PSA It's Wasp Season again, check EVERYTHING

[ReSomething]

[QUOTE=keysfins;8304668]
I discovered that wasps have appropriated at least two if my hanging bird houses that are used regularly by our resident nuthatches. Any idea how to evict them without getting stung?

I considered blasting them with wasp spray in the evening. But then decided NOT to, because I didn’t want to expose the birds to the spray if they come back to use the nest boxes.[/QUOTE]

I don’t know if I’d be brave enough myself, but if they hang and you have a chest freezer then a guy DH knew used to bag nests and freeze them. He had a market for the venom or some such thing. So bagging the whole birdhouse, and freezing the residents? Do nuthatches feed on insects? Because they might love to clean out their birdhouse themselves too. I just don’t know really, but I wouldn’t like to use the poison either.

[keysfins]

[QUOTE=ReSomething;8304770]
I don’t know if I’d be brave enough myself, but if they hang and you have a chest freezer then a guy DH knew used to bag nests and freeze them. He had a market for the venom or some such thing. So bagging the whole birdhouse, and freezing the residents? Do nuthatches feed on insects? Because they might love to clean out their birdhouse themselves too. I just don’t know really, but I wouldn’t like to use the poison either.[/QUOTE]

They do hang, and I know at least two have active wasps in and out. I am a bit skeered to look at my other two. Sadly, no chest freezers. And yes, nuthatches DO eat bugs and moths, not sure about bees/wasps, though. I’ve had the same birds, and their offspring, using these boxes for years. They’ve furnished them with nesting materials and twigs, so I’d really like to get them back to the birds.

Any thoughts about tying a line on to each and tossing them in the lake that is in the back yard?

[Hayla]

I found some wasps traps that work really well this year. I’ve been having problems for years and have tried a lot of different things. This year I found these stocky traps that are a visual attractant. They have spots of green and yellow color on them. Being kind of desparate Also bought one that was blue and yellow and a couple of other types that had the smelly stuff in them to attract them.
Nothing works as well as the green and yellow traps. It was like there was no room at the in on those things. The other traps caught a few but were nowhere near as good. If Wish I could remember the name of them because I think I actually wiped out my wasps this year

[DJohn]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8303931]

I think if you squash one, the others come to the funeral, so better leave them be.[/QUOTE]

So true, have you ever noticed wasps flying around the front bumper/grills of cars? It’s because their squashed family have perished there and they are responding to the scent!

Wasps terrify me. When the horses hear a wasp (or the bomber flies), they stick their heads straight in the air and freeze. I have been sting 8 times and a majority of the times, I was minding my own business. I have been sting twice on my arm, once on my finger, once on my lip etc… The two on my arm left a permanent scar.

The best wasp killing method is flamethrower. Light 'em up! Other than that, most of the wasp poison foams work awesome. I usually leave the nest up soaked with poison, they won’t rebuild near there.

[King_Creole]

My gelding managed to get stung about 4 times last year. Poor guy had a reaction to them so we ended up at the vet school nearby where he basically got a spa day. He enjoyed all the attention and being bathed (to help w/ the itching) that one of the vets that came in later asked if he was sedated. Nope. Then he dropped…so they cleaned his sheath too. LOL…at least something good came out of it! I make sure to keep dex around now in case it happens again.

I am a complete spazz when it comes to wasps. Evil pests. My grandpaw would always ask me why I was so scared of a tiny bug when I ride these big animals? Ummm, b/c 9 out of 10 times the horse doesn’t hurt me! Those damn “tiny bugs” are evil incarnate! That’s why!

[overhorsed]

Metal tube gates are the worst, I find, they either climb up into the open bottoms or find a rusted out spot and build right there- you can’t get the spray in far enough to kill them…

I can’t seem to remember to duct-tape them up over the winter, but after this year I think it’s scarred into my psyche… they have been particularly numerous this year.

[Sempiternal]

@DJohn;8305640

So true, have you ever noticed wasps flying around the front bumper/grills of cars? It’s because their squashed family have perished there and they are responding to the scent!

I’ve head various reasons for this. That they’re cleaning up the dead insects to take back to the nest as food, the heat given off by the car may seem like heat given off by an animal (threat), or that they are attracted to the smell of antifreeze.

Considering we’re taking about wasps, I’d go for the food angle.