Wasps, Snakes, and Rats....Oh my

[adams77]

I went up into the attic of my shop to wire up some ceiling outlets and found a nice assortment of wildlife.

3 dead rats and a long snake shed plus a dozen or so wasp nests. So I have removed the carcases and knocked down the nests (which were vacant), other than sealing up the openings what can I do to keep these critters from settling back in?

Any chemicals preferred?

 

[wilbilt]

I have had a huge problem with paper wasps the past few years. I hear they are a European variety that has spread nationwide. They build their nests anywhere, not just in out-of-the-way places, and are pretty aggressive.

Someone here suggested using the hanging insect repellent things similar to the old Shell No-Pest Strip. I found some at HD and they worked well for keeping the wasps from nesting in my sheds.

Other than that, I do a spray bomb effort in the spring when the queens are out building nests. Whenever I see one in progress, I knock it down or nail it with the long-range spray. I go through about a case of it per year trying to keep the population down.

I don't like just randomly killing things, but they have gotten so bad over the past couple of years that I give them no quarter.

Non-venomous snakes I leave alone, as they help keep the rodents down.

 

[krusty the clown]

i have a six foot blacksnake that lives in my shop, i leave him alone and he leaves me alone. like will said he helps with the mice.

 

[caspian65]

I have had problems with those dark brown/red wasps in my attic. There are 2 windows up there and I usually just spray wasp killer on the windows and let it dry. It must stay active, because when they hit it, they die. Usually about 10-20 dead on the floor below the windows. They like building nests in the siding on my house. Killed 3 queens one time by soaking them out of the siding.

 

[Uncle Buck]

i have a six foot blacksnake that lives in my shop, i leave him alone and he leaves me alone. like will said he helps with the mice.

I like my idea better (hate snakes)
1) close shop tightly
2)start the car
3)leave shop and close door tightly behind you.
4)come back in 1/2 hr and shut off car then open shop back up and immediatly leave the shop for several hours.
5) THIS ONLY SHOULD BE DONE WITH DETACHED OUTBUILDING WITHOUT CENTRAL HEAT AIR ETC....

I HATE SNAKES! (alright yes I am kidding, but it does work!)

 

[Moodster]

i have a six foot blacksnake that lives in my shop, i leave him alone and he leaves me alone. like will said he helps with the mice.

That's just insane. Six feet long!!! I'd be afraid he might get tired of mice and then one day when you're down on that creeper...

david

 

[Red Green]

I have a lot of yellow jackets I turned a wheel over one day and found a nest the size of a loaf of bread. I have found if you take a 2 liter bottle and cut the top off and turn the top upside down and set it back in bottle the yellow jackets will fly in and they cant fly out

 

[Herb]

I like the idea of the soda bottle trap- very safe, no chemicals. I always had sprayed my garage attic, but a couple of years ago someone here mentioned the Shell pest strips or an equivalent made by HotShot. I put two HotShots in the attic and within a week ALL the wasps and yellow jackets were gone or dead and have not returned. I think the Hot Shots have a 3 month lifespan, but mine have been effective for a year. Now, snakes, I REALLY don't like snakes, and I have a snake " catcher" my father made for me when I moved in, but I haven't needed it yet in my new place.

 

[nonhog]

I have a lot of yellow jackets I turned a wheel over one day and found a nest the size of a loaf of bread. I have found if you take a 2 liter bottle and cut the top off and turn the top upside down and set it back in bottle the yellow jackets will fly in and they cant fly out

Yep it works ,Add something inside to attrack them. The store bought ones work great for yellowjackets but not paperwasps .

I have found the profesional grade insect control works real well . About 50$ a quart , but lasts years cause you mix it with water.
spraying around areas they would nest every 3 months will stop or at least slow them way down . And on active nests you just soak it and leave 3 days later DEAD . Keep your home and yard unattractive to pests and they will go elsewhere .

 

[Red Green]

I forgot the step of adding some bait I use Mountan Dew.

 

[carguy123]

I am having trouble with field mice, they seem to be living on my grass seed. Do those ultrasonic devices work?

 

[Farmallgray]

Put your grass seed (or any other food source) in a plastic 5 gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid.

Mice are tough. I have been dealing with them in my shop for about 5 yrs now. I always used the bait pellets till I started finding them stashed in places I didn't want them (inside the air cleaner of my truck for one). Now I used the blocks. I also put them on a block of wood with 4 nails to hold them in place. That way the little buggers cant drag them off. I also got 4 traps and bait them with peanut butter. I have caught 4 in the last month. We have two cats and ocasionally I take them out there and let them roam, but they haven't gotten any yet. I think I will try the ultrasonic thing too by next winter.

 

[ecamp55]

Moth Balls....spread a whole box around

 

[carguy123]

Mothballs get rid of mice?

I hate to use poison since there are other critters around such as my dogs that I dont' want to poison.

I had a fox die in my garage last year where someone had put out poison

 

[nonhog]

I hate to use poison since there are other critters around such as my dogs that I dont' want to poison.

Years ago in a previous shop mice were at play and my Jack Russells knew it
we had a company set out bait traps which they said were safe for having dogs around . WRONG I found one of my dogs playing with the bait he somehow got out of the "safe" container . No more poison for us .
He was fine btw.

 

[Liv42day]

My uncle takes a 5 gallon bucket and fills it about 3/4 full of wate ror a little more. Then takes black sunflower seeds and covers the water with the seeds. Places a wide board as an inviting walk way to the bucket "full" of seeds. Last summer he killed 25 chipmunks, quite a few gophers, and a pile of mice. Just make sure to empty the bucket every once in a while and refresh the seeds floating on top.

 

[Rickstir]

Okay, you got me, what is a snake trap?

 

[Rickstir]

I live on 80 acres. I have a deal with snakes, you stay off the 3 acre homesite and you are okay. Tresapass and you are a gonner. I don't care what kind. We have 3 cats, down from 5. They are all good mousers. One night a week one of them will be in the shop (unattached from the house) and a couple in the chicken coop. Success is varied and we seldom find evidence of a kill excpet for the oldes female; she loves to leave the head. We shoot the wasp nest with spray. Seems to be working.

 

[wtaylor]

If you want an environmently friendly way to kill wasps, mix some dish washing liquid in a cup of water and throw it on them. It won't deter them, so pull down the nest, but at least you will be able to get rid of them for a while.

 

[Ripp]

I have a 110v plug in fogger..Not sure of the brand,but I have seen similar in stores.
We use it every spring and fall at our cabin.Just fill the pot with your fav bug killer,plug it in and walk away..Come back a few hrs later and all manner of critter is dead.
Also use it in the shop if I suspect mice or if wasp's somehow get nest's started..Just fill it with bug killer,plug it in and shut the doors..Come back a few hours later and let everything air out...End of critter problem!!

Haven't had bug,snake,mice trouble in years.

 

[Ripp]

Okay, you got me, what is a snake trap?

My snake trap consists of a 7 year old and 2 10 year old boy's..They also double up as frog traps and worm traps!!

 

[bushhawg73]

My snake trap consists of a 7 year old and 2 10 year old boy's..They also double up as frog traps and worm traps!!

I have three boys, 12 14 and 15. They will catch almost anything that moves. If there is something that they won't catch there is a little (13) year old girl down the road who has jaws in her swimming pool. I'll just call her. She is not afraid of anything. You gotta love kids raised in the country. There is nothing like walking to a tree stand at 500 am and getting a HUGE banana spider on your face. Now that is a hoot.

 

[stewart]

That 5 gallon bucket idea sounds ingenious.

 

[river1]

That 5 gallon bucket idea sounds ingenious.

another version here

http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9120&highlight=mouse

later jim

 

[Bobby B.]

i have a six foot blacksnake that lives in my shop, i leave him alone and he leaves me alone.

Okay I've had a really crappy day, and that line just made me smile. Line of the day right there.

 

[Racer_X]

Mice and chipmunks are easily dealt with. Just buy some of these:

http://www.ratmousezapper.com/

For all other pests, consult this website:

http://bugspray.com/

 

[Tech Guy]

I wonder if a squirrel launcher would work for mice !

 

[Falcon67]

I spray the hell out of/in/around/under everything with Yard Guard once in a while. Few pests live to tell the tale. Good for wasps too. The flying and crawling critters around here think I'm Taliban. The most cost effecting treatment I've found to stop red ant and fire ant agression is regular pump gas.