in groceries.

Not exactly off topic as we were talking about wasps nesting in chimneys.

 

Coming right up...

 

Is there a screen on top of the chimney?

 

Yup, there it is!

 

I will save you the trouble; bats are not good "in the stove" The OP was talking about finding a bat in the stove.

 

@ yooperdave, let's not get into another flaming event, OK. Bats are not good in your stove, neither are birds, or wasps, or raccoons, or any other animal.

 

Must've quoted out of context????

 

Regarding the bat in the stove, I was the OP.

 

How's that stove working out for you?

 

Actually yes, it is nice to see you own up to it. Yes, Bats are not good in the stove; I am not sure I would want to try handling the removal.

 

It is doing very well, still spills smoke even if I crack open the door and let the fire burn hotter; that part I am not too happy about; I would contact the company but they are going to question me on the chimney height so that needs to be within their specification. I start with a small hot fire and watch the pipe temperature letting it get up to proper operating tempartures. It could be the 90 in the stove pipe also contributes to the smoke spillage; I don't know, maybe others could comment on that.

 

Kimberly does not like this. If there is going to be a like button, there should also be a dislike button.

 

Jeeze oh pete!
Get on the phone and call customer service.
You surely don't think that you would be the first caller with a short chimney? They are there to help you out!

 

You may not like the option of a dislike button!

Just better stick with the "" and keep you guessing!!