Kelly Kettle wasp house

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elma

Full Member
Sep 22, 2005
608
10
62
Ynysddu south wales
Not really a bushcraft thread, but I went down the shed to pick up my kelly kettle for a hunting trip only to discover wasps had taken residence inside it :eek: :eek: :AR15firin :AR15firin :AR15firin

I was wondering has anyone had any similar experiences.
and should I leave them to the end of summer or nuke them now


Ian
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,715
1,962
Mercia
Personally I'd have to get rid of em - but tread careful - I once held a ladder for a mate of mine who sprayed stuff in a wasps nest - never seen a man come down a ladder so fast as when they boiled out!
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
British Red said:
Personally I'd have to get rid of em

Me too,
Wait till a cold spell so that you know they are mostly in, but won't want to come out, before treating the nest.

Good luck, I've recently removed a basket ball sized nest from our attic that was inhabited last year.

Ogri the trog
 

beachlover

Full Member
Aug 28, 2004
2,318
166
Isle of Wight
I'm with martin on this one.
You left the open invitation for them, so don't evict them, it would make you no different to one of those "git orf moi land" types. :rolleyes:
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,715
1,962
Mercia
beachlover said:
I'm with martin on this one.
You left the open invitation for them, so don't evict them, it would make you no different to one of those "git orf moi land" types. :rolleyes:

Sorry, I don't understand the logic of an "open invitation" there..I thought the kette was stored in a shed :confused:

As for being a "git orf my land type", when it comes to vermin - guilty :) Living on an arable farm, we get a few types (rats, mice occasional wasp nests etc.). I guess you could say that living between two wheat fields and a grain store in the next door farm yard is an open invitation and I guess you would be right. I'm not embarassed to admit to eliminating them all on site though - all things have their place, but I'm afraid my loft space or outbuildings is not the place for wasps and my garden is not the place for rats or mice. YMMV :)

Red
 

Robbie Roberson

Forager
Nov 28, 2004
112
0
68
Tennessee, U.S.A.
Dish detergent mixed with water in a spray bottle or even better a cheap pump sprayer works great for these pest.

I often spray this mixture on and all around my home outside because of grandkids and everyone else being outside and it helps keep the stings to a minimum. The spray mix is safe and very effective, it drops the wasp or bees instantly and they die in a few seconds.

I never spray honey bees, but wasp, yellow jackets and hornets I will spray. If you adjust the sprayer on a wide spray, it pretty much will cover them all even on very large nest.

Mix one gallon of water to a half cup or a full cup of dish detergent of your choice, spray on hand and if it feels fairly soapy, it's perfect. Note: don't shake container, first put soap in, then add water slowly so as not to cause bubbles, gently swirl to mix.

For nest in the ground, stick nozzle in hole and spray until bubbles start coming out, the bees try to come out through the soap and will die soon after.


Robbie Roberson. ;)
 

Toots

Full Member
Aug 22, 2005
576
41
Sutton in Craven, North Yorkshire
Git orf my land! I'm with Red on this one. I had a wasp nest in my garden a couple of years ago and it's no fun sharing with them all summer.

That said, if the nest is confined to the kelly kettle then is it not portable? You could (carefully) relocate it to another location away from your house. Could be entertaining!
 

led

Settler
Aug 24, 2004
544
5
uk
If you want to get rid of them then sprinkle some almond essence around the entrance. They'll be gone before long.
 

beachlover

Full Member
Aug 28, 2004
2,318
166
Isle of Wight
British Red said:
Sorry, I don't understand the logic of an "open invitation" there..I thought the kette was stored in a shed :confused:

As for being a "git orf my land type", when it comes to vermin - guilty :) Living on an arable farm, we get a few types (rats, mice occasional wasp nests etc.). I guess you could say that living between two wheat fields and a grain store in the next door farm yard is an open invitation and I guess you would be right. I'm not embarassed to admit to eliminating them all on site though - all things have their place, but I'm afraid my loft space or outbuildings is not the place for wasps and my garden is not the place for rats or mice. YMMV :)

Red
Hi Red,

It was meant somewhat light heartedly and certainly not meant as seriously as you took it. Apologies. I simply meant that your Kelly kettle provided a suitable home and that if they were doing no harm other than making you seek an alternative method of making a brew, why evict them?
If you already have a policy of eliminating wildlife that fall into the pigeon hole of vermin, why ask what others think you should do about the wasps? :confused:
 

pumbaa

Settler
Jan 28, 2005
687
2
50
dorset
I have seen a similar thing , a friend of mine got in his canoe and started paddleing down the river . Then for no apparent reason , screamed and rolled over !Guess who forgot to check the back of the canoe was clear ?
He had quite a few stings on his legs , but the wetsuit took the brunt of it .
we sunk the canoe which got all the wasps .
Pumbaa
 

elma

Full Member
Sep 22, 2005
608
10
62
Ynysddu south wales
I think I'll leave them to the end of the summer, the spout is corked and they have set up home in the funnel, at this time the nest is small (about the size of a golf ball) and I'm going to attempt to move it with a long stick(a very long stick, a very very long stick ) hooked under the handle, got to give them a chance after all they are the gardeners friends so I've been told.
Failing this I'll have to nuke em :BlueTeamE :BlueTeamE :BlueTeamE

Ian
 

Moff8

Forager
Jul 19, 2004
202
0
55
Glasgow
We get quite a few nests in the shed, I encouraged a few spiders to make their home there (not destroying their webs) and so far not one of those nests has managed to prosper. More of a prevention than a cure though I am afraid.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,989
4,638
S. Lanarkshire
Wasps are not friends to be encouraged near the house. I don't usually kill them because the scent just attracts others but I would not leave a wasps byke in my loft or sheds. Generally we find the little ball start of the nest early enough on that we can cut it free from it's support, usually a rafter, and throw it into the woodland. Wait until it's dark and cool then cover the byke with a paper bag, cut free and transport to where you want to dispose of it. It's just a tough woody paper and cuts free quite easily with a serrated bread knife. If it's too large or in an unreachable place, (the last one was behind the fascia boards behind the rone pipe beside the kids bedroom window :rolleyes: ) get professional help. I called in an exterminator and he simply puffed some powder near the entrance. He said the wasps returning to the byke would carry it inside and that would be the end of the problem. It was :)
My neighbour decided that I had been cruel and left the byke in her loft alone; her three year old woke up screaming when her afternoon nap became a nightmare; eight wasp stings on one small child, three on her face and the rest on her arms :censored:
Everything has a right to live, but a beastie in my house is either out or dead. The moggie gets parole :D

Cheers,
Toddy
 

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