Topic: Wasp deterrent

[realfood]

A wasp deterrent device is available that looks like a blowup wasp nest. The theory is that scavenging wasps see the large wasp nest and scarper before they are attacked! But does it work??
I constructed a couple of fake wasp nests today, made from fishermans floats covered in brown paper, to protect my plums, so we shall see if it helps.
Has anyone used these things?

[realfood]

Well, strange as it may seem, the wasps seem to be avoiding my plums at the moment, so there may be something in this theory.

[tonybloke]

Well, strange as it may seem, the wasps seem to be avoiding my plums at the moment, so there may be something in this theory.

these things can only work if they are in position BEFORE the wasps 'set up home' in the spring ( has been tried and discussed on various bee-keeping fora)

[Jeannine]

Thereis one in the greenhouse I use   AND seven wasp nests XX Jeannine

[Duke Ellington]

I think its best to place a wasp trap relatively close by - you know one of those jobbies with the sweet substance in it .

[realfood]

That is the last of my plums in now and virtually no wasp damage for the first year ever. So I think that there must be something in the theory.

[tonybloke]

or, they may have been no wasp nests nearby?

[valmarg]

I find it difficult to understand why fellow gardeners are so anti wasps nests.  Duiring the Spring they are beneficial insects.  They take undesirable caterpillars, greenfly, etc to feed their larvae.  It is only when the nest is dying, and the wasps get drowsy on the nectar from plums, etc that they are liable to sting.

They really are a garden goodie.

Also, it you have a wasp's nest in your garden, you have no need to worry that it will be there next year.  Once all the residents have died it will not be reinhabited.

However in the dying nest the queen will lay several queen eggs, and when they leave the nest, they have the potential of producing another nest.

valmarg

[mat]

the fact I get an anaphylactic reaction from their stings - as far as I am concerned they are NOT goodies...  anything which could kill me I am afraid gets killed first...

Stings can happen at any time of the year when they are out and about.  In fact the worst time this year was in August - BEFORE any of the fruit in my area was ripe.  My local "cottage" hospital couldn't believe how many people were admitted on the same day as me this year...

[valmarg]

I do appreciate that wasp stings can be extremely unpleasant, and in extreme circumstances lethal, but let's get this in perspective.

I'm 66 and have been stung once in my lifetime.  It was unpleasant, but was entirely my own fault.  OH and I were having a bit of a disagreement, and I grabbed a wine bottle from him, on the side of which was a wasp, hence sting.

Apart from that one occasion I have successfully avoided wasp stings.

I think wasps have an undeserved bad press.  You can avoid them, as I have for 66 years.

I get irritated by people who hit the panic button, wasp - panic.

They will not annoyi/irritate you if you leave them alone.

valmarg

[Emagggie]

And that's what I thought too so I left one alone on the edge of my plot. My plot neighbour was working on her adjacent plot and was stung very badly. She said they came from nowhere. I had no choice but to kill them. I'll think twice about leaving another nest now.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I wonder what upset them. It can happen, very occasionally, but it shouldn't lead to general hysteria. Someone at my church used to go round every year, spot every wasp nest in the roof, and bully the then property steward into getting the pest control officer out to deal with them. When I took over, I just pointed out that they're twenty feet up, and doing no harm at all. They've never hurt anyone since either. I share my plot with wasps every year; several times I've had them in my shed. I haven't been stung once.

[tomatoada]

Perhaps they don't like the smell of you which is lucky for you.   I am in the allergic reaction group.   Last  time I was stung  I soon looked like Michelin man and I know the doctors at the hospital were worried.   But I am still here.

[mat]

wasp allergies only start on or after the SECOND sting.  You will NEVER get an allergic reaction to the first sting.

Wasps will sting even if "left alone" - you cannot always avoid wasps.  One may crawl up your trousers unknown (as happened to me once) and wham... sting.  Another time I was in a shower, and one stung me on my back.  This year, I was cutting my hedge and a wasp took offence...

I get annoyed by people who are patronising by saying one can "keep out of their way"... I just hope these people do not discover they get an allergic reaction the 2nd time they are stung; they may then put wasps into a different perspective

My local cottage hospital had 5 people with anaphylactic reactions the same day as I was stung this year.  that's a potential 5 people who c/would have died without adrenaline (and in my case steroid) treatment in my local rural area - and that's ONE day.  Thats a lot of people for a small rural unit.

I have read on various news sites this year, inc the BBC, of people killed by wasps, including an elderly lady who had only been stung once before... she got stung when washing up, minutes later she was sadly dead...

Yes, I do carry on, my life cannot stop, but I now avoid the jobs which will bring me into higher risk of contact with them (like picking apples/plums) but ALL wasps in the house WILL get killed.  Mum gets the same allergic reaction as me, and she kills ALL queen wasps in the spring that she sees.  It avoids her having a bigger problem all summer/autumn.

Bees live!  As a family we have kept bee hives and they are not a problem, they generally leave people alone as they look for pollen/nectar and not sugar/meat.

[tomatoada]

I think you are right that allergic reactions only occur after several stings.   Mine was caused in 1970 when I was weeding at the base of an overgrown hedge and put my hand in a wasps nest.   Over 30 stings which although painful did not affect me otherwise.   However the next time with just one sting on my arm things were very different.

[lewic]

Not sure anything deters them! Recommend neat Cointreau as a wasp trap. Possibly more humane than marmalade.. they dont last long once they get a whiff.

[mat]

I read online (but not tried it yet) that they detest the aroma in the original Bounce sheets.  The wasps have mainly disappeared now this year, due to the cold nights up here, but next year I'll try the Bounce sheets... (and maybe use them in my dryer!)

[lewic]

I get annoyed by people who are patronising by saying one can "keep out of their way"

Me too! Even hippies get stung though.. was in a cafe with a vegan friend once and a wasp was buzzing round on the window. Started rolling up the newspaper to swat it and got the "don't kill it, man" guilt trip. Ten seconds later the wasp scuttled down the window and stung him on head. Loud scream and bits of wasp flying across the table  ::)

[Jeannine]

Our wasps have finally departed the greenhouse in our community gardens I have been given the use of. usually I would not worry but there were so many nests in there that any movement resulted is loads of them lanidng on me at once, it was very unpleasant.

We are hoping that the greenhouse being in use again might deter them in the spring.

Hopeless working in there with so many. We moved a total of 22 small nests.

We have reluctantly put up a trap that is supposed to send investigating queens elewhere..hopefully.

XX Jeannine

XX Jeannine

[chriscross1966]

Our wasps have finally departed the greenhouse in our community gardens I have been given the use of. usually I would not worry but there were so many nests in there that any movement resulted is loads of them lanidng on me at once, it was very unpleasant.

We are hoping that the greenhouse being in use again might deter them in the spring.

Hopeless working in there with so many. We moved a total of 22 small nests.

We have reluctantly put up a trap that is supposed to send investigating queens elewhere..hopefully.

XX Jeannine


Sounds like yougot all the offspring of one years queen in there the next year.... if they weren't all family they'd have killed each other surely.....
XX Jeannine