Seems to be a stellar year for Wasps and Hornets around here.
Had to share this shot I took of a Paper Wasp on it's nest hours after we had sprayed it with a type of tool cleaner.
Find that works works just as well as insectiside. Feel if the birds are going to eat up the few dead remaining wasps, don't have to worry about poisoning them too.

Speaking of wasps and hornets, look at this video:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...nets-video.html

hi try using a insect powder with carbaryl in it this will kill the wasps in the nest if you can find it they never come back outi its the best way i have found petrol or diesell is o/k but the carbayl dust really works

Terrific photo, TMack! It doesn't appear the tool cleaner is working quite yet - but glad to know it works eventually and without harming the birds that may snack on them later.

Does insect powder with carbaryl work quickly, kasploticus?

I have an aversion to wasps at the best of times when I watched the video at the link you gave, oldf@rt, wow! Can understand why they say "Someone who is stung by the hornet and doesn't receive proper treatment soon thereafter can die from the venom, which is powerful enough to disintegrate human flesh" and call them the Hornets from Hell.

Wonder if Lee Valley is missing a huge market with those 'wasp/hornet' things they sell - the things that resemble a hornet's nest that one hangs in a nearby tree, etc. Apparently hornet's see it, think a nest is already there, and move on to make their own elsewhere.

That's one thing I'm in a constant battle with, around here, is wasp.
My favorite "cure", is either WD-40, or hairspray, and a Bic lighter.
Makes a nice flame thrower.

A VERY effective way to get rid of wasps is to put out a clear 2 liter bottle of a "sweet" (do not use diet) drink with only about 2 inches left in the bottom of it , the wasp find there way in but don't seem to find there way out, after a week or two put the lid back on and toss away , if needed repeat . Have done this a couple times. no poisons, no muss no fuss, and it works like a charm

I hear you on that one no one.

Friends gave us a glass wasp trap of the same configuration and it's amazing to see the little bit of soft drink just boiling with wasps after a few hours!!

After a while tho, the live ones enter the trap, land on the dead ones, drink some soda and fly back out of the the trap!
Cheeky Buggers!

And do you fish correctly? it is sometimes called redneck fishing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGWiaqGjQaU

No, but I do "fish" for garfish in the canals, with an SKS.
Does that count?

Yes. BTW, I was born in Lake Charles.

Born in Ville Platte, lived in Lake Charles most of my life (30+yrs), before moving to the Kinder area, where I've been for about 15yrs.

Lived there 2 years, until dad left Camp Polk, and went to Air force flight school.

I heard that if you get rid of one nest that they will still come back and make a new one. My mom is allergic to bees, wasps, etc, I haven't had the thrill of finding out if I am too which I wouldn't doubt that I am. We have a couple of nests which are in the eves of the house and people constantly pass by them. It has been talked about getting rid of them, but if we get rid of them and they make a new one I would have to constantly keep a look out to see where they would make it. These 3-4 nests have been up since last summer, and the wasps just came right back to the old ones. I haven't seen any new ones made. So what I was wondering is if you guys think it would be a good idea to take the nests down or just leave them?

Hi Cozy

From what I've seen and read, wasps won't become aggressive until their nest is threatened.
But when someone is allergic, you've got to wonder if it's best to see them gone.

Wait until dark to spray the nest as that's when there is the least activity, then you can take it down and burn it in the morning.

Tmack

I just have a bad habit of walking around bare foot, and just don't want to step on one of those buggers and get stung. Which is why I would rather have them gone than stick around. Also there is no way you'd catch me trying to take down a nest. I'm a tough one but doing something like this, no wayyyyyy. I just wanted to see if what I heard was true if they make new nests. And if they do then I guess these are going to have to stay.

Well they certainly seem to always be rebuilding around here Cozy!

Just keep an eye on the size of those nests.....

this looks like a pretty good site for info , we had yellow jackets here , and I decided , THEY MUST DIE ! . the 2liter bottle worked like a charm for me (I used two of them) and haven't seen them back since. YMMV. I didn't cut mine like shown , and used some sugared water with a few squished grapes stuck in also. I ended up with about 5 inches of mainly yellow jackets in the bottle , screwed the lid back on and threw them in the trash afterwards (about 2 weeks later)

http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-wasps.htm

Greatttt, now no one wants to take the nests down. Looks like I might have to do it myself and finally find out if I am allergic to them or not. Thanks for the link No one, looks like we have the Paper wasps, and Yellow Jacket wasps rolled into one. They look like the yellow jackets yet there nests are those of the paper wasps nests.

Dont light it on fire while still attached to the house (never a good Idea) and make sure that the area in which you burn it is not flammable of littered with UED's (Un Exploded Ordinances, ie dud fireworks, those .22LR rounds that fell out of the hole in your pocket). Yes it was a rather entertaining night LOL

Cozy,

Have you tried to reduce the population using no ones idea of the 2 L plastic pop bottle?
I put one out and it works great!

Good advise BlackSpyder....and I bet it was!

Wasps aren't aggresive and serve a purpose. especially if you have a garden. I found that I can work right next to them without getting stung. Unlike yellow jackets. I can't even get near a yellow jacket nest without getting attacked. So unless you have a very large population of wasps, or you are allergic, I would urge that you don't kill wasps just for the sake of killing them. That being said, any of the Spectracide wasp and hornet killer that shoots a 25 foot spray works well. Also for big nests, the expanding spray insulation foam works well. At night or early morning spray it right into the nest, (also works for ground bees) the spay insulation is sticky,and will quickly expand to fill the nest. If you have a yellow jacket nest, (or wasps nest) wait until winter, and remove the nest. it's a lot safer.

Happen to see this news item and made me think of this thread
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14250002/detail.html
I think it's safe to say the wasps won't be back any time soon

One year, whenever I mowed the back patch of grass I was always getting bombarded by hornets. Finally found a hole in the outbuilding's siding. They always had a guard at the entrance and when they'd see you, look out. That winter, I took off the drywall on the inside and discovered the nest was 24" wide and 8' tall. It was 10 degrees outside and they were still moving when I raked out the nest and burnt it
Mark

Here,because of our Climate,they are a real headache.They build everywhere.Often get stung while gardening.They are pretty agressive and even when I'm being attacked,a water hose is of little benefit.Just on Dark and after dark,they don't tend to attack,and thats when I kill them and desroy their nests.