First wasp's nest of the season!

[Eric The Viking]

And the little beggars decided to set up shop right above our back door. Frustrating.

Anyway - sprayed it tonight at 2130h, only to discover they hadn't all returned to the nest.
I didn't get stung, but I'm hoping they don't wage war on us tomorrow morning...

E.

 

[Lons]

What did you spray it with E?

We get a few every year and I bought some powder which is "puffed" into the entrance, any returning wasps carry it inside the nest and it kills all the little beggars.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Same idea, but a directed jet of aerosol foam - goes into quite small cracks too. They got up under the fascia board (we have deep pebbledash below so there are gaps), and it's not the first time they've tried to nest along that roof edge.

 

[dm65]

While I don't want to be a tree hugger, have a read of this - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23356578

 

[Lons]

Same idea, but a directed jet of aerosol foam - goes into quite small cracks too. They got up under the fascia board (we have deep pebbledash below so there are gaps), and it's not the first time they've tried to nest along that roof edge.

I tried that stuff. If it's the same, you're supposed to cover the whole nest and it goes solid. My nest was huge in a hawthorn hedge and I didn't manage to get all of it. WD 40 squirted on and set alight did the job - wouldn't do your facia much good though :lol:

Bob

 

[Eric The Viking]

I'm not rabidly anti-wasp, but over the back door just means trouble.

This foam doesn't go solid, it just lingers. If they try to eat through it it kills them, and presumably kills the nest too.

The can is in the garage, but I had a lot left. I'll post what it's called tomorrow - it's worked well as needed in previous years.

 

[Harbo]

I had to deal with a swarm last year when they started coming into my workshop.
They had built a nest under the facia board - tried various spays but in the end had to resort to using expanding foam to seal them out.
Later had a swarm of bees but the local bee rescue organisation rounded most of them up.
The remaining ones became very aggressive without the queen and on the advice of the Beekeepers, I had to be put them down with petrol fumes - but not before one of them stung me!

Rod

 

[sawdust1]

I used to get hornets nesting in my workshop soffit , for about 6 years, nothing this year or last , have not seen any around which is a shame, the only problem was when i did any evening work they would be attracted by the lights and working with 20 hornets buzzing around my head was no fun. Never got stung so just put up with them. Have not seen a honey bee for years and the bumble bee numbers are way down in our garden, although this year butterflies every where.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We sold a house to my uncle, years ago, knowing that there were bees in the roof. They hadn't really caused a problem, so we lived with them. Three or four years later he told us he'd called someone in to rid of them as he was fed up with honey running through the ceiling in hot weather and getting all over the bedclothes and furniture. They removed over a quarter of a ton of honey from the roof space.

 

[devonwoody]

I had trouble with wasps last month, they were getting into tongued and grooving in my garden shed and would have made home in the frames that close off the ends of the boards. I used ordinary fly spray, it took two sessions because I think new hatchings started the colony going again later in the week.

 

[Eric The Viking]

The stuff is called "Nippon Wasp Nest Destroyer Foam."
They suggest you can use it from a distance of about 10 feet, which IMHO is a bit excessive, but I managed it from about five feet away last night. It's all dried and disappeared, leaving a slight yellow stain on the pebbledash and is a strong smell of Pyrethrin and no visible activity this morning.

Last time I had to do this, about five years ago, there were dead wasps on the ground under the entrance hole. None this time so far. I have enough left in the can for several repeat performances. We'll see.

I'm hoping one day to have bees on the flat roof above. I think it's an ideal spot, as we're at the end of two roads with large back gardens, and the nearest hives are at least 1/2 mile away. I couldn't persuade the rest of the family before, but pointing out that bees fight wasps has changed my wife's view on the matter. Possibly next year...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I think I'd be tempted to put them at the bottom of the garden - if you put them on the roof, you've got to get up there every time you wish to inspect them - even if you're fit enough to do it, it won't do your flat roof much good. It's a great hobby - I only gave up after nearly dieing from anaphylactic shock.

 

[Eric The Viking]

We've almost no garden, otherwise I'd agree with you!

The nice thing about the flat roof is that access *is* pretty easy (scullery on the original house), and it's pretty strong in the right place (decent timbers, narrow span underneath). I don't even want the honey (personally - other family members' mileage may differ!), I just like to see them about and working.

When I was a child, one of my uncles had a glass hive. I'll never forget the wonderful smell and just being able to watch them. I used to go into the room with my cousin, but it needed his dad to show us - we could never spot the queen without help.

The things you take for granted as a child, eh?

E.

 

[mickthetree]

My parents neighbours gaffertaped the hose of their hoover at the entrance of a wasps nest in their facia. They ran the hoover each evening for a week when they swarmed and returned. Filled four dyson hoover chambers and there were still more around. Quite effective really. I didnt ask how he emptied the chamber :-S

 

[Sheptonphil]

I'm hoping one day to have bees on the flat roof above. I think it's an ideal spot, as we're at the end of two roads with large back gardens, and the nearest hives are at least 1/2 mile away. I couldn't persuade the rest of the family before, but pointing out that bees fight wasps has changed my wife's view on the matter. Possibly next year...

Many city keepers have roof hives and as Phil.p says, the inspections need access as does getting extra kit up there, in normal day operations though it is ideal as the flight path is up, up and away. less annoyance to neighbours in close proximity. I try to keep my hives (have run between 6 and 10 colonies for the last ten years) at four or less honey supers, even then a fully active hive, with honey, will weigh up to 160lb so take care to spread the load on the roof not just through four legs.

Shame is though, wasps do more damage to bees than vice versa. As the wasp's food sources dry up the wasps invade the hives for larvae and honey and can decimate or totatally destroy a colony. So no sympathy for them here.

Phil

 

[stevebuk]

we currently have 3 at my place of work, hoping to get them nuked soon..

 

[RogerS]

... I didnt ask how he emptied the chamber :-S

Carefully?

 

[Lons]

I would never willingly harm bees but the feeling doesn't seem to be mutual. I have a small paddock and to my irritation, my neighbour placed his hives within abouit 3 metres from my boundary hedge. Not a problem for him as he wears his protective gear when he cuts his grass but the little "honeys" don't like the vibration / noise of my ride on and I've been attacked on a number of occasions.
The swarms always seem to end up on my property as well, but we need the bees so it's minor annoyance.

Bob

 

[Woodchips2]

Isn't it fascinating what you learn on a woodwork forum about life in general. I can't imagine a quarter of a ton of honey in the roof :roll:
Regards Keith

 

[Eric The Viking]

I was thinking that too!

@bob, can't your neighbour lend you a hat for mowing the paddock? Sounds only reasonable...