Huge wasp nest - help!

[David Combs]

sounds pretty bold to me. Suppose you're nervous while doing it, and screw up, and the nest falls into the room, or something.

I think for $125 or a bit more you can buy a professional anti-bee suit. Maybe even $200.

Also consider that these Africanized bees keep moving further north. Suppose you get a nest of those sometime?

Not that I'm about to try this, but my father, out in West Texas, when there was a yellow-jacket nest up under the eves of the house, would get a long pole, wire some newspapers around the end, light 'em, and with big flame going would quickly stick it up under the next -- all the yellow-jackets would fall down to the ground, and he'd stomp them dead.

And he'd do that in the middle of the day -- no waiting til night or early morning.

David

[willshak]

David Combs wrote the following:

How long did it take for the fire department to get there to put out the house fire? And you said my idea was bold. Maybe so, but at least it was not stupid. BTW, the message you responded to is a month old.

[Steve B]

You can go to the hardware store and see how they're made.

All you need is a Mason jar, quart size. Drill a small hole dead center to insert a wire, then tie a knot in the wire inside the lid. Start with a wire long enough to suspend the trap. Go to McDonald's. They have about the biggest straws around. Cut four 1.5" pieces, and drill four holes in the top of the lid that these short pieces will fit through, but just barely. You can use some hot glue, or some caulk to seal them in. Poke them about half way through. You have a $9 wasp trap. Bait it with apple juice. We stayed at our summer cabin for two months during summer one time, and I tried all kind of soda pops, and juices, and apple juice worked the best. Put in enough so it is about 1.5" deep. They go in through the straws, fly around, not finding out how to get back out the small straw opening, tire, and fall in the juice and drown. Hang it in the shade, or make a little hat for it so it doesn't get so hot that when they land on it, they take off before entering the hole. On the underside of eaves is good, or around entrances where you want to keep clear of wasps. They work pretty good.

Steve