Wasps Nest Problem

[lardbloke]

After the removal of the huge sycamore in the garden. I decided it would be a good idea to store some of the logs/branches in the coal house. This is located about three feet away from the front door. About a month ago, I noticed a wasp investigating the gap in the coal house door and though nothing more of it. At the start of the week I have noticed the odd wasp vanishing under the said door. I obviously have a nest in the coal house. In my panic (as I dont like wasps very much and there are young children about) I have taped up the gap in the coal house door. I have since noticed a few worker wasps trying to find a way in past the gaffa tape and have been dispatched with the aspirator full of washing up suds. The nest has been left to get on with things, but will they simply starve to death, try and find another way out or just keep multiplying until winter?? Should I remove the tape and let the nest simply die out come winter, get the old exterminator in or keep them in thier prison?? (should have made this a poll).

 

[led]

If you know roughly where the nest is, let them move freely in and out of the shed, and sprinkle (proper) almond essence around the entrance to the nest. It sounds implausible, but they'll move out soon after that. I've dealt with two nests like this with no problems at all, and it gives the wasps a chance to find a better home.

 

[lardbloke]

The problem I have is I cannot locate the nest. It may be in/around the log pile or some other place. If I start to shine a torch about in there, I am sure it will stir up the wasps. The log pile is stacked up high with a good gap behind it, of which I cannot get to or see. I would have to start removing the wood and could disturb the nest. If I can locate the source then I will give it a go, thanks.

 

[British Red]

lardbloke,

Sounds like a job for someone with a proper set of protective clothing mate! Go careful won't you - I'm not averse to a spot of pest control, but wasps nests are a job for someone with a suit and veil!

Red

 

[lardbloke]

But do I really need to get someone out??
I could simply leave the door sealed until winter, when they will all die off and the queens go into hiberbation.....

 

[Ferret]

the nest will naturally die at the end of summer. It is not best just to block the entrance as they will find another way to get in and out. If you leave it it will get very busy later on in the summer and will become a problem. If you can i would unblock the entrance and pour some ant powder around the entrance. If you can get nippon this is exactly the same chemical used by the professionals( i used to be a pesty) bendiocarb but just a slightly weaker mix. It would be best to do this in the evening as you will find there is less activity. The wasp will pick it up as they go in and spread it around. If the nest is still active by the next eve then do the same again.

 

[Mantic]

Have you contacted the council - they usually deal with this sort of thing (and certainly used to for free).

 

[lardbloke]

Thanks Ferret, I havent heard of that one before, I will give it a shot...

Mantic - I checked with the local council and was looking at a sixty pounds plus bill and then it was when they could come out. So if things go really pear shaped they will be brought in.

 

[fred gordon]

Lardbloke,
I notice you live in Scotland. If the wasps bike is really a problem your local Authority Environmental Health Service should be able to come and get rid of it for you. There is usually a charge but it's better than getting stung. Wasps can be very dangerous.

 

[lardbloke]

cheers Fred, will take that on board....

I am going to get the ant powder at the weekend,
so wil let you all know.....

 

[Goose]

I had to get rid of a wasps nest in a car a few years ago, I wore water proofs and a respirator and used a spray straight onto the nest took them out almost immediately.
The respirator and waterproofs were to stop the wasps not the chemicals, and I used gaffa tape around the sleeves and ankles.
Couldn't tell you what the spray was as someone else bought it to do the job then bottled out but it was specifically for the job.

 

[C_Claycomb]

First off, trying to block them in doesn't work at all. My neighbour tried that with wasps that were nesting in the roof, or behind the facia boards. He used mastic, and it didn't work at all, they just chewed their way out, but further up the roof. He tried it about 3 times,

Nipon Ant powder is ace stuff, if you can get it to the nest entrance, it only has to be where they walk in and out, not actually on the paper nest itself. One application will do for the adults, and a re-application about 4 days later will do for the grubs that have become adults.

I don't suppose that you could prop the door open, and sit quietly to see where in the pile the wasps go to?

Wasps are less active at night, so that is the best time to go squirting powder around.

If the coal shed isn't too big, you could fumigate it. I have had fairly good luck in a storage cupboard off our garage by spraying a lot of insecticide into the air, and giving the nest a good poke, followed by hasty shutting the door. That knocked the population back enough that zapping the nest itself was a little less fraught.

Whatever you do, this is the time to do it, before the nest grows into problem proportions.

Best of luck!

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

what about sprayin the area with permithren?

does it repel wasps?

or citronelle?

 

[lardbloke]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice my friends.

 

[lardbloke]

Well I purchased some of the said 'ant killer' and applied it around the door gap. Upon opening the coal house door (looking a bit stupid, dressed up like the pirelli man in the boiling hot weather) I awaited the fluury of activity as the wasps would try and escape their prison. Alas, it would seem they have either gone very quite for some reason or there was never a nest in the first place. It does seem possible that the wasps I encountered entering the coal house may have been workers from another nest, looking for resources to build up their present nest i.e the wood pile (food and bark). I will leave the Nippon down for now just in case I am wrong, but it does seem that the problem has sorted itself out, good old nature eh....

 

[Nicklas Odh]

There is another option, go to the nearest Sainsburys etc. and buy a nice cake, then you call the nearest beekeeper and tell him about your problems and offer him some coffee and cake for getting rid of your wasps. It works, or it's that my dad is easy to please. Beekeepers usually got the equipment to fix the problem. My dad gets called out some times every summer. If its a ball like hive, a binliner and some gasoline does the trick. No you are not supposed to use the gas as a Fuel Air Explosive.

 

[Don Redondo]

its a ball like hive, a binliner and some gasoline does the trick. No you are not supposed to use the gas as a Fuel Air Explosive.

I've seen it done, by a real 'I know better than you ' type. He ran a funnel into the hole in the wall where the nest was, poured in a pint of 3***. and the chucked a lighted wad of petrol soaked newspaper at it. It was at this point i and my g/f retreated into the house and shut the wiindows - quick like. there was a muffled bang, followed a few seconds later by a lot of shouting.

He was stung about 20 times, according to his wife, who could'nt stop laughing. We joined her.

 

[lardbloke]

I dont think I will be trying that one!!!

Good idea about locating a bee keeper mind.