Non-violent Removal of Hive
Posted September 17, 2006
After reading Vasudeva Datta Prabhu's concerns in your short article, it occurred to me that he could ward off the insects without harm, by 'smoking them out'. By using a good quantity of newspaper, and setting it alight near the hive, the insects will likely abandon their hive, at which point it can be disposed of with significantly less danger of being attacked. Still, I would recommend wearing a thick cloth lining as a safe guard against being stung. Also, one should make certain not to place the fire near any combustable items. It might be good to give it a trial run, burning a crumpled pile of newspaper, and then just observe, to see if there is a sufficient 'insect exodus' before removing the hive. Make certain that they've abandoned the hive before attempting to remove it! Also, if there is a significant breeze, make sure to place the fire so that the smoke reaches the hive in a concentrated state.
I hope the above is helpful. As Vasudeva Datta Prabhu's concern is not to
visit unnecessary violence upon the insects, I think this may be a good
remedy. The wasps may develop emphysema, though I really doubt it.