Wasp nest

[IanDB]

I've found a rather large (carrier bag sized) wasp nest in the loft space. I've left it until now in the hope that during the winter all the worker wasps will have died off. However, before donning all the gear and laying boards over the joists to get to it, has anyone had any experience of doing this before?

I don't want to start hacking into it to find it's still inhabited!

 

[JohnD]

you don't need to hack into it, you can spray it with wasp destroyer foam that kills them by soaking in

however, I am told they don't re-use old nests in a second year, so by next summer it should be empty and harmless.

they make quite an interesting display, you might find a biology teacher who would be glad of it.

have a good look round your loft for rotten wood that they may have been chewing up to make the paper from which the nest is built. perhaps you have a water leak.

 

[Diyisfun]

Yes..Just broke it up, it was empty.

 

[IanDB]

Thanks for that. Interesting point about trying to save it for a school demo. I'll see if I can get it out in one reasonable piece.

Happy Christmas.

 

[TicklyT]

We were told it was best to leave an old wasp's nest in situ to deter more wasps building another nest near it.

It worked!.. The next year they built a nest in the opposite corner of the loft that was totally inaccessible

 

[crazycanuck]

here in canada we successfully froze the nest using a co2 fire extinguisher the wasps don't like the cold and die or huddle in the center of the nest giving you time to remove it.
ps: don't use abc type it makes them mad.

 

[oompah]

It is only th Quenn wasp that survives the winter by hibernating all the workers die off with the first frost and lack of food.

 

[RF Lighting]

I hate 'em.

Here is a couple I've come across.

 

[foxhole]

here in canada we successfully froze the nest using a co2 fire extinguisher the wasps don't like the cold and die or huddle in the center of the nest giving you time to remove it.
ps: don't use abc type it makes them mad.

Co2 in a confined space, great idea, will kill wasps and you as well.
[And Canadian's say they are smarter the the US].

 

[IanDB]

RF Lighting - I'll take a picture of mine so we can compare sizes - if you get my drift.

The CO2 approach seems a bit extreme - not to be recommended. Anyway it's cold enough in my loft space as it is.

 

[tryingnottobeafool]

or pay a man £20 to get rid of them