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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #4331  by Japey Edge
 29 Jul 2019, 19:11
Not sure I have the correct section of the forum, but it's all in aid of protecting the bees.

Wasps are being a nuisance. There's a nest in next door's bamboo and I've tried to watch where wasps are heading after annoying my bees.

I have two home made traps, a milk bottle style and a normal plastic bottle one. The milk bottle gets attention but they can get back out too...

I read that washing up liquid does wasps in, so I put some with water in a spray bottle. I sprayed a few but only one fell down and looked like it wasn't going to fly again.

They really are a nuisance. I've never liked them. I understand some people like to preserve them but to me they're just an aggressive pest and I'd rather take them out than just sit back and preserve them by letting them bully my bees. Had one fly in the house and try take a bite of my kebab too, FUMING! :lol:

So guys - question time:

1. What's your most effective wasp trap? Bonus points for pics.

2. What's an effective, bee-friendly way of killing wasps?

3. Any other advice?
 #4332  by Chrisbarlow
 29 Jul 2019, 19:47
Japey Edge wrote:
29 Jul 2019, 19:11
So guys - question time:

1. What's your most effective wasp trap? Bonus points for pics.

2. What's an effective, bee-friendly way of killing wasps?

3. Any other advice?
1/ the one I posted on the other thread
2/ traps
3/ make entrances very small, like one bee size if they are really that bad.
 #4334  by Japey Edge
 29 Jul 2019, 21:50
Chrisbarlow wrote:
29 Jul 2019, 19:47
Japey Edge wrote:
29 Jul 2019, 19:11
So guys - question time:

1. What's your most effective wasp trap? Bonus points for pics.

2. What's an effective, bee-friendly way of killing wasps?

3. Any other advice?
1/ the one I posted on the other thread
2/ traps
3/ make entrances very small, like one bee size if they are really that bad.
So far so good!
Neighbours are thinking of getting Nippon Wasp Powder - anyone had experience with this? Can wasps take this stuff into a hive they're robbing and knack it?
 #4335  by Dave W
 29 Jul 2019, 22:40
I always use the good old time and trusted method of simply a large jar with lid, put a hole in it big enough for the wasps to get in, half fill it with jammy water. Soon as you get some wasps in it, it seems to work better and attracts more.
 #4342  by Japey Edge
 31 Jul 2019, 19:10
Cheers Dave, it looks like I'll be trying another method. I recall seeing one of Nigel's traps using a rapid feeder somewhere, will have a look for it again as it looked effective.

I emptied my milk bottle attempt into a bucket, image below. Note the floaters are bits of banana and a few slugs.

Image
 #4372  by Japey Edge
 04 Aug 2019, 09:41
Rapid feeder with nectar/honey and lager in hasn't caught many. Only 4 wasps but a bunch of other things - slugs, spiders, even a bumblebee I rescued this morning.

May go back to milk bottle method.
 #4374  by Sipa
 04 Aug 2019, 17:22
Some syrup, some jam, water, cap of vinegar and a teaspoon of dried yeast.
The vinegar is important to stop the bees taking an interest.

Catches loads in the sweet feeding phase.
 #4386  by Japey Edge
 05 Aug 2019, 20:29
Cheers Sipa I'm making another trap tonight. Will see how good it works :D
 #4577  by Steve (The Drone)
 19 Aug 2019, 08:33
This year , locally at least, the wasps seem to have reached plague proportions with two of us loosing colonies to attacks. This despite closing up the entrances and moving the hives. One wasp nest I destroyed contained over 20 young ready-to-go Queens. Another wasp nest was in a collapsed rabbit burrow. The most effective trap I’ve made was constructed from a tub that came containing 50 birds fat balls. Heat up a 15mm copper pipe and melt four holes crosswise at the top. A mix of Aldi’s 30p. Jam, water, touch of vinegar and washing up liquid to cut the surface tension works wonders. Maybe even a can of cheap cider. I got an inch of drowned wasps within two days.
Steve.
 #4580  by SimnFishr
 19 Aug 2019, 14:06
Last year we were plagued with wasps. This year we have a mere handful!
I don't know how many beekeepers are taking part in the Big Wasp Suvey but I am. I'm sure the wasps die a little easier knowing they're contributing to science! :lol:
https://www.bigwaspsurvey.org/