wasp nests

[shortyb]

I hear you about hornets and stinging for sport. I was about 7 or 8 when I noticed a VERY large nest in the grill of my granddad's tractor (been sittin' awhile). I poked it with a stick and ran like heck. Made it to the porch and while catching my breath, thought, haha, now they gotta fix that big ole hole I just put in their house. Just then one got me on my calf and was stingin the f outta me. Guess he had the last laugh. I leave them alone now.

Regarding pepper spray, don't. We had a nest at the station and decided to get rid of it while having "choir practice". One of my buddies pulled out the OC and went to town. Those wasps must have been laughing their stingers off watching a bunch of idiots running around coughing and bumping into one another because we couldn't see. Seems that alcohol skews the ability to determine wind direction and velocity

.

 

[TallPaul]

I had a small nest on my eaves. It was only about 1.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches long. Two bald faced hornets. I quickly slapped a jar over the nest then I poked the spray extension of some CRC Electric Contact Cleaner in and hosed them. Quick work.

For bigger nests you need a very large container and a flat surface to seal the edges against.

Oh yeah, insects in general are rather sluggish when it is cold. Best to get at them on one of the cooler mornings.

 

[Matt_S]

I just got rid of a wasp's nest on my eaves. It was just about the same size as TallPaul's. I first noticed it a few weeks back. There was only 1 wasp there, so I let it go, figuring he might just go away. Well, a couple weeks went by and all of a sudden there were about a dozen of the suckers, so I went and got a can of foaming wasp killer and let them have it. It seemed like a waste, though, to buy a full can of the stuff, only to use a small amount of it. It did do the job very effectively, though. The foaming part was really nice because it trapped the wasps so they couldn't escape before the damage was done.

So if anyone in the Detroit area needs some wasp killer, PM me.

I'll give it to you for free if you pick it up.

 

[Pablo]

Got to nail them when the queen is setting up home as you guys note.

Lemme see - I go through at least 2 cans of foaming and one can of full spray per spring season here! We have serious bald faced paper wasps. Again they aren't that aggressive, but they can stay in the forest not my house - especially with kids. What happens sometimes is a nearby neighbor has a shed or something they never go in and that thing fills up with BIG nests

- 2 feet in diameter!!! Then they send princesses out.

One day I looked out the window and saw my 7 year old daughter spraying a nest with her water gun!! The lone queen wasn't that angry, thank goodness!

 

[JAYCEE]

Here is the method I use. It is very effective and uses no chemicals.

Get a glass full of hot tap water. Squirt in some liguid dish detergent. (Dawn, palmolive, store brand, etc.) Stir the detergent until dissolved.

Take the hot soapy water and splash the whole glass full onto the nest. Get as many of the wasps wet as possible.

The bugs will be unable to fly. They will just hit the ground and crawl around. Stomp 'em or let them die.

I recommend using a plastic glass, so it doesn't get broken.

I didn't believe it either until I tried it. But this method does work.