Wasps

[Alex]

I've got one of these Bling door bells and last week the bell rang, I looked on the camera and it was a bloody fly or wasp, or other creature magnified as it was sitting on the camera lens. Yuk.

[Mups]

I've got my artificial wasps nest thingy hanging outside the back door now.
Only thing is,  I have to get it in if it rains as they are only made of a sort of papery stuff.

Does anyone else ever use these things?


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waspinator-Amazing-Wasp-Repellent-Twin/dp/B001UABS2S/ref=sr_1_6?

[klondike]

These are more fun...

https://amzn.eu/d/0xIST2L

[Mups]

These are more fun...

https://amzn.eu/d/0xIST2L

What does it do?  Do you 'shoot'  them with salt water?

[dextrous63]

The AI thingy informs me of several types of plant deter wasps Mups.  Given your green fingers, might be worth growing some.

[klondike]

What does it do?  Do you 'shoot'  them with salt water?

No you load it up with table salt, pump it then aim and fire. Need to be close but it spreads so accuracy isn't all that critical.

P.S. It was a tongue in cheek suggestion.

[JBR]

We had a wasp nest last year in our loft.  Fortunately, it was in a remote part at the far end of the building, so we never saw wasps in the part of the loft which we use for storage.  To be fair to the wasps, although they could usually be seen coming and going from under a tile at the corner of the house, they never seemed to come anywhere near us when we were outside, even going past their entrance/exit.

Nevertheless, Marge suggested we get in a pest control gentleman and we found one with good reviews.  He sprayed some 'stuff' into the entrance to their hive, which reduced numbers.  Unfortunately, they seemed to have survived and a few days later they were back in full force, so we called him back again.  This time, he must have used some stronger 'stuff' which worked.  Nevertheless, we did find the occasional individual in our kitchen which must have come in through a vent in the wall.  They didn't last long, and we haven't seen any since.

In all honesty, I now wish we hadn't bothered to have them dealt with.  After all, they had never done us any harm; just gone about their business keeping themselves to themselves.  I have never felt the need to attack anyone or any thing if they are not bothering me.  I certainly wouldn't do it again, even if wasps came back to the same place (though such a thing is apparently unlikely) this year.

(Apologies.  I do have a habit of posting too much information sometimes!)

[Mups]

The AI thingy informs me of several types of plant deter wasps Mups.  Given your green fingers, might be worth growing some

A link would be handy please, Dex?  
I don't know what an AI thingy is.

[Mups]

JBR,  out of the thousands of critters we share our planet with,  there are only three that I don't want anywhere near me  (or near my dogs either).

1.  is Rats
2.  is Snakes
3.  is Wasps

The rats are a menace chewing through cables, my shed door, and other things,  and their pee can spread Leptospirosis  (Weils disease),  to both me and my dogs.   
One of my very gentle German Shepherds sniffed at one once,  and the darn thing turned round and bit him. 
 It was only my dog howling with both fear, and pain that alerted me to what was going on,  and the rat was hanging off Biff's lips and wouldn't let go.    That dog had a heart of gold, and didn't understand why he was being attacked. He mouth poured with blood.
A trip to the vets for a quick injection and a cleaning of the wound followed.
I also know they have tried to get in my shed by their teeth marks on the bottom of the door.  If they get in there,  they will no doubt chew through my freezer wiring as well as start breeding.
I'm afraid they have got to go!

Snakes.   One day I was in the kitchen talking on the phone when I used to live on the farm,  back door open as usual,  when a snake came slithering through the doorway!   I didn't know whether it was an Adder or not,  but it scared me stiff knowing it was lurking around.   I wouldn't want any of us to get an Adder bite thankyou.

Wasps.  I detest.  I know they are supposed to be useful in gardens,  but I think they are more trouble than they're worth.   Unfortunately I  sometimes react very badly to Gnat bites each summer, and often end up on Penicilllin,   so I am very wary of getting stung as well!   
Also, if one of my dogs snaps at a wasp and it stung inside their mouth,  their throat and airways can swell and kill them!

So you see,  I don't feel as benevolent to these three critters as you do. 
 I would never hurt a Bee though,  nor Ladybirds, and most other things,  except I do swat flies that come indoors. 

[Mups]

P.S.    JBR,  I don't like those huge spiders that come in in the autumn either.   Then with the big bodies and thick legs . . .   shudder. 
As I was getting into bed one night,  and picked up my pillow to fluff it up,  one ran out from under my pillow, and ran down the bed -  Eeeeekkk. 

That might have walked over my face while I had been asleep!

However,  I don't kill spiders though,  because I have got a super battery-operated spider catcher which I have used for about the last 3 years and its brilliant.  I use it for Bees as well,  then just release them back outside. 

[JBR]

Some interesting points there, Mups.

Rats I can do without and, fortunately, have never actually seen one.  I would avoid killing one.

Snakes are a similar thing, in that I don't remember ever seeing one (other than in a zoo).  I wouldn't kill one.

Spiders really don't bother me.  Whenever I encounter one I let it go on its way as they are harmless (at least the ones in this country), even the big ones.  They almost inevitably run away when they see me (and it isn't because I am particularly ugly - in fact, I'm not!).  Neither do they do any harm to us or any of our possessions.  I certainly wouldn't kill one of them either.

As for wasps, I try to avoid them because I was stung once.  I can't blame it, though, because whilst repairing our conservatory roof one of the buggers managed to get into my right armpit and I must have unknowingly closed it and received a sting for my trouble.  So I wouldn't want to kill them either, unless absolutely necessary.

See?  I'm a really nice, harmless person, aren't I?

[Vlad]

I once had a camel spider crawl up my leg, I was wearing shorts, I think it intended to nest my pubes....there was much flapping of arms ..running around and screaming like a girlie till I finally got rid of it, my testicles left the area at the back of my jawbone and settled back in their bag quite some time later. It was huge..the spider that is...

[JBR]

I once had a camel spider crawl up my leg, I was wearing shorts, I think it intended to nest my pubes....there was much flapping of arms ..running around and screaming like a girlie till I finally got rid of it, my testicles left the area at the back of my jawbone and settled back in their bag quite some time later. It was huge..the spider that is...

Oh, the poor little thing (the spider).
Had you been as humane as I am, you'd have let it settle down there.  Had been lucky, it might also have had a collection of babies to bring up.
Of course, no washing there for a few weeks, but I don't think that would really bother you.  😱

[Mups]

Oh, the poor little thing (the spider).
Had you been as humane as I am, you'd have let it settle down there.  Had been lucky, it might also have had a collection of babies to bring up.
Of course, no washing there for a few weeks, but I don't think that would really bother you.  😱

It's rumoured he could grow potatoes down there. 

[Vlad]

Oh, the poor little thing (the spider).
Had you been as humane as I am, you'd have let it settle down there.  Had been lucky, it might also have had a collection of babies to bring up.
Of course, no washing there for a few weeks, but I don't think that would really bother you.  😱

This is a camel spider