Lets talk about wasp control.

[Dave Carney]

So, its that time of year around here and the wasps are setting up shop in and around my shop. What's the best way to eliminate them in a shop environment? Are any of the traps effective? I really don't care to be stocking and filling with fruit juice all the time but if it works...well then maybe.

 

[bdks]

Can of bug killer is about the best I have been able to do. Spray the nest and leave as bait when they come back.

 

[Tim240Z]

If they are western Yellow jackets they will be very aggressive. If you swat at them, they will attack for sure. It is really hard not to, and to just stand still (don't ask me how I know). They also release a scent when aggitated which will make the nest swarm.
A very effective way to irradicate them is to load a 1 gallon pressure sprayer with a 75%/25% water/detergent mix (I use simple green as I always have a few gallons laying around), and spray the nest in the early morning or late evening when they aren't flying. They have a feeding range of about 1000 feet, so you will have to respray for a couple of days in a row to catch the straglers that fly back to the nest.
The reason for the detergent in the water is that it breaks the surface tension of the water and serves 2 purposes. Firstly, it disables flight, and secondly it drowns them. This approach is both VERY effective and you won't have the fumes and trace of the toxins of the bug spray, which, if you have kids or pets around is beneficial.
HTH.
Tim

 

[MXtras]

I use Carb cleaner. Stops them mid-flight. A soaked nest is not re-inhabited.

Scott

 

[bmwpower]

I use Carb cleaner. Stops them mid-flight. A soaked nest is not re-inhabited.

Scott

...And if you want to get medieval, throw a match in for good measure.

I hate wasps. They invade my place every year. If someone has a cure-all for these things to prevent them from starting to make nests, that would be great.

 

[Tim240Z]

http://eartheasy.com/live_natwasp_control.htm

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG3732.html

http://www.pestproducts.com/pests/paperwasp.htm

 

[mrtone]

Amen to carb and brake cleaners, shoots far and knocks them down immediately!

 

[wienerwater]

Here's a neat trick! It sounds stupid, but really does work well. Take a 5 gallon bucket with handle (like a paint pail), pour in about 1/2 a gallon or so of straight diesel fuel and hang it from a tree branch, any height from the ground. Use a piece of heavy wire...coat hanger etc, and skewer a large chunk of fish, say trout...whatever. The wasps/hornets will eat until they can't fly, fall in and are done in by the diesel fuel.They can't climb out either. Do it in an area not so close, say a corner of the yard etc.
I thought my neighbour was crazy when he showed me this, but it was amazing how it worked.

 

[Dave Carney]

Here's a neat trick! It sounds stupid, but really does work well. Take a 5 gallon bucket with handle (like a paint pail), pour in about 1/2 a gallon or so of straight diesel fuel and hang it from a tree branch, any height from the ground. Use a piece of heavy wire...coat hanger etc, and skewer a large chunk of fish, say trout...whatever. The wasps/hornets will eat until they can't fly, fall in and are done in by the diesel fuel.They can't climb out either. Do it in an area not so close, say a corner of the yard etc.
I thought my neighbour was crazy when he showed me this, but it was amazing how it worked.

I'm speechless. That's got to be some rank stuff when it's hot..

 

[wienerwater]

I'm speechless. That's got to be some rank stuff when it's hot..

Well, since my neighbour works in the bush, there's always a hint of diesel in the air and as far as the fish, it doesn't last long enough to really get rank. My thoughts were the same when asking about the bucket hanging in the tree, since there was no wild odour invading the entire yard. Should almost send to "Ripleys, believe it or not" LOL! I've also seen similar for getting rid of nuisance mice and squirrels invading ones cabin, except using water.

 

[Slatewear]

...And if you want to get medieval, throw a match in for good measure.

Been there, done that.

 

[Rrumbler]

We had sort of a triple-threat situation when we lived in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe - "paper wasps", "mud dobbers", and "meat bees" aka Yellow Jackets. No one thing worked truly well on all three, except carb or brake cleaner.

 

[fourspeed]

I found myself without any good stuff to use while doing some garage repairs. I tried mixing some dish soap and water, but it didn't seem to work for me. I used a hammer for a while, but you don't want to miss. So I got some Permatex upholstery adhesive out of the cabinet and used that. They sure can't fly with glue all over them. Makes a hell of a mess on whatever you spray though. I was surprised to see some of them still alive the next day.

 

[330Scott]

Just for the heck of it, here is a pic of a bumble bee nest that was in an old blanket under my garage workbench. I knew there was a nest there, but since they didn't bother me, I just let them come and go for an entire season. Actually it was kind of cool to see them crawling and flying around up close. But the next year they started getting nasty, so out came the carb cleaner. Cool nest, eh?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Scott: Man, you are one brave and hearty soul! I am allergic to honey bees, so I am scared s--tless of bees of any kind! Plus, bumble bees are supposed to pack a heck of a punch!

 

[astroracer]

Scott, that nest pic gives me the heebee-jeebies man! I ripped into one about that size when I was taking the fiberglas insulation off the pool filter a few years back! I was VERY lucky and didn't get stung but I'll tell you it was a while before I ventured back to work on that filter.
Mark

 

[jpgrego]

I'm not allergic to em thank god or I probably wouldn't be here now. At my summer job I was cleaning a big sign with a hose and stirred up the biggest wasp nest I've ever seen. I was in a basket on a forklift about 25-30 feet up so all I could do was cover my face.... 14 stings in a few seconds. Needless to say I hate all flying stinging critters now and I'm definitely gonna try that brake/carb cleaner idea.

 

[krusty2111us]

I've been chasin' wasps/mud-dobber's/bubmble bees/carpenter bees for two weeks now. I happen to be the HAZMAT guy on base, and the CAP(central accumulation site) just so happened to have 5 cans of that Wasp Freeze lying around...worked like a charm...nasty stuff tho'...when it says instant...it means it...but I'm sure carb cleaner is much cheaper. According to my research, with the bumble bee's/carpenter bee's, only the queen and the drones can sting...but the ones you see flying around, the workers, will pursue and fly right at you like they have some balls anyway....there's been a few try to get trucky....hiding around corners and then coming at me, it';s kind of funny

 

[Der Bugmeister]

According to my research, with the bumble bee's/carpenter bee's, only the queen and the drones can sting...but the ones you see flying around, the workers, will pursue and fly right at you like they have some balls anyway

I'm allergic too, so I'm not about to stick around and ask if they're workers or not...or to discover how accurate your research is!

 

[krusty2111us]

I'm allergic too, so I'm not about to stick around and ask if they're workers or not...or to discover how accurate your research is!

Oh I feel ya, the little bastards come buzzing my way, stinger or not, THEY DIE...

 

[330Scott]

Got stung twice yesterday by a wasp. I was doing yard work and felt something that I thought was an ant crawling on my thigh under my shorts. Reached up my shorts to brush it off and got stung twice before the wasp made a hasty exit. Bastage, got away before I could kill it, too.

Probably paybacks for killing it's cousins last year.

 

[Wile1Coyote]

Got stung by about 40 yellow jackets last Summer. Stopped the lawn mower over their nest and didn't know it. Came back 15 min later and restarted it and they swarmed. Felt tlike I has walked into a spiders web for just a minute and then I looked down ans saw all of the little Fu%^$#s. Wife is still laughing at the dance I did all over the yeard trying to loose em. Could hardly walk for a few days there was so much venom in my leg muscles. Doc prescribed some Steroids and whoweee did that make it feel better. Anyway unloaded 2 cans of wasp killer into the nest the next day to kill as many of the little fu&*^%$ as I could and then left a good sized piece of raw fish at the entry to the nest. Worked like a charm a racoon or skunk came to eat the fish and helped themselves to the nest too. Must have been a doozy he left a 2 foor hole in the ground but no signs of nest left. Stinging insects ****! Oh btw my Dr said with repeated stings you can actually become allergic to em, beware!

 

[bigvic]

In our previous house we had a garden shed at the rear of our property. Every year at the first hint of cold weather yellow jackets would flock to the inside of that shed and klan together on the north wall. They wouldn't build a nest and they only flocked on the north wall (hundreds of them). First time I saw it I about $hit my pants because I too am very allergic. However, because it was cool outside they could hardly move. Long story shot, every year after that I would wait until a cool night when I knew that there was a lot of them in there, and then I would chunk two bug bombs in there with them. Always worked like a charm...by the next day the wall would be empty and their dead bodies would be laying all over the floor of the shed. At least until the resident snake would eat them up.

 

[chrislib]

If the nest is INSIDE of your garage, AND the garage is NOT attached to any living quarters just close the garage up and start up a car or 2. The carbon monoxide will do them in rather quickly. BTW I too HATE bee`s ( I cannot emphasize that enought )

 

[supercharged]

i had yellow jackets between the ceiling of the basement and the first floor.. there seemed to be thousands of them coming in and out of this tiny hole in the siding. i ended up plugging up the hole while dodging the little rascals during their feeding time.. man, they were not happy.

 

[amishman]

I get them in my window sill from the outside. There is some gaps and they get inside it somehow. It is my office window so during the day, I here them making a noise. They kind of bizz. I tried taping the entry points last year but the tape got all sticky from hot summer days and it was a bear to take the tape off. I just leave them be. I get some coming in the house sometimes. Almost seems like from a heater vent in the ceiling. I have always had paper wasps at all my homes in California. I just swat and kill the ones that get in the house and as for the paper wasp houses they leave all over the gutter areas, I get my hose and drench the sucker straight on and then hitail my *** in the house for a few and come back later.

I do hate the suckers though. This year I have killed two "black" wasps in the house. Never seen all black ones before. I normally get paper wasps and some meat jackasses I call them. I am sure they are all around but I try to stay away from them unless they get in the house.

tj

 

[Elky]

when i first moved into my house i was cleaning out the junk that was left in the attic.
i moved a piece of sheetrock that was laying on the floor and almost had a heart attack.
there was a nest under the sheetrock in between the floor joists that was about 5 feet long and completely filled the area between teh joists.
i grabbed the shop-vac and stuck it into the top of nest, luckily it was dead.

still kickin myslef for not taking pictures of it!

 

[noboD]

I don't think the purpleish-black mud wasps can sting. They're actually kind of cool to watch buid their nest. They scoop up the clay and carry it back to build. The wood bees, look like bumble bees with white spots on their heads are fun to shoot with a .22 and bird shot. they are a pretty tough target. They zig just about when you're ready to pull the trigger.

 

[Ryan Wilke]

I've determined that a handful-size amount of moth balls put inside a small mesh bag (like a section of nylon stocking) then thumb-tac the bag to the attic rafters or lay it on the window ledge that they frequent will deter most flying bees/wasps/hornets.....I hang a small bag here and there where I've seen them in April, then refill the bags in Sept. (the warmer it is, the faster they evaporate). If you already have them, say in your attic, just toss the moth balls below where you see them and in a few days they're just leave...with no dead bodies for you to clean up.

Here is a good info article on most of them: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcbees.htm

RW

 

[junkman104]

found this on another forum, looks like it might work.

http://forums.handymanclub.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/86310976011/m/27410913231

 

[Wile1Coyote]

Interesting thanks for Posting

 

[Rich1028]

new here
I to have had a bee problem
i have a few cars in the yard,that i don't drive every day,and they make there nests in the door jams(there fav.)
I to have used the carb. cleaner,brake cleaner,and yes the flaming,in the clothes pole.
but what has worked so far for me is the simple green,i have had a returning nest in my gas cap door of one of my car,and i take it of one day,and in a few days there back.
so i put simple green on there,straight from the bottle,and they not return.

so I think that maybe it has something to do with the smell ......or something.
anyways i now mix up a batch of simple green and water 50/50 and spray all my cars with it,seems to be working for me so far.
great site here btw.lots of great reading.
Rich

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Mud daubers are driving me crazy this year, seems worse than ever. I find a few in the house, and some red wasps also, they fly around and die in the north windows. Biggest problem is out in the shop, They keep building in the airplane, lucklly most have been in the plastic end caps of the elevators and stabilizer so I simply remove them, wash it all out and reinstall them. Seems they have filled every open threaded hole in the cars, and tractor, engine block and transmission.

I did find a bees nest under a window sill in an upstairs window. I started finding them dead inside right there and became suspicious (normally unused room) and finally dismantled the window sill and cleaned it out. They got in thru gaps in the grooved exterior plywood (sorta beadboard style) where the grooves were overlayed by the window sill. Caulked it all up and spray foamed the area under the sill.

Charles

 

[stimpy]

we had a big paper wasp nest hanging from a branch over some cars parked in the yard (it was dropping stuff on the cars ) so we moved the cars and got out the ol gasoline blowtorch ( love this old thing ) and WWII flamethrowered the nest !! only thing was we started the tree on fire ... oops..nothing but crispy little critters on the ground when it was done .. 9 I like the smelly fish with diesel fuel one I wonder if I hung my stinky neighbor out there if it would work better??

 

[Elky]

i have recently tried the 2-liter bottle with sugar water/vinegar for the carpenter bees.
all i have caught are house flies and now have a large amount of fruit flies around the thing.
the hundreds of carpenter bees stay far away!

time for something different.

 

[nukeddad1]

Here are a few tried and true tricks:
For wasps or bees buzzing around your personal space-put an inch or two of kerosene/diesel in the botom of your shop vac. See a wasp/bee turn on the vac & **** it in.
For nests in eaves: At night get on roof & hang a bucket on a rope with a few inches of kerosene/diesel under the nest, the fumes rising from the bucket will kill them overnight.Especially good for hornets.
Also for nests in eaves or other high places: At night tape a bug bomb to a long pole, lock the trigger and hold the can under the nest. Be sure to stand off at an angle so they don't fall on you. I personally wouldn't use this one with hornets. You can also use the bug bomb on a pole to rid yellow jackests from a wall cavity, by holding the nozle in the hole that you see the bees coming in and out of. Always do this at night to avoid getting stung and to get all of the bees.
Yellow jackets in ground: pour about 12 oz of gasoline in the hole and walk away (do not light off).
I have personally used all of these, and they do work.

 

[wtson123]

Hello..
Give me some tips about wasp control?

Pest control Sydney

 

[trashmanssd]

I use brake clean works amazingly well and its cheap, also we have a case or 2 at the shop all the time anyways so its always available.

 

[Gittgo]

WD-40/Bic flamethrower

 

[D94R]

Certain spiders take care of the mud dobbers for me. But then I have spiders all over to worry about. These spiders remind me of a black widow in shape only, with really spindly legs, but their bodies are white and speckled (but they are not a marbled weaver that I can tell). I smacked a day old mud dobber nest in my barn yesterday with a hammer expecting larvae to fall out, and all that was in there was two of those spiders. They'd taken care of the bastards.


And I don't worry so much anymore after really investigating what Ohio has in my location. But the damn funnel weavers making webs in between my siding and posts, and then come charging out to see what feast they've caught when I'm disturbing the area, sure are funny to watch.