Wasps

[Cyngbaeld]

I have paper wasps, dirt daubers and some others I don't recognize. Constantly getting in the house and divebombing me when I'm working outside. Does anybody know if these things work?

[tinknal]

I've really never understood the fear. Smack the ones that get annoying and leave the rest of them be.

All Gods creatures.

[Ravenlost]

Easy to say if you aren't allergic to them! Got stung twice yesterday by red wasps. My ankle and calf of my right leg hurt all night. A baking soda paste brought down the swelling and Benadryl kept the allergic reaction at bay, although I still had chills off and on all night. If there'd been no Benadryl on hand I might have blacked out, or worse. Much better today, but still have a hot red area the size of my palm at each sting site.

Cyngbaeld, I do not know if those work, but anything is worth a try. We keep wasp spray on hand and my hubby went out today before work and made sure there were no more wasp nests on the porch.

[Harry Chickpea]

The ones that are a problem get attracted to meat traps. You'll find plenty of examples online on how to make the traps. Yellow is used to attract a lot of bugs like Japanese beetles. I like daubers, so have no idea if those traps work.

[Old Vet]

Originally Posted by Ravenlost

Easy to say if you aren't allergic to them! Got stung twice yesterday by red wasps. My ankle and calf of my right leg hurt all night. A baking soda paste brought down the swelling and Benadryl kept the allergic reaction at bay, although I still had chills off and on all night. If there'd been no Benadryl on hand I might have blacked out, or worse. Much better today, but still have a hot red area the size of my palm at each sting site.

Cyngbaeld, I do not know if those work, but anything is worth a try. We keep wasp spray on hand and my hubby went out today before work and made sure there were no more wasp nests on the porch.

Instead of baking power use meat tenderizer in a paste of course use the benadryl also if you are allergic to them. The meat tenderizer will keep the venom from spreading.

[gone-a-milkin]

The daubers are not a problem for me either.
They are busy toting mud and not aggressive at all.

It is those danged red wasps! They can get mean; like chase you around and sting you multiple times.
I am allergic to them too.

I 2nd the meat trap idea.
I have used the inverted pop bottle trap and baited it with hamburger or raw egg.
Doing that does attract them. Works better than sweet stuff (like pop).

[gone-a-milkin]

Here, like this trap.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wasp-Trap

I also agree with the meat tenderizer trick.
A papaya extract based one. I had to restock mine recently.
Better late then never.

[tinknal]

I'm curious. Other than ground nesting yellow jackets, I've never been stung by a bee that I saw before it stung me. I've been stung when putting on a jacket that had a wasp in the sleeve, and I once opened a door on an abandoned outhouse and knocked a nest of wasps on my neck. When I see bees I just make sure not to disturb them, and I have never been stung doing this. I have twice stepped into yellow jacket nests in the fall and been swarmed and stung numerous times, but this is the exception.

Has anyone here ever been stung while leaving a bee alone and not freaking out at it's presence?

[Harry Chickpea]

Yes. Ground bees. Nasty little ---------

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

Yes. Ground bees. Nasty little ---------

Along with being burned, the only things that have ever caused me to retreat in a blind panic. Pretty sure that I once achieved flight, because I know I didn't stop to climb that fence.........

[Harry Chickpea]

LOL, I set a speed record myself. I know what you mean. I also once used hedge clippers on a wasp nest as a kid (it was in the hedge and I didn't see it) Beelined into a cold shower, and the wasps tried to exit through the closed bathroom window. I stopped clipping the hedge after that, so it wasn't all bad.

[gone-a-milkin]

tinknal,

A few nights ago I was sitting exactly where I am now.
Under the ceiling fan, outside on my porch. Pitch dark, with only this laptop for light.
A red wasp fell out of the rafters and landed in the back of my shirt.
Stung me on the shoulderblade. As I was getting the shirt off it stung me again, on the thumb.

I was minding my own business. It was nighttime!

This is the primary reason for making the bed everyday. To keep bugs out of the blankets.
There are wasps everywhere during the hot times.
One of their favorite places to set up is in the bbq grill.
They love meat.
The red wasps bite spiders and use their inert bodies to hatch their young in.
They drag the spiders up into their paper nests and stuff them in there.
(that is kinda neat to watch actually).

My point is that in the southern climates, we have a lot more bugs then you have in Minnesota.
You have to be dilligent and do everything you can to claim personal space.
Traps help.

[Sanza]

A simple thing to do to make wasps look for another home is to make your own big nest out of any grey material and the wasps will think it's a much bigger rival hive so they'll leave.
Sew a sack about the size of a basketball, stuff it with crumpled newspaper or plastic bags and tie off the end and hang.
I used a grey sweatshirt to make up a bunch and used them for the past 3 summers and they work.

[Ravenlost]

I don't freak out when I see wasps. I leave them alone, or spray their nests if they build one in my space (front porch, for example). Even though I'm allergic I will go out and spray a nest myself. I leave the dirt daubers alone because I know they aren't aggresive and I'm not aware of anyone ever being stung by one. I leave bees alone. It's the red wasps, guinea wasps, etc. that I don't tolerate. If I know of a nest that I can't get to, I avoid the area.

I got stung yesterday because I wasn't aware that the red wasps had built two nests in a tub on the porch. Tub had stuff in it. When I moved a bag with dried peas they got me before I even saw them.

I don't have any meat tenderizer, but may get some to have on hand. I was very grateful for the baking soda!

Got stung by a big hornet on a canoeing trip one time. Darn thing had landed in the crook of my arm and I didn't realize it until I bent my arm. Passed out that time and my arm swelled up something terrible.

Got stung on the calf of my leg many years ago (wasp climbed up my pants' leg) and didn't know to treat it with baking soda paste or meat tenderizer. The calf of my leg swelled up so badly I couldn't wear my jeans for over a week.

Almost forgot about getting stung three times a few years back. Have told this story here on HT before. Walked out to the garden one morning still in my nightgown. Red wasp flew up my gown and stung me once on the back and twice on my boob. Man, that hurt! Hubby yanked my gown over my head and left me standing there in nothing but my tennis shoes and purple panties. Was grateful he was there to get the wasp off me and help me to the house because I was blacking out on the way.

[Cyngbaeld]

Guinea wasps are the other one coming in the house. Didn't know the name before.

I don't have a single 2 liter bottle. I don't drink soda. Tried using the juice bottles and they didn't make a good trap. Guess I'll buy some traps and try baiting with meat. I'll also find some other color shirts to wear outside since they are attracted to orange and yellow (and apparently to light green).

Raven, get some ascorbic acid powder and try a paste of that if you are stung.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

tinknal,

A few nights ago I was sitting exactly where I am now.
Under the ceiling fan, outside on my porch. Pitch dark, with only this laptop for light.
A red wasp fell out of the rafters and landed in the back of my shirt.
Stung me on the shoulderblade. As I was getting the shirt off it stung me again, on the thumb.

I was minding my own business. It was nighttime!

This is the primary reason for making the bed everyday. To keep bugs out of the blankets.
There are wasps everywhere during the hot times.
One of their favorite places to set up is in the bbq grill.
They love meat.
The red wasps bite spiders and use their inert bodies to hatch their young in.
They drag the spiders up into their paper nests and stuff them in there.
(that is kinda neat to watch actually).

My point is that in the southern climates, we have a lot more bugs then you have in Minnesota.
You have to be dilligent and do everything you can to claim personal space.
Traps help.

I think the was fealt trapped in your shirt. Laptop light might affect it too. We have assaulted since 2010 because a worker wouldnt go in my shop. Truthfully we have never been stung by an unthreatened wasp..sat on, tarp yanked and so on. I saw this on HT.. dawn dish detergent in water spray imobilizes and/ or kills. Drops flys for wrapping in paper to dispose of too.

[tinknal]

Man, you southern folks have vermin I've never even heard of. Another reason I love the great white north......

Never heard of red wasps or guinea wasps.

[Shrek]

I use a plastic bag or jar and a cap light to get rid of wasps and nests within reach since my maintenance man showed me the trick a few years back.

When you find a nest during the day take note of the location then after dark use the flashlight to go up to the nest to bag it while the wasps are asleep.

The small nests that fit in a large mouth peanut butter jar are the most fun to eradicate because once the nest and wasps drop in the jar and its sealed you can watch them try to fight their way out until they die off.

Since he taught me that trick I have removed 7 nests and not been stung yet.

Of course for out of easy rech nests I use the 25 foot safe for mammals wasp mace spray.

[sisterpine]

I heard years ago that some types of under arm deoderant act as an attractant to wasps and bees. sis

[MO_cows]

Originally Posted by tinknal

I'm curious. Other than ground nesting yellow jackets, I've never been stung by a bee that I saw before it stung me. I've been stung when putting on a jacket that had a wasp in the sleeve, and I once opened a door on an abandoned outhouse and knocked a nest of wasps on my neck. When I see bees I just make sure not to disturb them, and I have never been stung doing this. I have twice stepped into yellow jacket nests in the fall and been swarmed and stung numerous times, but this is the exception.

Has anyone here ever been stung while leaving a bee alone and not freaking out at it's presence?

Yes, this has happened several times with wasps. Just going about our business outside, not fanning or waving at them, not ducking or dancing around, but they still sting. Guess there aren't any "wasp whisperers" here.