wasps in thatch roof

[beeatshellards]

any ideas on removing 2 wasps nests in our thatched roof under wire netting?
they have got inside the straw, and there is no visible sign of the nests, the thatch is about 1ft to 1ft6ins thick, the wasps burrow in

 

[Hivemaker.]

Burn them out with petrol...............only kidding.......if you can see where they are coming in and out you could try some of that ant and wasp killing powder,but i believe it would be best to just leave them really as long as they are no threat to you,they will die out in autumn and don't re use the same nests.

 

[beeatshellards]

we need to rethatch that part of the roof now, before the autumn and my hives are close by, if I spray will it harm my bees?

 

[Hivemaker.]

we need to rethatch that part of the roof now, before the autumn

Easy then..........pull it apart until you find the little buggers.

 

[viridens]

It sounds like you need to take action... If you don't want to pull the thatch apart and use a nest-killer spray or whatever, then-

I hate using poison, but when needs must...

You need to set up a container with poisoned bait so that the striped hooligans collect it and take it back to the nest to eventually destroy it. In the past I have had success by just sprinkling Rentokil PSW99 Wasp Killer Powder (Amazon about £5 if you can't find it a a garden center or whatever) onto crushed grapes in an ice cream tub with holes in it (wasps here are now in the 'sweet tooth' phase). Obviously, the bait needs to be something that does not appeal to bees, hoverflies etc.

Good luck.

I also found these more complicated instructions filed on my PC -I can't remember the source:

How to Make a Wasp poison trap.

This method will eradicate wasps or hornets and their nests within 1000 meters
without you going out to find each and every wasp nest to destroy them.
The principle is that foraging wasps take poisoned bait back to the nest to kill it.

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE WASP POISON TRAP
1. Container (can be a bucket, ice cream container, etc)
2. 4 skewers used for cooking meat long enough to go through one side of the container and out the other side.
3. Draw a line in center onside of container and a line directly opposite
this on the other side (180 degrees) drill 2 holes 6cm above bottom of
container 2cm apart 1 hole on the right side of the line 1 on the left side,
do this on the opposite side of container as well.
4. You will drill 4 more holes this time 2cm apart but 7cm from bottom on
the left and right of holes already drilled, then the 4 skewers go through
these holes the food will not roll off as you have created a cradle.
5. Wasp killer dust containing carbamate (Rentokil PSW99 Wasp Killer Powder) or permethrin will be needed as a poison in this trap.

6.Bait depends on the time of year. A can of dog or cat food, liver, etc early in the year or very ripe fruit later. These baits will not attract bees.

7. Under the cradle there is a gap.
On the bottom of the container you will sprinkle the dust (poison), do not
over do it as the Wasps need to make it back to the nest to spread the poison and kill the whole nest.

Do not get the poison on the cradle or you will put the Wasps off, put the
food onto cradle and put it out away from kids or animals but where
you have a Wasp Problem.

The system relies on greedy Wasps tearing off big pieces and dropping them into the bottom of the container before retrieving them before taking off to the nest with now poison coated food.

This System works so well it will destroy most Wasp Nests in under a week,
without you finding a single Nest, regardless of where the Wasps are coming
from as the wasps deliver the poison to the nest.

 

[beeatshellards]

we are going to remove some of the thatch, so powder might do if they are not too far in, other than that I will go to plan B (VIRIDENS) THANKS FOR QUICK REPLIES

 

[Midland Beek]

Viridens: You reckless poison trap idea is something the Nazi's at Treblinka might have been proud of. And any pest control operative up to such tricks is likely to be transgressing operating protocol regarding the use of poisons.

And your use of terms like 'striped hooligans' and 'greedy wasps' is pathetic.

 

[Midland Beek]

Do not get the poison on the cradle or you will put the Wasps off, put the
food onto cradle and put it out away from kids or animals but where
you have a Wasp Problem.

The system relies on greedy Wasps tearing off big pieces and dropping them into the bottom of the container before retrieving them before taking off to the nest with now poison coated food..

Jesus Christ ... it gets even more worrying.

What if wasps or hornets carrying little bits of poisoned meat - and a hornet could carry quite a bit - do not make it back to nest and morsel of meat ends up on the ground? It could get eaten by a badger or a fox or a bird of prey or a cat or someone's pet dog. And there could be a number of these small fragments of poisoned meat in any area.

I am not someone with knowledge of the dangers, if any, that insecticide poisons pose to mammals, but surely anyone with half a brain would be concerned at any use of 'open source' wildlife poisons.

 

[RoseCottage]

I think the easiest approach is to call a pest controller...about 40 pounds and all done safely In a minute. I too have thatch and have dealt with the same situation.

No mess, no collateral damage, no problem.

All the best,
Sam

 

[milkermel]

OK let me get on my soap box again!!

GET A PEST CONTROLLER IN!!!

They will be able to treat it with professional grade powder - no you cant get it on the internet! you have to be qualified and trained. This stuff kills them quickly and effectively.

Dont use the big boys, they will charge £100 + depending on what area you live. find a local sole trader who had profession pest insurance. NOT insurance allocated to hunting world its an indicator that they are professional not just have a goers!

Ask what price they are charging then mention you think you may have two in the same roof and if they will charge extra to deal with the second nest.

I would expect you to be looking at around £30 to £50 But they have the correct stuff and should be insured.

If you had called them yesterday then they should have been dead by today!!

 

[Flatters]

I had to remove a nest at work from a pallet of material that had been left in the yard. I just sprayed the entrance with the Wasps nest powder (Nippon or Rentokil). £2.99 from Homebase. I did this on two days in the morning and the nest was removed the following morning. It is very effective but use a mask when puffing the powder and get rid of debris so the birds don't pick off the remains.

 

[beeatshellards]

thanks for the replies certainly will think carefully about what action to take, I dont want to destroy any wildlife in the neighbourhood or the local pet population