Wasps (1 Viewer)

[Backyard Sanctuary]

Yesterday I checked my nesting box and noticed a wasp nest clinging to the ceiling. Not wanting to take a chance knocking down the nest and risk being stung I left the nesting box open and turned the hose nozzle to 'jet' and standing 20 feet away blasted the interior for a couple of minutes. I then left the nest box alone for about 15 minutes while I cleaned and refilled my hummingbird feeders. When I went back to the nest box there were 2 wasps clinging to the inside. I figured between the cold morning (38 degrees) and cold water jet blast they where not in a good mood. Not wanting them to rebuild I hit the inside with another blast of water for a few minutes. I then left the area for about a 1/2 hour. When I returned nest and wasps were gone. |=)|

My questions:
On cold mornings are wasps able to fly?
Was my method of removal a smart one or was I lucky I did not get stung?
How do you prevent wasps or other stinging insects from moving in and taking over a nesting box?

 

[Joe1980]

Wasps are a bit sluggish in colder temperatures, but don't think they won't sting you if you mess with them.

As for the water, well, you destroyed their nest, or more appropriately "her" nest. All bees, wasps, and hornets revolve around the queen, and if you do not kill the queen, they will not be gone. She picked the nestbox because she likes the spot, and is not smart enough to know what happened with the jet of water. My guess is that the nest will be rebuilt until you eliminate the queen.

As for how to keep them out, well, you gotta make the roof and upper parts of the side walls slippery, so as to prevent them from being able to attach a nest. You can rub bar soap on it, spray it with cooking spray, or apply grease. I've used all of those methods with success, but avoid any flavored cooking sprays if you have raccoons.

 

[Backyard Sanctuary]

Wasps are a bit sluggish in colder temperatures, but don't think they won't sting you if you mess with them.

As for the water, well, you destroyed their nest, or more appropriately "her" nest. All bees, wasps, and hornets revolve around the queen, and if you do not kill the queen, they will not be gone. She picked the nestbox because she likes the spot, and is not smart enough to know what happened with the jet of water. My guess is that the nest will be rebuilt until you eliminate the queen.

As for how to keep them out, well, you gotta make the roof and upper parts of the side walls slippery, so as to prevent them from being able to attach a nest. You can rub bar soap on it, spray it with cooking spray, or apply grease. I've used all of those methods with success, but avoid any flavored cooking sprays if you have raccoons.

Thanks for the reply.

Question on using cooking spray or grease - won't they be an issue? I mean if they get it on their feathers they may not be able to remove the substance which can prevent the feathers and oils from keeping the bird dry and warm.

 

[Joe1980]

Normally there is some room between the entry hole and the ceiling of the nestbox, so the birds most likely won't be touching the oil. I had read this tip in a popular bird magazine, and gave it a try. It works like a champ, and I have had happy healthy birds every year from my nest boxes. And let me tell ya, I am the perfect test subject for wasps and hornet, because I have a ton of them every summer, and would get them in the bird houses without fail every summer. Since using these anti-wasp tricks, I've not had any at all in the bird houses.

 

[Backyard Sanctuary]

Thanks! I'll start with using soap.