Topic: Wasps

[KittyKatt]

Hi, I'm seeking advice on how to get rid of two wasps nests in my garden, if possible without killing the wasps. There are two nests, one is below ground in my raised border, with just a hole for entry, and the other is between the stones of a dry stone wall at the other end of the garden. I've been stung three times, just walking by, and its very painful! I don't really want to kill them, just make then feel unwelcome and move on somewhere else!
Many thanks
Kitty Katt

[grannyjanny]

I think Goodlife might be a help on this one ;D.

[goodlife]

Just noticed this...here I am.. ;D
Hmm..wasps are difficult one..I'm tempted to say that without killing them It is difficult job...
It is coming to end of the summer season soon and the number of wasps in the nest it their highest...so there is the hurdle of 'fighting' against 'millions' of stinging wasps that are able to sting many times..per wasp.. :-X..and with even the best of the beekeepers suits they WILL find away to get you.
The nest themselves are fragile so when trying to dig it out they'll be broken.
For my opinion there is only 2 choices...
1. you just play waiting game and try to avoid going near..in september time they are starting to leave the nest and the season comes to an end and nest is left. They don't return to same nest next year.
2. you get rid of by getting somebody to deal with them or do it yourself...by buying wasp killer foam..about £5 for bottle and it will treat both nest. You wait till its almost dark and majority of the wasps have returned to the nest for the night..you fill the cavities with foam by spraying the insecticide from entry hole...and job done. Next day keep your eye on if there is any activity..if not..fill the entry holes with stone or something to prevent anything else going in and getting killed. If the next day there is still something 'going on' repeat the treatment as night before.

If you would have noticed the wasp earlier on the season there would have been chance to disturb the queen and get her to start again somewhere else but now the colonies are established and much more numerous so there is little chance for doing else.
Hope this was helpfull.. ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's not practical to move them. Leave them alone if you can live with them, but if you're getting stung, harden your heart and spray them with wasp nest killer. If they've got multiple entrances, or they can make more, you need to spray them all. My neighbour has had wasps in his manure pile a couple of times, and I've had to spray repeatedly as new entances kept appearing, but that doesn't happen too often.

[KittyKatt]

Thank you for all the replies. I think this year I'm going to have to harden my heart and kill them, as each time I get stung I seem to be reacting more and more to the stings. I'll be on my guard next year and try and catch them earlier , so then there maybe a chance of moving them on.
Kitty Katt

[Emagggie]

kittykatt, I had this problem on my plot last year.Initially I ignored them as they didn't bother me,and I knew they would go. Then one horrible afternoon they swarmed and chased my plot neighbour,stinging her badly.She was working near to the entrance to their nest and disturbed them.
No question, I had to kill them, but after two foam treatments they were still in there :o
If I could remember the name of the product I used, I'd tell you, all I can remember is that it was fairly cheap, so be selective. Good luck.

[Toadspawn]

You can use a powder - ant and other insect killer (bought from somewhere like B&Q or a general hardware store for £1.65 some years ago). Just puff it into the entrance hole. The wasps crawl through it and when they are in the nest they try and clean themselves. As a result the poison is passed around the nest and they usually all die. I have used the same container of poison for years and so far without failure.

[Alex133]

Had nest over a door earlier in the year and had to kill although I don't like killing things either. Used Nippon foam and worked well - make sure you follow the instructions, use in evening when it appears activity outside nest has pretty much stopped and, I guess, be prepared to run! Next day when sure all wasps dead cleared up the corpses and scrubbed everywhere the foam had touched to get rid of poison.

[KittyKatt]

I think the wasps are dead now. I bought a can of Rentokill foam spray for £3.99 when I was in town yesterday and got hubby to use it last thing at night and then run! We had shut all the doors and windows just before, which was just as well as he reported that they seemed to be seriously ticked off. (That wasn't the exact words he used, but I can't quote them, as this isn't the watershed!  :D)  I went out and gave them another squirt first thing this morning, but it does seem to be very quiet there now. I felt that the advantage with the foam is that you can stand quite a distance away, you don't have to be up close. I do feel guilty about killing them, but as I'm currently on two lots of antihistamines and some cream and some strong painkillers, I don't feel I had much choice. Both the pharmacist and the nurse I saw yesterday said they hadn't seen anything like it! I'll try and be more alert next year and if it happens again try and move them (or rather get someone else to move them on!) as soon as I see any signs of nest building, rather than wait.
Thank you for all your replies and your advice.
KittyKatt