# Paper Wasps



## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

Please help!! Every summer we have terrible issues with paper wasps hanging out under our eves right by the front door. We’ve had our house professionally sprayed, I’ve tried ever kind of trap and bait known to mankind and they’re never interested in the bait, I’ve tried vinegar, peppermint oil, straight up raid and nothing keeps them away. I’ve even caulked and foam filled all the little cracks and gaps they seem to be attracted to. With summer fast approaching they’re already starting to show up. I’m ready to take back my porch so I can actually use my beautiful deck without fear. Any suggestion would be much appreciated!!!


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I suspect that you have a queen trapped in there somewhere, and this is her colony trying to get to her.

A decent insect team should have found the queen and either killed her, or moved her to a different location.

Have you looked in the attic area, for the main hive?


ED


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

I thought that was a possibility too but it’s been sealed up for over two months now so she surely would have died. The pest control company said they couldn’t do much since we couldn’t locate the actual nest. We have a lot of trees around that seem to attract the wasps but we haven’t spotted any nests so far...


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Is this the type of nest we're discussing?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Is this the type of nest we're discussing?


They like to hide them in dark little spaces.

Like hanging from the rafters, in the space between the soffit, and the roof.

Sometimes very hard to locate.


ED


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

We haven’t been able to locate a nest. They just come and hang out under the eves. An old nest was taken out about two years ago before we moved in so I know they’re used to the area but I don’t think they’ve established a nest yet. I’ve used every repellent possible to make sure they don’t build one and to try to get them to stop hovering around. We have to run in and out of the door because they just sit under the eves and buzz around all day but don’t seem to actually be doing anything.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

ASquires said:


> We have to run in and out of the door because they just sit under the eves and buzz around all day but don’t seem to actually be doing anything.


Those are probably the* - guards - *for a lack of a better word in my limited bugology vocabulary. I would expect the nest to be hidden in close proximity.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

I haven't been driving around much for obvious reasons. As I started up my truck on Friday, I watched a paper wasp crawl into the outside rear view mirror housing on the right side. They like to do things like that on outdoor vehicles that sit for more than a few days. I found an old nest on the top of the underside-mounted spare tire a few years ago.

We also get mud wasps here, they often build their little mud nurseries in the corners of the garage.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

ASquires said:


> Please help!! Every summer we have terrible issues with paper wasps hanging out under our eves right by the front door. We’ve had our house professionally sprayed, I’ve tried ever kind of trap and bait known to mankind and they’re never interested in the bait, I’ve tried vinegar, peppermint oil, straight up raid and nothing keeps them away. I’ve even caulked and foam filled all the little cracks and gaps they seem to be attracted to. With summer fast approaching they’re already starting to show up. I’m ready to take back my porch so I can actually use my beautiful deck without fear. Any suggestion would be much appreciated!!!


Asquires, can you get a picture of an actual wasp that's hanging out? Stick in a jar?

There's different kinds of wasps that make paper nests; some are hornets (fierce buggers) others are much easier to get along with.


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

Hey I cant seem to find the photo of the one I managed to kill. But they look just like hornets aside from their antennas being yellow. Which from all the research I’ve done seems to indicate that they’re paper wasps.


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

They also eat the wood off of our deck despite whatever I spray it with.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@ASquires, sounds like they're paper wasps with a nest somewhere else that are using your home as a source for making paper.

What's your general location? City/state?


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

That’s what I’m thinking but I’m unable to locate their nest. Also we’ve sprayed everything and had our house professionally sprayed so I’m not sure how to deter them from using our home haha we live in San Luis Obispo California. I’ve tried the pheromone traps that are supposed to be tailored to specific regions with no luck either... they get quite aggressive since they like to hang out right above our front door and we’re unable to use our porch.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Wasp, hornets and even bumble bees aren't usually aggressive when feeding but when we disturb the nest, in close proximity to it or if one drops down our shirt collar at a door way when it is too cold to fly well that's when we're in trouble.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

ASquires said:


> That’s what I’m thinking but I’m unable to locate their nest. Also we’ve sprayed everything and had our house professionally sprayed so I’m not sure how to deter them from using our home haha we live in San Luis Obispo California. I’ve tried the pheromone traps that are supposed to be tailored to specific regions with no luck either... they get quite aggressive since they like to hang out right above our front door and we’re unable to use our porch.


Hmm.

They're probably not as aggressive as they appear, on the one hand. Their bold colors and flight patters make them appear aggressive, sometimes.

On the other hand, there's many good reasons to be cautious. One super annoying habit that wasps have is going after meat you also want to eat to feed their larvae. (Bees, by contrast are totally vegan.) That includes the burger, hot dog, etc., you're trying to eat. They also go after "road kill" etc. So, two good reasons not to want them on your porch. 

I think the best solution will be to screen in your porch. We used to do that all the time in Ohio for the reasons described in the preceding paragraph and also to keep out the legions of flies. 

Here in California, flies aren't (usually) nearly the problem they are in Ohio and elsewhere.


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## ASquires (Mar 30, 2020)

I live in an apartment so screening in the porch isn’t really an option, plus it would be incredibly expensive. I’ve tried meat baits for the wasps too but they completely ignore them. I was hoping there was some secret wasp society repellent someone discovered that was magical and would share with me.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

This isn't any secret but it usually works on contact.


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## RanK2 (Feb 19, 2020)

DoomsDave said:


> Hmm.
> 
> They're probably not as aggressive as they appear, on the one hand. Their bold colors and flight patters make them appear aggressive, sometimes.
> 
> ...


To your point: I have wasps on my property every year. I have a few varieties. I never spray. At most, when the season is over and the nest abandoned, I'll knock it down. ...... They have much more important things they need to do than bother humans. The only time they will react is if their nest (youngins) are threatened. I have passed by, and even worked withing a couple feet of a nest. ..... Once they know you are no threat, are used to you, they pay you no mind. In 15 years on this rural property, I have never been stung. 

Now fortunately, I've never had Yellow Jackets ....... that's a 'different' issue.

I also have a fig tree of which I have to compete with honey bees each year to get figs. They are a nuisance, but they just buzz around trying to get their share and never bother me.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

SeniorSitizen said:


> This isn't any secret but it usually works on contact.


Be careful to use your Covid Face Screen. You don't want that stuff in your eyes!


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

RanK2 said:


> To your point: I have wasps on my property every year. I have a few varieties. I never spray. At most, when the season is over and the nest abandoned, I'll knock it down. ...... They have much more important things they need to do than bother humans. The only time they will react is if their nest (youngins) are threatened. I have passed by, and even worked withing a couple feet of a nest. ..... Once they know you are no threat, are used to you, they pay you no mind. In 15 years on this rural property, I have never been stung.
> 
> Now fortunately, I've never had Yellow Jackets ....... that's a 'different' issue.
> 
> I also have a fig tree of which I have to compete with honey bees each year to get figs. They are a nuisance, but they just buzz around trying to get their share and never bother me.


Nice to meet you!

Where yat? :vs_cool:

You illustrate the differences between Small Nest Wasps and Big Nest Wasps. The latter are fearful, little flying Huns with poison darts in their butts. Which they use very very freely.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

DoomsDave said:


> Be careful to use your Covid Face Screen. You don't want that stuff in your eyes!


Mask + motor cycle helmet with full face shield.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

And, tell children to stay away from the nests, to avoid what happened to me when I was 9, so long ago.

Got tackled playing kiddie football near a yellow jacket nest. Lots of loud buzzing, followed by intense pain. Ahhh, if you're a masochist . . . .

And avoid the pain of a friend, who said, "Dave! You okay?" then screamed after the wasps flew up his shorts and stung him in the Euphemism.


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