Not really. I've found the wasp traps to work at keeping them down to reasonable numbers without crazy chemicals or threatening bees.
this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2024
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I thought it sounded too easy, but every article i read said it worked.
Any specific brand/style of trap you would recommend? I'd like to keep the bees for my trees and garden if possible and I'd rather save chemicals for an absolute last resort
It doesn't really matter which brand. They are yellow wasp traps sold at hardware stores. They use a little cotton disc soaked in attractant that lasts 4-6 weeks. The only issue is having to empty out the trap periodically. I think there's a WHO brand.
Are you in the southern hemisphere? If yes, wasps have an interesting feeding cycle that breaks when there are no more larvae around.
Adult wasps collect meat / other insects and feed it to the larvae. In turn, the larvae secrete a sugary substance, which the adults eat. Come fall, the queen stops laying so no more sugar for the adults. This causes the adults to go scavenging for carbs. That's not to say that adults won't cut out the middle man in spring and summer if the opportunity presents itself, but they don't have much choice come fall.
The last paragraph in the lifecycle and habits section talks about this.
If this is what's going on, traps help. That said, removing easy access to carbs will make it so fewer of them come visit in the first place.
Some cities have people that will come out and eradicate certain pests for free. I had ground-nesting yellowjackets in my last two houses, and someone took care of them for me each time at no cost. You have to know where they're coming from for that, though.
Can you find the home of the wasp. It depends on what country you live in,and the local laws, what you are allowed to, do but I think it helps to make a fake wasp nest with a paper bag. Then they will find a other place.