I am trying to stop red jackets from habituating my gas grill.
I don't want to use poisons.
I have sprayed them with a soap solution, but they keep coming back and building nests.
Anything I can put in there that they won't like being around?
Thanks, Andy
Lot of bad reviews.
Like wasps using it instead of building their own nests.
I think wasps aren't stupid. They may be leery of the nest, but figure out quickly that it is not being used.
Andy
Then stop buying red jackets and putting them there. Perhaps you mean "yellow jackets"?
You have a pile of jackets on your grill and they are building nests? The soap was to clean the jackets? If there are actually bees in your grill were you trying to clean them?
Turn on the grill. Even if you have a pile of red jackets on the grill they'll burn up. If they are actually wasps or some other kind of bee, they don't like flames and one fully heated grill will do them in.
Not yellow jackets. Red jackets is the common usage in my area even if it isn't the scientific name.
Look up home made wasp spray to see what soap solution means.
Your ideas are rather silly.
Andy
Spaying a soap solution coats the nest and kills the wasps inside.
I'm thinking they are in the bottom section of the grill, not the upper cooking portion. That is the only way this makes sense to me.
No, the nest is above the grill.
I guess they like "their space." :-)
I put in a cotton ball soaked in White camphor.
Andy
You think turning on the grill is silly?
I did a Google search for red jackets. Saw lots of jackets, no bees.
There is a lot of confusion about bees, wasps and hornets, even among people who should know better. You really need to see the nest to sort them out if you are not willing to actually catch and examine the insect. Even then a google search will give you conflicting opinions about what they are.
I've heard of Yellow Jackets. Never heard of red ones. But whatever they are, the solution is simple in a grill. Find the nest and apply a lit propane torch to it. I even do that under the eaves on wooden siding, but you have to go fast or you can blister the paint and could even start a fire. But it only takes about 1/10th of a second of the flame and they are falling to the ground. I apply the torch a second time to the wasps that are on the ground. Then I knock down the nest and burn that too. I dont usually tell people this method because someone will probably start a fire (on wood). But on that grill, take your torch and blast away.
(It's best to do this after dark, thats when they are all in the nest and not likely to sting you).
I was referring to your other comments.
As to turning on the grill....
Lets examine that method.
I would have to get close enuf the turn it on.
Red wasps would view that as a threat and fly to sting.
Andy
They were actually red wasps.
Red jackets is slang.
I have no problem getting rid of the wasps using a soap water soln. from 10 ft away. I added some camphor oil to the mix.
What I will probably do is install screen mesh at openings.
Andy
Still a mystery as to what your red jackets really are. Are they red?
You've already been advised to do this in evening when the bees have all returned to the nest and aren't active.
if it isn't the scientific name.
I have a guy that does Bee Removal. I sent your email to him and this was h is reply.
?Limit their access via screen, steel wool, pipe caps, or grill cov er.? Sorry I couldn?t get more. I have a problem with them as well.
This guy?
Those guys are not particularly aggressive. usually you can knock the nest down with a broom. Just be sure you find the "guard" and engage him first. Maintain eye contact without any aggressive moves and the rest will go back to work. Then you can whack the nest. I have knocked them down with my hand. You have about 5 seconds to get 5 or 6 feet away. They are not likely to chase you. OTOH if these are the hornets (build an enclosed paper mache nest) they will chase you into a pond and wait for you to come up for air. As mentioned before, the only way to stop them is to plug up the holes. Usually that is the slot for the rotisserie in a grille hood.
None of those. I believe their bodies are all reddish.
I will take a pic if I am feeling brave.:-)
Andy
Sounds pretty nasty. Up here in the North East we have hornets. I had one attack me about 10 ft from the hive. Luckily it only got me a little through denim. So I got out my 12 foot bamboo pole, tied a jar of gasoline to it, added burning rag and poured on the hive. A big tower of flame was the end of that problem.
That might have been 50 years ago.
Now, I'd just turn on the grill.
My gas grill is a Brinkmann.
I just found out they went bankrupt.
No problem as I rebuilt my grille recently.
Andy
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