Skin-so-Soft by Avon, or even WD40 sprayed at a wasp will kill it eventually. Zap them with the spray and then swat them dead. Much better than fly/wasp killer as that is toxic, especially if it lands on your food, WD40 smells much nicer!
I tend to leave them alone when possible. Quite fascinating (and useful) creatures. I try to deter as offensive tactics often only attract more. Some tactics i use to not attract/anger them in the first place:
• Avoid bright colours
• Avoid perfumed odours (deodarant, hairspray, skin-so-soft, air freshener, etc)
• Minimise food/drink smells
• No quick movements like flapping arms - makes them angry/defensive
• Stay away from old/dead/rotten wood in spring/early summer as they use to build their nests
Not tried hanging a fake nest but will (apparently only work for foraging/scout wasps looking for a nest site, if you put them up near an already established nest then the whole hive will come out for war)
I'm not sure about the pheromone theory and whether wasps atract others when killed or using sting. But I don't risk it by splatting them.
Everyone thinks wasps are nasty, they're not really. Just predatory insects going about business - no more of a threat to us than bees really. Hornets on the other hand are pure spite with wings.
Sorry thunders but if I stopped doing all the things you suggest they still wouldn't leave me alone!!
I can be sitting with a large group of family and friends and they will still make a beeline(sorry for the pun!!) for me!! Although not dangerous I do have a nasty reaction to being stung.....so an electric tennis racquet it is!!
Ignore them. I've sat and had a wasp, or several wasps land on my arms and after deciding I was not good to eat they left. Other people flapping their arms around seemed to attract loads of them. Sit still and act like you don't care and they will find you totally uninteresting.
They are useful to quote this web site wasps provide extraordinarily important ecological services, including pollination, predation, and parasitism.
------------- We camped for years. In 2019 we bought an Elddis Avante 454. We like it as it is short (6.9m) and fits in our driveway and has a fixed bed.
We had 127 nights away in the caravan in 2023.
Quote: Originally posted by fredted on 25/7/2014
Sorry thunders but if I stopped doing all the things you suggest they still wouldn't leave me alone!!
I can be sitting with a large group of family and friends and they will still make a beeline(sorry for the pun!!) for me!! Although not dangerous I do have a nasty reaction to being stung.....so an electric tennis racquet it is!!
check out you personal things.ie soap,lacquer,shampoo, anti-perspirent, perfume.
They are encouraged by you smell as well as what you wear if it can look anything to do with flowers etc colour or shape your get hit on.
Totally agree with those Hornets they go for you and all else like everything and everyone is their enemy.
I hate wasps,no use at all,in nature one insect or animal eats another,thats how it works,what the hell eats a wasp.All they do is hang around bins and your pint and p**s us off.They should be extinct.We dont need them
Answer (from newscientist.com):
Several species of dragonflies (Odonata); robber and hoverflies (Diptera); wasps (Hymenoptera), usually the larger species feeding on smaller species, such as social paper wasps (Vespula maculata) eating V. utahensis; beetles (Coleoptera); and moths (Lepidoptera).
Numerous species of birds, skunks, bears, badgers, bats, weasels, wolverines, rats, mice and last, but certainly not least, humans and probably some of our closest ancestors.
And, since the yeast in their guts survives the winter before being put back in the wild, there is an argument that the pint of yours they are bothering wouldn't even exist without wasps
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Topic: Getting rid of wasps
