Wasps!

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Hello, I have a lot of wasp activity only about 18 inches from my pond, at the bottom of a fence. The pond is part above, part below ground...any ideas as to how I can deter/kill the blighters without hurting the fish? I've tried using a brown paper bag as a dummy nest but they've ignored it.
 

mrsclem

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Are they coming from an underground nest? There are sprays you can use to kill them off, best if done at night when they are all in the nest.
 
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Are they coming from an underground nest? There are sprays you can use to kill them off, best if done at night when they are all in the nest.
I can't tell whether they're nesting or collecting chewed wood to make a nest elsewhere. My worry is that sprays etc tend to be so toxic to fish.
 
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If you can get a Vacuum Cleaner, using it from a distance put it to the entry hole if there is one and just Vacuum them up... It's what I have done before with my Henry Hoover... After the bag was full I just emptied half a tin of fly spray into the pipe and within ten minutes they were all dead inside.
 

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I can't tell whether they're nesting or collecting chewed wood to make a nest elsewhere. My worry is that sprays etc tend to be so toxic to fish.
Don't use a regular spray. I was referring to the long distance sprays that send a solid stream of spray directly into the nest.
 
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Yeah... it depends on what we're talking about here. Yellow jackets are my nemesis. I'd pour gasoline on the nest and light it. (Just kidding... although I did watch my dad do exactly that one time!) If they're nesting in the ground, they're likely yellow jackets. Wasps and bees I just let them do their thing.

Those spray bottles will direct the spray pretty specifically so the pond should be fine. But do spray in the early evening when they're mostly back in the nest and be prepared to RUN! (If you're in any way unsure of your ability to get out of the area quickly, please hire a professional. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ANGRY HORNETS AND WASPS!)
 

addy1

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I had a underground yellow jacket nest right by the bee hives. Which is not good, they can kill a hive off.

I used three, stay as far away as you can, wasp spray cans. Really slowed them down, but did not stop them. Then a bucket of hot water and soap.......................poured quickly they were under a very large ornamental grass bunch. I pushed it in and tipped it.

Now I will admit I was wearing my bee suit doing this!
 
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I had a underground yellow jacket nest right by the bee hives. Which is not good, they can kill a hive off.

I used three, stay as far away as you can, wasp spray cans. Really slowed them down, but did not stop them. Then a bucket of hot water and soap.......................poured quickly they were under a very large ornamental grass bunch. I pushed it in and tipped it.

Now I will admit I was wearing my bee suit doing this!
yes, MOI(you)--I knew we had the right person for the job! WASP-busters!
 
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Are you talking yellow jackets or are you looking at brown or black wasps as they like mud and moisture and move to there nest with the mud. usualy never a issue and rarely sting , Yellow jackets are a different story eradicate them
 
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If they like a sugary water bait, adding 5% boric acid (cheap from dollar store) they will take the bait back to the nest and feed it to the larvae. If they do take the boric acid treat, the nest will fail in a few days time
 

addy1

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If they like a sugary water bait, adding 5% boric acid (cheap from dollar store) they will take the bait back to the nest and feed it to the larvae. If they do take the boric acid treat, the nest will fail in a few days time
Unless you are raising honey bees, they love sugary water bait!
 
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Placing the bait in a small enclosure with a wasp size entrance close to the wasps nests would cut out collateral damage
 

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Placing the bait in a small enclosure with a wasp size entrance close to the wasps nests would cut out collateral damage
You would never believe the small size of holes they can squeeze through. We use #8 hardware cloth to contain them 1/8 inch. And chew through anything they want to get through, well not concrete.
 

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