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Offline Victor3

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Paper wasps...
« on: July 25, 2012, 10:31:48 PM »
 These bugs are an annoyance. I destroy the nest on my property but still have them all over my yard.
 
 Anyone have luck with a trap, or other method to keep their numbers down?
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Offline josiah712

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Re: Paper wasps...
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2012, 01:41:52 AM »
Yes, the yellow jacket traps they sell at Walmart work to some effect.  But I found something much better.
 
First off, the wasps are actually doing us a service when they are not bothering us, because they eat flying insects like flies, and mosquitoes, and gnats.  So if we could just keep them away from the house, that would be better.
 
So, I made little shelters and hung them in the trees, far from the house.  The wasps nest in these now, and there is only enough flying insects to support a limited wast population.  So once you have enough of these nest established away from your house, you will rarely see them trying to build near your house.
 
Note:  Wasps want a fixed location, they don't want to be swinging in the breeze.  So screw or nail the shelters directly to the trunk or a branch.
 
If you are really overpopulated with them, there may be an unwanted food source nearby, like open garbage.  You could try and observe their movements.  But if it's being caused by something one of your neighbors is doing, then it might not be easy to fix.
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Offline blind ear

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Re: Paper wasps...
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2012, 05:48:41 AM »
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Offline Cornbelt

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Re: Paper wasps...
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2012, 11:43:11 PM »
People used to call me for bee problems. The honey bees I'd go after, but for stuff like hornets, I'd try to fix over the phone. Saved them some money and me some grief. Half sevin dust and half powderded sugar. Takes a while, but they take it back home and feed it to their young.
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Offline Bob Riebe

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Re: Paper wasps...
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2013, 06:10:59 AM »
Josiah has this correct, you are better with them than without them.

Paper wasps have a nasty sting but are far, far, far more tolerant than Yellow Jacket or Hornets.

I have often painted on the house near their nests and while they come out and sit on the end of the nest staring at me, they have never stung me.

The year I, literally, had  wasp flight patterns in my garden was the one year I zero problem with cabbage butterflies or corn worms.


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