We( my wife!) noticed our yard had two active "digger" wasp holes... She found this out, by running the lawn mower over one of them and getting stung about five times, while a swarm of them chased her into the house... I hate stinging insects, but I knew I had to do something.. I got on trusty Google, and read up on the little demons! I found out there can be far more nests in a small area of ground, if not controlled. I found out they like sandy soil- and that's what I have here. This time of year is the best time to do something about it- after summer, but before winter. Cool weather and night or darkness is when most are in the nest. Numerous ways to kill them, but as I have a dog, so poison or insecticide was what I wanted to avoid... The solution I went with was cheap, and many reports said that it works great- ammonia! I bought two one gallon jugs, waited until dawn, jammed an open jug into each hole, effectively preventing possible exit of pissed off wasps- blocking it as the ammonia glubbed out. I also stabbed a hole into the bottom of the upturned jug, to allow faster flow... ran for cover and watched.. nothing came out, which is a good sign!
Oddly enough, both nests had been dug out a bit by some critter(possum or skunk)as bits of the internal nest were lying outside the hole... I Googled both animal's diets, and either one could have done it, looking for larvae.. I'll let you know how this worked!
Our Mulberry trees are huge, with a bumper crop of berries this year...It is better than a bird feeder, as it has attracted many birds, other wildife, and little neighbor kids! I'd love to hear their moms chewing the kids out for the stains that don't come out very easily!
Food post will be in a couple of days- much cooking this week-end!
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40 comments:
Yikes! I hate wasp bites! They can be so nasty!
too bad its not bumblebees, they are harmless and I like the buzzing sound!
Mona- If they are good for anything, I don't know what it is!
Mr.C- Loss of honey bees in this country is becoming a huge problem, as farmers need them to cross pollinate certain crops.. Bumble Bees are pretty cool, I agree..
We have mulberry trees, which I was astonished to discover when we moved in here. So much for the nursery song about the mulberry bush. My kids are required to come in through the mudroom and leave shoes at the door; this prevents mulberry and other stains year round. As for clothes, well, I hope you were wearing old duds!
Yuk I hate wasps! Some took over a nesting box we had in our garden so MWM sprayed some wasp killer in then boarded up the hole until there was no sound coming out then he took it down and burned it.
PS meant to say I hope your cure works.
I quite like Bees - they're a lot more docile. :)
Wasps scare me.
That sounds like a great solution...I used to live in the mulberry trees when I was a girl and my Ma would say have you been up in that tree again...with a straight face I would say no but of coarse the mulberry stains on my shirt and face told another story...
We have sandy soil too but I don't think I've seen the wasps in the ground like that. I've seen bee holes though.
Our wasps love to nest under the wood railings of the deck.
Marjie- I cut them down many times, but all I was doing was pruning them, I guess..
Ake- We'll see... getting more ammonia, just in case!
Kate- Well, let's just say I have great respect of their abilities to make me hurt if I screw with them!
Darngirl- We have some stains, where the dog came in after being over by the tree..
Blue- Lots of different wasps- we have mainly two- paper, and digger..
I miss fresh mulberries. You should see if you could cook up something like mulberry jam or wine. Not sure if either exists but they sound good.
Sornie- The flavor is good, but the fruit is small, and difficult to harvest... Stains like crazy! I've been told, to spread a sheet of plastic or cloth under the tree and shake the crap out of it- when the majority of the berries become ripe...Me, well I like the wildlife being sustained better than me making another mess in the kitchen!
More great ideas...but let us know how it works!
I'm looking forward to your weekend post/pics. Happy Friday! :)
Scarlet- Menu shaping up- Looks like meatballs in Asian sauce, smoked salmon(chunks with dip) and chicken wings, with sauce... all food groups- meat, fish, and poultry! Carnivores, unite!
Those are the same as yellow jackets, right? Mean little bastids. Their sting isn't as bad as a single hornet or other kind of wasp, but they always hit in groups. I got hit by 3 at my parent's cabin in the Smoky Mountains two years ago. My father and father in law have both been hit by group attacks while mowing too.
I hate wasps - they're mean! Hope your ammonia trick worked...that might be a great idea to rid my flower bed of voles, too...might have to try that! Especially with the dogs I can't do insecticides or poison, either.
We have a mulberry tree - while I've entertained the thought of turning them into wine, I've let the birds have at them instead. They do make a mess! :)
Chris- It's looking like the ammonia does work... Gotta smoke some salmon today!
Stacy- If anyone could make a decent wine from mulberries, I do believe it would be you!
I just had a half dead mulberry tree taken down from my Moms last week. I hated that tree growing up as it was soooo messy and I had the job of sweeping daily during berry dropping season, so we didnt drag the berries into the house.
Have a great weekend!
Helene- The hardest lesson of Life I ever learned, was to just let it live, leave it alone, and let it grow.. who was I, to interfere with The Big Plan? Funny.. as you grow older, you start to realize how little control you really ever had!
Be well, and enjoy your Holiday week-end!
Can your wife call my wife and get her to mow the lawn? I guess my question is too late now, what with the wasp incident and all.
I am going to cook up a storm this weekend too!! I plan to get out the fall recipes - chili, spaghetti, chicken chili...
My neighbor used to pour gasoline down the hole and light it. He was missing a few brain cells. And eyebrows!!
Gene- After being married since forever, my wife and I have established a division of labor that works! I cook, and she does the yard work!
Hit40- Have first place trophies in white or red chili... want recipes? I can help! Gas works well, but then again- so do the Med Centers... Have a great no-Labor day week-end!
I'm so glad you got them. I absolutely hate wasp bites. I'm allergic too, so I would have been in deep trouble if that had happened to me.
Jen- I have to do one of the nests again...yipee! Have a nice Holiday!
Wifey and 2 friends from Alabama left for the UP yesterday.
My son went camping with some friends.
That left ole G-Man with week-end Doggie and Cat duty..
Well, there IS a little something going on in A-Square at 3:30 pm Saturday...hehehehehe
G-man- Do it! M Go Blue!
We always found huge wasp nests over our back door and dad would use gasoline to kill them all. Yuck! Never heard of wasp holes in the ground. Scary - for the dogs and the neighbors' kids!
Jamie- They attack in a swarm! Mean little devils, that will start more nests if not controlled...
There's not much in life that's more effective than two one gallon jugs !
Damn straight! How's Donna? That was you buddy...I wish I was younger, or you were older- the party would make the front page! Kick buttlick week-end wishes to you and yours!
It is PERFECT weather for some outdoor grillin'. :-)
Lilu- Hope your week-end is food filled, and relaxing!
allergic to the stings - I just stay away- its a mutual thing!
I kill spiders because I hate them.. I kill wasps because they hate me! After that, I'm really not a bad man...
That's funny I can't beleive the dog at the mulberrys ...Did he lie like me and denied it?
we are having a problem with wasps from me twat neighbours apple tree.... if Ive lobbed one rotten apple over the fence I must of lobbed about 50 LOL - oh hush, Im only returning what last year he said was his LOL
We have something called a hoverfly that digs its nest in our lawn......... what a dam pest they have been this non summer...... boiling water seems to of done the trick though :)
you have mulberries? like in the kids nursery rhyme :) oh my lol
x
I say throw a bomb down those holes. I hate any stinging, flying creature there is!
Hope the ammonia works and their gone for good!
DogB- I'm re -treating it soon, one worked the other one not as well.
Darngirl- What an Airedale does is anybody's guess- she doesn't even know until she does it!
Marmy- Our wettest summer in a long time..Surprised they didn't get flooded out!
Megan- If I had some M-100's I would have blown them up!
Hey Man!
I'm officially a stalker. Been reading over a Scarlet's for a long time now. Hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of putting you in my favs. Don't worry- I get about as much traffic as Paris Hilton gets from Jehovahs' Witenesses!
However I always like to ask permission first, and will gladly remove it!
J
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