California wasps......

[5150.4.67]

Tried to start my dads old Allis Chalmers model C today only to find it was locked up. Pulled the head off and #3 was full of hibernating wasps and their nest. They entered through the exhaust/valve and down into the cylinder!
Moral of the story, plug up all entry points on your projects! (I quickly checked my LQ4 to make sure all the painters tape etc. was intact)

Jay

[domeier]

I had 'em bad on my RV this past summer. As soon as I found and removed a nest, they'd come back and make another one. Worst I've ever seen it.

[special-K]

They like the smallest of holes. Sure can be an expensive nuisance.

[68shortstep]

Just passing along the story ------- not testifying that it works !!!!!!

Sounds almost too stupid to be believable, but true story --- this is what I've seen & been told:

I've had at least a dozen or more different folks tell me that if in your truck & equipment storage shed / RV building / front porch, whatever, you take a thick-heavy & clear plastic bag, like a gallon size Zip-Lok, fill it about half up with just clear tapwater & hang it from the rafters, or near where you want to keep either the paper-nest wasps or what we call "mud-dauber" wasps away, hanging one-corner down lower than the other, that the wasps will never build nests there in that area. Supposed to work to keep flies away, too. Some people also put 3 - 4 pennies into the water.

I've seen the bags of water hanging on several peoples' front porch rafters & they swear by them.

Looks like a big corner-down & water-filled udder almost.

Maybe complete BS as to whether this really works or not, but I see them every Summer.

Linkie: http://community.discovery.com/eve/f.../m/24819408401

[a_barth]

Actually my aunt and uncle swear by the gallon bog o water trick for flies and it seems to work i guess.

Haven't had any major wasp issues here latly but last year I went to pickup up my grandfathers front end loader to bring to my house and the whole fron assemble was a beehive. They made their way in through to 11/2" holes on either side and that and one other small hole was the only way to access them. I tried everything to get rid of them. I was hoping to get them to colinize a tree on my property but eventually I just mixed some seven dust with water and sprayed in the holes and that killed them. Its a shame because I would have rather kept them alive.

P.S. Wasp and hornet killer doesn't do squat to honey bees.

[68gmsee]

They're so bad out here that I always have a can of wasp spray handy.

I also found that diesel works just as good in barn or shed rafters. You just need something to spray with and be careful not to use where there's electrical connections and/or flames. I use a small pump sprayer that shoots out a nice thin stream and they come tumbling down like rocks.

One other trick, if anyone accidentally disturbs a nest and is willing to try it, is to "freeze" rather than run or swat at them. Takes nerves of steel and you can't move at all. Reason is they're looking to sting anything that moves...

Just don't blame me if you decide to try it and they still sting you. Usually means you didn't freeze fast enough. btw: it doesn't work on bumble bees.