Wasps on the apples

longforgotten

Absolutely loads of wasps on the apples in the garden. I don't mind wasps but even I wouldn't brave it, in the day anyway. In past years we've had a wasp nest in the bank by the apple tree but even then there were not as many wasps as there are today. Now I know next door has got wasp nests, cannot find any in our garden as yet.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of the wasps. Something that they will take back to the nest and kill it. I know best scenario would be if next door got someone in to deal with their wasp nests but I know that that isn't going to happen. I fully understand why so I haven't got the hump ( long story so won't go into it ).

Any help much appreciated.

Ash_McCloud

You could try the powder wasp killer but I am not sure if you would get enough on the wasps for them to take back to the nest and destroy it.

Have you seen the Waspinators in DIY shops, can't link because I'm a new user but google will find them (B&Q do them)

Varying reviews but maybe worth a try :cool:

emiff6

A bit of info on the life cycle of wasps - in spring/summer the workers catch caterpillars and other insects to feed the wasp larvae in the nest. These larvae in turn produce a sweet fluid that the workers drink.

By this time of year, the hive queen has stopped laying eggs and the larvae have matured into new queens and male wasps. With no larvae left in the nest the workers have no work to do and also nothing to eat, and so are attracted to sugary fruit etc.

So they are unlikely to take anything back to the nest - they are basically hanging around waiting to die in the frosts, as only the new queens overwinter to start a new colony next year.

You can make wasp traps by cutting a plastic bottle in half, putting some sugary water, with a drop (not a squeeze!) of washing up liquid in the bottom half, and placing the top half upside down funnel wise inside the bottom half. Make sure the sugary water doesn't reach as high as the "funnel", and seal round the top joined edge with tape. Wasps will fly down the funnel easily but tend to fly to the highest point to try to get out, and miss the lower entry hole.

I've also read that blowing up a large paper bag, tying it shut and hanging it up nearby fools wasps for a while into thinking it is a rival nest and they stay away. Don't know if it works though.

Lotus-eater

One of my apple trees really attracts wasps this time of year as well. I clear up as much fruit as I can and it goes into a covered compost bin, I do that daily if I have time.
I did get a waspinator to see if it would work, but it doesn't, for me anyway.
Keeping birds away will help as well, it's usually the blackbirds which start making a hole in the fruit which lets the wasps in.
There has been loads of wasps around this year, I don't usually get on with killing useful insects, but I have had to destroy 2 nests this year that were in bad places and put some traps out under the apple tree when they started to get out of hand there. My neighbour had to destroy 5 nests in his house.

diable

You lucky you don't have pear trees, jeez these attracts wasps like Benidorm does British tourists ;o)))))

Farway

diable wrote: »

You lucky you don't have pear trees, jeez these attracts wasps like Benidorm does British tourists ;o)))))

Or worse still a plum

diable

Farway wrote: »

Or worse still a plum

mmmmm plum vodka ;o))))