Wasps - hate 'em!

clayton16749

We're getting quite a few wasps in the house just lately. I hate them and tbh I scream like a big girl when I find them!


I can't see any nests, but that doesn't mean we don't have one. They always seem to appear in the kitchen, which backs onto the garage and a think there's a gap in the wall behind or above the kitchen units somewhere.


I plan to call someone out to see if they can locate and exterminate these horrible critters. My local council charge £60 to show up though! Seems a bit pricey so I really want to try to make sure I do have a nest before calling anyone.


My question though is what can be done to deter wasps? Is there anything in particular they are attracted to? Maybe I can remove the temptation. Is there anything that put's them off, any plants they hate maybe?

wallbash

Very early in the year to get your knickers in a twist about a few wasps, the problem is going to get a GREAT deal bigger.

Your only hope is too study them, find that nest and call the council, £60 for peace of mind is cheap.

BUT , are you sure its wasps?? and very early . We have a bees nest in the eves next door, very high up so we are not worried ( they were there last year).But they fly around , not seen many wasps at all this year.

And of course the council are not interested in bees , thats another phone number to find a bee keeper, who is only interested in a loose swarm.

[Deleted User]

Look up when you walk around your house, they often make a nest that hangs below a balcony, eaves etc. Also be aware that they can make a huge nest in the loft space. Getting them in the house means that you do indeed have a nest very close by. Listen very carefully, you may hear the buzzing, other than that you could do with being very still and watchful, you should be able to see where the are entering and exiting and go from there. I empathise, I love them on the allotment eating pests but they make me panic when close by. We have knocked down two small papery nests so far but we would not tackle any nest of size

lardlikesdogs

Yeah could be red mason bees ,which are fantastic to have google them.

melanzana

I know this might not help your own specifics OP, but whenever we are out in the garden, say working on it, or eating etc., I put out a few saucers of jam and water, and tablespoon of sugar.

Put them as far away from you as possible. It's amazing how many of the critters gorge themselves there and leave you alone.

I'm probably going to be flamed for some unethical procedure! But it does work.

clayton16749

Well, no more wasps in the house so far today - even with all the windows and doors open! Still can't seem to see a build up of them anywhere (other than on a bush between our fence and next doors) and so far they don't seem to be going near the roof as far as I can see, certainly something I'll have to keep an eye on.


I had considered something sweet to try to keep them away from me, but I was hoping to find something that would completely deter them as opposed to just make something else more attractive. A deterrent probably doesn't exist though.


Ah well, if it keeps the critters away I think it's perfectly ethical

Mojisola

In Spring and early Summer, wasps are mostly looking for protein foods - they do a great job of clearing the garden of pests. Put out something like pet food instead of sweet stuff to attract them away from where you're sitting.

Later on in the year, they are more attracted to sweet stuff.

wellused

I noticed a wasp nest last year in the allotment plot next to mine, I saw wasps coming and going from a hole in the ground, the guy who the plot belongs to is rarely there when I am and this piece of ground isn't cultivated anyhow so I wasn't sure what to do or who to inform about it. I did some research and found out that wasps on an allotment plot aren't as much of a pest as I thought, they kill caterpillars to feed their young and as long as you don't disturb them they won't disturb you so I left the wasps to get on with their lives and sure enough they didn't cause a problem at all. Of course if they are coming in to your house that is another question but in nature they aren't as bad as they are painted.

Davesnave

wellused wrote: »

Of course if they are coming in to your house that is another question but in nature they aren't as bad as they are painted.

It is early to be troubled by wasps.

Most of the summer, they will take great care not to attract attention if people are close to a nest, but not disturbing it. We used to get them under the floors in our school's temporary classrooms and they'd fly skilfully through the legs of lined-up children to reach their air vent access.

Most of the kids understood that they posed no great threat at that time of year.

They didn't come into the classrooms until late summer, when they'd be drunk and disorientated on rotting fruit juice. The nests under the floors were long gone by then, destroyed by order of the caretaker, but there were always more elsewhere.

RAS

I think a lot more wasps have survived the mild winter than in previous years; certainly seen a lot more and am going to put out bottle traps soon as they tear bees in two and gorge on the bellies.

PaulJM

Wasps are pretty amazing. I know that doesn't help you when they come into the house, but like the others have said, they won't be doing that deliberately at this time of year - they'll want to be out, looking for garden pests to eat.

At the end of the summer and into Autumn, they do get a bit touchy - they're drunk on rotting fruit and feeling a bit chilly.

They are great part of the circle of life though, and a good helper in gardens - they'll eat all sorts of pests. Their nests are works are art too - they look like Gaudi sculptures - and I was told that they never return to a nest, so if you can put up with one in your garden, just marvel at it, it's not going to cause you any problems after this year,

I know it's not easy though - even though I'm not bothered by them, my daughter and wife go flying around the place when they're in