Gettin Rid of Wasp Nest w/o Killing Them

mazzaro · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

I have a harmless wasp nest on my front porch that the USPS says is too close to my mailbox. They want me to spray it with poison. No way. A local bee-keeper wants $189 to remove/relocate the nest (though he says the adults won't be able to find the nest). Anyone got any suggestions for meeting the USPS's requirement w/o killing the wasps?

Michele

Tricky Grama · Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:09 am Post subject: wasps

Heard this on dirtdr Sun am, however, didn't hear the beginning... someone correct me if I'm wrong. Spray the nest & any wasps w/water. (only if you're brave!) Then you can move the nest to another location & the wasps will follow, when their wings dry & they are able to fly again. RE-attach it w/tack. I've done this w/o the water spray-just moved the nest when it was small & no one was around.

Good luck!

Patty

mazzaro · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Unfortunately, Patty, I got your reply a few hours too late. We received a formal letter from the post office telling us to get rid of the nest . . . or else. So my fiance hosed it down with the garden hose on full blast without consulting me. Most of the adults lived, but the nest was turned into a watery pulpy mess. My fiance saved it for me like a prize or something. About a dozen of the holes were filled with pupae, the rest were filled with eggs. I could kill him and the post office!! My only saving grace from guilt (and next spring's web worms!) is that there is another very full, very active, wasp nest at the other end of porch. Take *that*, post office!!!! :-P

Michele

P.S. I have a dozen or so "used up" nests from previous seasons around my house. I'm thinking I should knock them down so the next generation(s) of wasps can use the supposedly prime real estate. Does that fly with your experience?

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2011 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

In the interest of clarifying an otherwise moot point, use ICE water on the nest and the adult wasps will be immobilized for a couple hours. Then you can cut the nest away at the attachment point and relocate it safely to a distant eave.

mazzaro · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

I'm just curious about the practicalities. I had a nest with anywhere between 30 & 50 wasps on it in the middle of summer. Just how, exactly, was I supposed to spritz all of them with *ice* water? The water from my garden hose this time of year is on the warm side of tepid. :-)

Michele

Pamzilla1 · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 47 Location: Hubbard,TX

Get one of those "Super Soakers" from any toy store/department. Use only water and ice.

Miss Helpful · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 8 Location: ,

It's a myth about wasps not being able to fly if they get wet. They come around me when I'm using the hose and refilling the bird bath and I spray them and it does not stop them from flying. I've been out in the yard while it's been raining and they are flying around!

I would just get a long stick and knock the nest down and run like the dickens. THEN use the water from the hose to shove the nest away from the porch area.

They'll make a new nest somewhere - so don't worry about these few in your nest.

Ever notice they don't fly around at night? That might be a good time to "move them"