Problem unsolvable

I have a few old tractors of many shapes and colors. They all are restored to different levels. They are parked under shelters,in buildings and some even spend the night under the 🌙. But I have one green tractor, no matter where it is parked has this one problem every year. When I get on it and start it up I immediately have to abandon ship. Hundreds of wasp fly out from under the hood. None of the other tractors have this problem? I then go to battle with the wasp spray. Every year as regular as clockwork. Just lucky I guess. Always catches me by surprise.

that is because green tractor are to be left hidden in the bush! but if u want it gone i will take it away so you dont have anymore problems.

I would suspect it has insects in it from previous year.

The accessibility of the hood might be the cause. Put a visqueen plastic cover over the open sides with duct tape on the inside of the hood to keep from abusing the paint. Jim

They will return to their nest, hive, etc. You need to really clean the tractor well and get rid of all evidence of prior wasps.

I was told by an exterminator that wasps never return to the old hive (or whatever it is called) the next year. Apparently the queen leaves late in the summer to start up a new colony and the others get real grouchy and eventually leave and go elsewhere. I was asking about getting rid of a hive under my front porch and that was the reply. Not sure what happened to my little group but they never showed up again. Does this sound like anything you have heard before?

This is one reference below ..... most of the Google results say much the same thing ....
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If these 'wasps' are in fact Yellow Jackets, they will return to the same area year after year. They leave a scent trail of sorts. Best way to keep them away is to store the tractor with wads of rags or newspaper soaked in wasp spray, after washing under the hood and spraying the hood/engine with wasp spray.

I would imagine you may have to repeat this procedure once or twice throughout the season.

Next problem is, what would keep them from going to any other available tractor or vehicle or implement?

There are several ideas that could be done at this point. One might be for you and a helper (opposite sides of machine) to get loaded up with wasp spray and flying insect killer and attack the nest at nighttime starting with the wasp spray to knock them down and the flying insect killer for an up-close fogging pattern.

Another idea is, if you have access to a pressure washer that can work from a bucket of water (I have a Karcher electric that can), fill a bucket full of ice water and then use the fog attachment to spray at night. The cold water will numb them....providing it hits them.

Another idea would be to have a helper help you cover the tractor (again, at night) with a tarp or plastic sheeting, then run lawn mower exhaust into the covering and let run for a while. Then follow up by washing with the wasp spray.

Just keep in mind that on any given night, there will be wasps that will spend the night out. If night falls and they have not made it back to the nest, they will rest until morning. What that means is, there will be stragglers trying to return for several days. Once you attack the nest, let everything just sit for a week or two!

Last idea is, if there's someone you don't particularly like, just have that pesky in-law try starting the tractor. Keep the wasps; lose the in-laws! *lol*

It seems like new paint will keep them away for a few years, at least is works on buildings. They don't like the smell fuming off of the paint. Maybe shooting some paint up there will keep them away.

a friend of mine in arkansas sprays wd40 under the hoods of his machinery, also under the cowl on the outboard motors. keep the mud daubers and those evil wicked red wasps from nesting.

They are probably trying to tell you to stay away from green tractors.

I have wasp everywhere and have never found them to be particularly aggressive, even midday summer I can empty a full can on them. I however won't mow to close to an overhang with nest as they will attack, they especially dislike weedwhackers. Yellow jackets are a whole different animal, I respect them, they have chased me and stung me silly and whatever they inject is powerful poison. Attack them pre morning and empty a can into entrance, Here they burrow into the ground. I have nests in the same places every year, don't know if they are direct kin of last years or if the spots for nesting are just ideal.

They are naturally attracted to john Deere. The same reason they are painted green. You find them in fence rows with grass growing up around them.. lol

No really, there are tractors that just attract them. My jd b never has wasps, but the Clark forklift is a motel for them .

Had to get rid of quite a few nests over the years.

I have an adjustable tip on my pressure washer, you turn the end and it goes from the normal spray to a tight stream that will easily reach out 20 feet.

I start from a safe distance with the tight stream until I get the nest knocked down then I switch to the normal spray pattern as I get closer.

Any that get airborne are easily knocked down with the spray, keep going until the miserable little things are all stomped dead or drowned.

I think I will let them just be my burglar deterrent.

(quoted from post at 15:35:48 10/25/20) I was told by an exterminator that wasps never return to the old hive (or whatever it is called) the next year. Apparently the queen leaves late in the summer to start up a new colony and the others get real grouchy and eventually leave and go elsewhere. I was asking about getting rid of a hive under my front porch and that was the reply. Not sure what happened to my little group but they never showed up again. Does this sound like anything you have heard before?

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I have observed the same thing. Everwhere I've had a significant vicious-black-and-yellow-insect nest, it's a one-year thing. The next year they make the nest somewhere else. This year I think they ran out of spots. Can't imagine what my soffits look like.

I would not believe it. Have a UniMog that they return every year to the air intake vent.

RF ..... Unimog ..... my wife's BIL had one, maybe from the 60's I think. It had a 5 cylinder transplanted diesel engine in it from maybe a Mercedes sedan or some other car/truck. Did the Unimog have a 5 cylinder diesel? Not sure why I think this was a transplant. This was some kind of a communications army truck originally and had been converted to a camper. Pretty cool unit, I remember it having HUGE wheels/tires on it ....... someone had painted it Turquoise, he kept threatening to give it to me and park it in front of our house which my wife didn't approve of. Actually, he didn't know it but she didn't approve of him either .... ha! What version do you own?

(quoted from post at 15:55:51 10/26/20) RF ..... Unimog ..... my wife's BIL had one, maybe from the 60's I think. It had a 5 cylinder transplanted diesel engine in it from maybe a Mercedes sedan or some other car/truck. Did the Unimog have a 5 cylinder diesel? Not sure why I think this was a transplant. This was some kind of a communications army truck originally and had been converted to a camper. Pretty cool unit, I remember it having HUGE wheels/tires on it ....... someone had painted it Turquoise, he kept threatening to give it to me and park it in front of our house which my wife didn't approve of. Actually, he didn't know it but she didn't approve of him either .... ha! What version do you own?

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Knew a guy years ago that had one, drove it everywhere without a plate on it, finally got stopped and ticketed for no plate/registration.

He took it to court and the judge ruled that it was considered a tractor and therefore did not fall under the motor vehicle act and dismissed the ticket.

Something to do with it being equipped with front and rear PTO's that determined the classification.

He drove around for years after that waiting to get pulled over again so he could show a cop the court papers but he died before that ever happened.