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Wasp

I have noticed that my plants seem to always have a few red wasps on them. They arent swarming them or anything but there are always 4 or 5 red wasps on them. I have been stung 4 times so far because I will be pulling stuff (dead leaves etc) out of them and not realize the wasp is on me, but as soon as I sit down BANG! I get a sting. Any ideas on how to get rid of them without hurting the plants? I almost got stung in my man place today :shocked: , the little booger was in my shorts and I took a few steps and the he stung me on my thigh very close to a place I really dont wanna be stung.. I am fed up with these little mofos :evil: .

This is the one that got me today, He won the battle, but I won the war :cool:
2011-07-17103037.jpg
 
I think I would give up growing peppers if I got stung 4 times a year by those hideous servants of Satan! Although, some might say the same about the scorpions that always seem to bite me here in the desert. LOL
 
We have TONS of buzzing, stinging things around here - teeny-tiny wasps to some that scare me to see the size of them, yellow jackets, and bees, bees, bees. There is a particular tree (not sure what kind it is) that is common in my neighborhood, and for a couple weeks a year while they're in bloom, all the buzzy stingy things absolutely swarm them. If you walk under such a tree, you can clearly hear the hum of all their wings, and you will find dead ones on the ground below - they tend to get upset with each other quite a bit during this time, too. Fortunately, they like the trees best, but then they also love the russian sage in my front yard - at least that limits the population in the back yard, which is where my pepper plants are.

If someone has a way to get rid of wasps and yellow jackets without also getting the bees, I'd love to know, too!
 
I have a ton of wasps on my plants, the black ones though. I just try to avoid them for the most part but sometimes I get pissed off at them for flying right at my face so I hit them with the hose. :eek: Fortunately I haven't been stung by one yet. The last time I got stung by one about 15 years ago my elbow swelled to about 3x its size so I'm a little spastic around them. :oops: I've seen some eastern cicada killers about 2 inches long too, those bastards are scary, they look like giant wasps or hornets. Freaked me the f out when one got in the house! I don't want to find out what that sting feels like...
 
I have a ton of wasps on my plants, the black ones though. I just try to avoid them for the most part but sometimes I get pissed off at them for flying right at my face so I hit them with the hose. :eek: Fortunately I haven't been stung by one yet. The last time I got stung by one about 15 years ago my elbow swelled to about 3x its size so I'm a little spastic around them. :oops: I've seen some eastern cicada killers about 2 inches long too, those bastards are scary, they look like giant wasps or hornets. Freaked me the f out when one got in the house! I don't want to find out what that sting feels like...

Thank you! Thats what was bugging me yesterday
 
Try a trap.I see people using meat or juice as bait.
Some use scented dish soap to get them.

http://completegarden.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/bee-safe-wasp-trap-how-to-make-your-own-for-free/
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-build-wasp-trap-under-minute-241956/

google link

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=wasp+traps+make+your+own&aq=1&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=wasp+traps&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=5d8c462a1728dc7c&biw=1024&bih=643
 
augh, they are everywhere at my house, or should I say were everywhere ;) Those cicada killers scared me so much before I realized that they don't sting you, haha
 
that's one mean looking wasp! I once got bit by a mosquito on the manhood. Itching drove me crazy but I was quite pleased with the swelling :)
 
Give the plants a good water spray before picking. When the bees get bad now and then a quick soak of the garden allows me time to do what I need to. Though the times I have done that were in the afternoon not full noon sun.
 
You could stop growing plants since that what is attracting them indirectly...I personally let the paper wasps do their thing, it is especially satisfying watching one find and grab a small hornworm and chew it into a masticated little ball and fly away to feed her family with its remains. Sometimes I see them just sipping up some water, but usually they are on the hunt, which is a GOOD THING. I do know that one must be careful, because they don't seem very forgiving/understanding when they get startled/interfered with by a giant human! They LOVE hornworms and other annoying little caterpillars though, that is good enough reason for me to let them be. I am not so appreciative when they murder my Monarch caterpillars though, but that's nature. Also, once the hornworms get past the 1" mark they can usually prevent themselves from becoming paper wasp prey by thrashing around.
 
Those cicada killers scared me so much before I realized that they don't sting you, haha

They may not be aggressive towards humans but the females can sting if provoked enough. I've read it's not a terribly painful sting but I don't want to find out. :P

My biggest annoyance this year is mosquitoes, the second I step outside the back door they instantly start prison raping my legs, it's like multiple bites every second. I can't even wear shorts out there anymore, it is ridiculous.
 
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