Wasp's nest

[spartacus]

Think we have a wasp's nest in our bird-table. Noticed it the other day as there were more wasps than normal in the back garden. I'm not great around wasps - as my neighbours will testify. My first instinct was to 'torch' the bird-house. Extreme I know... but you know it will do the job. Think I should be able to get a black bag over it at night and then spray insecticide into it.

Came across this video. Like the improvised fish-slice utensil, complete with gaffer tape!

[jwalker]

We have them every year, just leave it be, you don't bother them, they don't bother you. They'll leave at the end of the season. Enjoy them instead of fearing them. When they're gone investigate the empty nest, it'll amaze you.

[willk]

I'm a big fan of the scorched earth approach myself - a diesel soaked rag burning on a stick, applied below the entrance after dark.

This works on more than just wasps.....

[Polwart]

If you don't like JW's approach (e.g. they are causing a problem with kids, or coming in your kitchen a lot) then you get a white powder for wasp nests at B&Q or garden centres. You just need to apply a little "puddle" of this close to the entrance of the nest - it doesn't involve disturbing the nest and you can do it when they are mostly inside so your risk of getting stung is tiny. Then leave it for a day. If the nest is big or has a couple of entrances you might need to do it twice - but it is very effective.

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by jwalker

We have them every year, just leave it be, you don't bother them, they don't bother you. They'll leave at the end of the season. Enjoy them instead of fearing them. When they're gone investigate the empty nest, it'll amaze you.

That depends - last time I had a wasp sting when I was a kid it landed me at hospital with an ear the size of a grapefruit. Fortunately we don't have them here so I only have to contend with them on holiday

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by spartacus

Think I should be able to get a black bag over it at night and then spray insecticide into it.

If you can get a black bag over it, any aromatic solvent in it will kill them as long as it's sealed in and left for a day or so. The advanage of that is the solvent will disperse from the bird house afterwards whereas insecticide may not.

[chewy]

Put the bird table that yahoo group freecycle or freegle and get the new owner to remove it...

[AndrewH]

As with others - I agree with JW's consensus to leave them if you can. However as Polwart says sometimes they have to be removed if they are proving to real hazard. This was our case .

We had quite a large nest (about the size of a football) to deal with and ended up getting some of the aerosol foam spray from DIY outlet. At evening ,when activity is much lower, you begin by spraying foam into nest entrance(s). Then proceed to cover all nest with foam. Leave for 24h then can be safely removed.

[Richard Selman]

I had a decent size one right above my front door last year.

Put on drysuit, hard hat, mozzy net over the head (the hat keep the mozzy net away from the face) and riggers gloves. Shame I never took a picture...

No idea what would happen so I put a pint of petrol in the wheely bin in case I had to exercise the nuclear option. Manovered the bin under the nest and then sliced it off with a kayak paddle. It fell into the bin and I flipped the lid closed. By morning, all the wasps in the bin were dead. Presume they had been gassed by the petrol fumes.

Richard

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Richard Selman

I had a decent size one right above my front door last year.

Put on drysuit, hard hat, mozzy net over the head (the hat keep the mozzy net away from the face) and riggers gloves. Shame I never took a picture...

No idea what would happen so I put a pint of petrol in the wheely bin in case I had to exercise the nuclear option. Manovered the bin under the nest and then sliced it off with a kayak paddle. It fell into the bin and I flipped the lid closed. By morning, all the wasps in the bin were dead. Presume they had been gassed by the petrol fumes.

Richard

Textbook operation. So far I've 'bagged' the bird-table. Picking up insecticide spray at the weekend. Meant to be hot, so need to deal with it sooner or later.