So, the spot I have chosen to place my pots is the same exact spot that a wasp has decided to build its nest. I'm torn as to what to do. I really don't have a better place to put my plants, so they need to stay there. And I hate to kill the wasps as they are good predators. So what would you all do? Should I get rid of the nest, or should I just try my best to not piss them off? I'm leaning torward coexisting, but I know that the proximity of my plants to their nest is so close that I run a real risk of seeming like a threat.
-
Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.
Wasp nest right next to my pots
- Thread starter compmodder26
- Start date
Buy a fake wasp nest. Wasps are territorial and will take off if there is signs of another nest around,especially a bigger nest. It seems to work well for me although some reviews say they don't work at all
http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0593500P/bee-free-bee-free-natural-wasp-deterrent-2-pk-reviews/reviews.htm
http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0593500P/bee-free-bee-free-natural-wasp-deterrent-2-pk-reviews/reviews.htm
Hmm, seems as though it might work for keeping them from building a nest, but I wonder if it would work for an already established nest. I have noticed that there are cells in the hive that are already sealed up. So I'm thinking eggs have already been laid. The queen might be more apt to stay now.
Both. I don't mind wasps. Just not a nest in such close proximity to my pots. I mean the nest is literally only a couple of feet from my pots. I like the benefits of them in that they are predators of non-beneficial insects. But yesterday I got up close and personal with the queen and she made it pretty evident that she didn't like me being so close to her nest.
Indeed. That's why I'm leaning toward coexisting with them. Just wanted to get others opinions on what they would do.
As an entomologist that has studied wasps, I will give an "expert" opinion that fake wasp nests do jack(nothing). I have personally observed up to three hornet nests (Dolichovespula maculata) in one tree twice in my lifetime, I have also observed clusters of active paper wasp (Polistes) nests in favorable spots. There is no scientific, peer reviewed data that I know of that proves these fake nests do anything. You can go years without observable nests near your house and then suddenly have nests everywhere another year, and vice versa.
If it is P. fuscatus you could coexist easily, however if it is P. exclamens (spelling?) or dominulus it may be a bit tricky to coexist peacefully.
I would give it a try, just be careful.
If it is P. fuscatus you could coexist easily, however if it is P. exclamens (spelling?) or dominulus it may be a bit tricky to coexist peacefully.
I would give it a try, just be careful.
Just to clarify for everyone, this is a paper wasp that I'm dealing with.
AlabamaJack
eXtreme
destroy the nest and they will rebuild somewhere else...just use a long pole or something to knock it down then run like the wind...
HwyBill
Banned
Where do entomologists publish, btw?
I'd like to check out some of those papers.
I'm not sold on the fake wasp nest theory. The house I moved into had multiple nests from different species clustered inches from each other on my front porch entryway. In the garage were around 50 or so mud wasp hatcheries along side of paper nests. Go into the garage and the wasps would be flying around thicker than flies on a fresh turd.
The apt. we moved out of before the house was even worse. They'd get into the garage as described above and on the back patio would crawl up under the outdoor base boards and into cracks underneath the upstairs patio deck. You didn't even want to go out there.
I never messed with them much at the apt. other than killing them in the garage as they built nests on everything from some stored steel shelving to boxes of stored household goods. A real mess and nuisance. The new house now is wasp free. I tore down all the old paper nests and cleaned out the garage and knocked off all of the mudhuts. There were at least 30 of those on the garage door alone on the inside. Its now the season they are looking around to set up a new club house where they can sharpen their knives and plot their destructive ways. Killed 2 big black mothers in the garage yesterday and smashed a paper wasp nest that one was building outside on one of the eaves.
A good stiff broom works great on the paper units and the wood end works on the mudhuts. The thing is they don't kill pests in my yard and then use them as food for their alien baby's. They fly off to parts unknown and import their victims to my house and try to set up shop.
Killem' all I say. I've been stung by wasps plenty of times and its no fun. Word to the wise my wasp friends....
....this is MY DADGUM HOUSE!!
The apt. we moved out of before the house was even worse. They'd get into the garage as described above and on the back patio would crawl up under the outdoor base boards and into cracks underneath the upstairs patio deck. You didn't even want to go out there.
I never messed with them much at the apt. other than killing them in the garage as they built nests on everything from some stored steel shelving to boxes of stored household goods. A real mess and nuisance. The new house now is wasp free. I tore down all the old paper nests and cleaned out the garage and knocked off all of the mudhuts. There were at least 30 of those on the garage door alone on the inside. Its now the season they are looking around to set up a new club house where they can sharpen their knives and plot their destructive ways. Killed 2 big black mothers in the garage yesterday and smashed a paper wasp nest that one was building outside on one of the eaves.
A good stiff broom works great on the paper units and the wood end works on the mudhuts. The thing is they don't kill pests in my yard and then use them as food for their alien baby's. They fly off to parts unknown and import their victims to my house and try to set up shop.
Killem' all I say. I've been stung by wasps plenty of times and its no fun. Word to the wise my wasp friends....
....this is MY DADGUM HOUSE!!
Where do entomologists publish, btw?
I'd like to check out some of those papers.
There are way too many journals to list, but I recommend using google scholar to search for specific topics and species. Most Universities with a Biology (including entomology) department have access to many of these journals online or to actual hard copies in a University library.
Maybe my opinion is biased as I am allergic to stings. Knock em ,burn em or spray em. No shortage of wasps. Honey bees I would be nicer too.
If it were bees I would say try to coexist. Can't say that with wasps. My experience with them, as a kid many years ago, is they are very protective of what's theirs and if you appear to be a threat they will attack. There was a nest of them under a neighbors window awning and there would be "guards" in the evergreen bushes just below it. If you got close to the window the guards would come out of the bushes with malicious intent.
TBH I would kill it.. .I'm usually all for coexisting with animals and treating them super kindly, but you are at risk of death here tbh... If they swarmed you you could be in serious trouble or at least insane pain. Not worth it imo.. If you happen to have animals or other family members, I would also get it removed immediately. If you decide to do it yourself with a spray or something, be careful because oncei sprayeda wasp nest and they all came flying out. I got indoors without getting stung or chased but I watched them all come shooting out and going nuts and then dropping like ... well..... wasps that had been hit with Raid. Next morning, there were tons of them all over my backyard dead.. was kinda hateful but a relief since they were everywhere alive before.
I have leanred to peacefully coexist with the jumping spiders, orb weavers, and honeybees that just like to live in my yard or fly by but I wouldnt allow a nest of any of them if I found it. Those however, are beneficial. The jumping spiders kill wasps and such, the orbs kill mosquitos and wasps, and the bees pollinate my fruiting plants and give me the opportunity to get basil seeds and other fruits from my trees.
But one thing I have always said is, the saying "They won't bother you if you don't bother them." doesnt really apply like people assume because you dont have to go poke at them or get into a political argument with them to BOTHER them. Being in their vicinity is bothersome and threatening enough.
Good security system huh hahahaha
I have leanred to peacefully coexist with the jumping spiders, orb weavers, and honeybees that just like to live in my yard or fly by but I wouldnt allow a nest of any of them if I found it. Those however, are beneficial. The jumping spiders kill wasps and such, the orbs kill mosquitos and wasps, and the bees pollinate my fruiting plants and give me the opportunity to get basil seeds and other fruits from my trees.
But one thing I have always said is, the saying "They won't bother you if you don't bother them." doesnt really apply like people assume because you dont have to go poke at them or get into a political argument with them to BOTHER them. Being in their vicinity is bothersome and threatening enough.
Good security system huh hahahaha
I just slap on my camo thong they ignore me !!!
You all make good points. Like I said before, the queen has already chased me away once. I'm not sure what would happen after there are bunch of drones living there too.
Hmm, I might take AJs advice and just knock it down and hope they build somewhere else.
Hmm, that might cause my neighbors to relocate instead of the wasps. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps it would be neighbors directly behind me with their dogs that incessantly bark when I step foot outside.
Hmm, I might take AJs advice and just knock it down and hope they build somewhere else.
Hmm, that might cause my neighbors to relocate instead of the wasps. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps it would be neighbors directly behind me with their dogs that incessantly bark when I step foot outside.