LOL, women. Doesn't care if you get stung to death as long as a stray wasp doesn't make it into the house.
Wasp nest adventure
- Thread starter treewhale
- Start date
LOL, women. Doesn't care if you get stung to death as long as a stray wasp doesn't make it into the house.
"You're bleeding! I don't want that on the carpet! Use the extension in the Garage to phone 911!" I sympathize my friend.
So you would have to get up close to spray it? If thats the case you may want to call a pro.
Before you go any further, make sure that what you're dealing with are actually wasps. Different insects call for specific pesticides, and you want to be certain to select the right weapon for the job. Google a few images of wasp and hornet and yellowjacket nests and beehives and match up what's under your deck to the pictures.
More than likely, the opening to the nest is on the bottom, and probably isn't accessible if you shoot down through the deck. They grow at an astounding rate, and if its the size of a softball today, it could be the size of a soccer ball by the end of the week.
You might be able to shimmy up under the deck and squirt it from the bottom. Wear a lot of protective clothing, even though it will be hot and uncomfortable, and get out of there as fast as you can.
And +100 to all those that say to do it after the sun goes down. You want all the wasps to be at home in the nest and ready to go to sleep for the night.
More than likely, the opening to the nest is on the bottom, and probably isn't accessible if you shoot down through the deck. They grow at an astounding rate, and if its the size of a softball today, it could be the size of a soccer ball by the end of the week.
You might be able to shimmy up under the deck and squirt it from the bottom. Wear a lot of protective clothing, even though it will be hot and uncomfortable, and get out of there as fast as you can.
And +100 to all those that say to do it after the sun goes down. You want all the wasps to be at home in the nest and ready to go to sleep for the night.
And do not destroy the nest for a week or two.
If you knock the nest down, those who "weren't home" will begin rebuilding almost immediately at the same location.
If you kill the nest, when the others return "home" and find the dead nest, they will move on.
Pressure washer will knock the nest down, and will leave you with a yard of REALLY upset wasps or hornets.
I've used the 20' spray any number of times. Dusk is when you want to attack. That will assure that everybody's home. It's basically a volatile hydrocarbon and it kills/incapacitates them on contact. I believe the product is made by Raid. I doubt you'll have a problem if you don't disturb or alert them by a clumsy approach. I wouldn't recommend a blind spray-through-the-cracks approach. You have to douse them directly with the liquid. They don't even try to fly if you do. They just drop dead in a humane and painless sort of way. They don't even have time to scream.
Spray at night, like folks have said. Depending on where you live, consider contacting an ag extension to see if there are entomologists around that might want it.
As to the pressure washer option, there are a few steps that must be taken to ensure it works.
1. Wear bright colors. The brighter the better.
2. Lots of exposed skin makes the water work better.
3. It is critical to be as close to the nest as you can.
4. All of the above will ONLY work if you have someone videotape the event for later study.
As to the pressure washer option, there are a few steps that must be taken to ensure it works.
1. Wear bright colors. The brighter the better.
2. Lots of exposed skin makes the water work better.
3. It is critical to be as close to the nest as you can.
4. All of the above will ONLY work if you have someone videotape the event for later study.
- Thread starter
- #28
Funny, swmbo said almost the same thing and offered to do the videotaping (from inside).
- Thread starter
- #29
Anyone use WD40?
I had "a few" buzzing around me when I was working on the bike. Only thing I had handy was a can of Liquid Wrench penetrating oil.
I shot a stream near them... not even a direct hit, but they both dropped like a rock.
WD40 should be almost as effective.
I shot a stream near them... not even a direct hit, but they both dropped like a rock.
WD40 should be almost as effective.
Thanks for my new nightmare, Phil!
Good luck with the extermination, treewhale. I've dealt with my share of hornets, but never wasps. A safe distance and a good can or two of spray are the best ideas here, as said above.
Pyrethrin is supposed to be good according to this reality show that used to be on.
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Just drop the few bucks on a can of Raid with the long distance spray. It works well, is cheap enough and is really good fun when you get after it. I had a blast killing the little buggers when I was a kid. I like trying to shoot them down in flight. If you **** them off, run away for a bit, but then come back. A lot of times they're outside the nest doing repairs, burying the dead, or whatever they do after an NCB attack and you can tag them again.
and then a shot of wasp/hornet spray in the vac after they are all sucked out.
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!
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OMG I laughed so hard Coffee came out of my nose.
I hate them. Burn them all.
I suspect the front door will also be locked when you reach it with the swarm of wasps right behind you. This kind of thing happens all the time in horror movies. Don't fall for it!
