I'm looking for ideas to keep wasps from building nests under my deck. Two summers ago, they built a nest and it got to a fair size (large grapefruit) before I found it while mowing the lawn and getting attacked. I struck at midnight, literally. I drilled a small diameter hole from above and into the nest (too small for a wasp to crawl through), rigged a funnel, and sprayed in from the top some wasp spray. I heard frantic buzzing for about 30 seconds, then all was silent and the deed was done.
This weekend, while on my deck, I noticed a wasp fly between the boards and go under the deck. I suspected a nest, and went to where I could look under (from a good safe distance), and saw that a queen had just begun construction of a new nest. An easy one to exterminate since it was one on one combat. I got out the (now old) wasp spray, and hoped it would shoot far enough to reach the nest from where I could see it (probably 10 feet away). The stream was able to saturate it just barely before fizzling out, and I saw the queen come staggering out before dropping to the ground. I waited about 30 minutes to be sure she was dead before hosing down the nest with a strong jet of water.
Last summer I killed off five nests in early stages, but none were under the deck (two inside the barbecue, two in the shed and one under the patio table), so I'm concerned this year will be another bad year for wasps.
I'll be doing minor repairs on the deck for damaged areas and staining it this year, and figured this is the perfect opportunity to wasp-proof it. The design of the deck is that there is about a quarter inch spacing between each board, and the sides are pretty much open with some useless flimsy lattice (I'll be closing that in). Clearance underneath is about a foot to a foot and a half at the highest level, and about half a foot at the lowest, so working from below is out of the question.
Ideas for techniques and/or materials needed to seal off the gaps above to insects, yet allow water to pass through are appreciated. Looking for a good balance between required effort, effectiveness and cost. I have several ideas for the sides already (allowing ventilation but not bugs or small animals) which is the easy part.
This weekend, while on my deck, I noticed a wasp fly between the boards and go under the deck. I suspected a nest, and went to where I could look under (from a good safe distance), and saw that a queen had just begun construction of a new nest. An easy one to exterminate since it was one on one combat. I got out the (now old) wasp spray, and hoped it would shoot far enough to reach the nest from where I could see it (probably 10 feet away). The stream was able to saturate it just barely before fizzling out, and I saw the queen come staggering out before dropping to the ground. I waited about 30 minutes to be sure she was dead before hosing down the nest with a strong jet of water.
Last summer I killed off five nests in early stages, but none were under the deck (two inside the barbecue, two in the shed and one under the patio table), so I'm concerned this year will be another bad year for wasps.
I'll be doing minor repairs on the deck for damaged areas and staining it this year, and figured this is the perfect opportunity to wasp-proof it. The design of the deck is that there is about a quarter inch spacing between each board, and the sides are pretty much open with some useless flimsy lattice (I'll be closing that in). Clearance underneath is about a foot to a foot and a half at the highest level, and about half a foot at the lowest, so working from below is out of the question.
Ideas for techniques and/or materials needed to seal off the gaps above to insects, yet allow water to pass through are appreciated. Looking for a good balance between required effort, effectiveness and cost. I have several ideas for the sides already (allowing ventilation but not bugs or small animals) which is the easy part.
