Does anyone else out there have this problem with their greenhouse. I have a
12 x 12 greenhouse and have wasp that are wanting to build in there. Have already knocked down two paper houses of theirs but they are back. Does anyone have any suggestions besides that spray that shots out 20 feet or so. I have seedlings growing in there as well as plants and I just hate to be spraying that stuff all over the place.
Deann
Your greenhouse is beautiful!
I guess you could try those sticky traps, but then the wasps are going to die or if they find a way to get unstuck they are going to be really mad! Anything I can think of won't be save for your plants either. Maybe if I give you really bad advice, someone will finally answer with a good answer. LOL
At a local fruit stand, they make containers to catch those that sting. They cut 2 liter bottles and invert the lid part upside down into the bottle part. The bottom has a couple of inches of sugar water in it. They get in and can't get out. I know I have seen it full of bee creatures but for the life of me, I can't remember if the wasps liked it?
here are a few site to read through.
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/pests/g07391.htm
this site mentions some sprays containing permethrin which is also in spider mite sprays.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05525.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7450.html
Congratulations!! I had them in my greenhouse in Wisconsin. For twenty years they rebuilt every spring. They got shelter, I got a pest free greenhouse. If you really need to get rid of them, after removing the nest, smear petroleum jelly where it was attached. They won't be able to build there again. Jessamine PS I was never stung.
jessamine........I really don't want them in there, its hard to work as they are swooping down flying all over......I have looked and looked and can not find where they are building, Thats the whole problem, they are in there, but can not find the nest.
Deann
Deann, Pull up a chair and sit for a while and watch them. After a while you will discover a pattern that will lead you to the nest. They will not be flying randomly. they don't have the time. If they are buzzing around you they are just wating for their turn to enter the nest or their exit from the greenhouse is blocked or you are wearing perfume. Jessamine
Deann, I had one in my GH last year and it got stuck to a large yellow sticky paper. Joelle
I get them in my greenhouse, too. I use a jet of water to get rid of the nest. A wet wasp falls. I squirt the wasp with water until it falls on the floor tiles then step on it. It doesn't keep other from coming in, but it keeps them under control.
Veronica
Veronica.........you must be able to run fast......but I will try your method....they seem to have slowed down.....perhaps it was because we were having real warm days and the greenhouse felt good....but there are no nests....they are gone now...we knocked them down.....Thanks for your suggestion...
Deann
We have the infamous killer bees here. When a swarm endangers people, the firefighters spray them with a little dishwashing soap mixed with water in a pump-up sprayer. The soap makes the water wet the wings more effectively so they can not fly.
My greenhouse was full of wasp in early spring but they are all gone now. I too think it was just a place to DE-hybernate. Warm up . But I also have galvanized hoops which made it hard for them to nest. Now I just have Dragon flies and Carpenter Bees.
My wasp spray is a nice can of Carburetor Cleaner. It shoots far and the solvent drops them INSTANTLY! I can even drop them out of the sky while they're flying. I wait until dusk or dark when they are all sitting on the nest for the night, then open fire! Word of caution....they drop straight down the INSTANT it touches them, so don't stand under the nest when you spray....I would move plants away from under there too. Not exactly a "green" product, for sure, but boy does it work!
K
Kichinagirl........thanks......I will try that.....what I have been using is hair spray.....it makes thier wings stiff and they drop and can not fly......but it sounds like your stuff kills them....
Deann
A word of caution when using carburator cleaner. That stuff is flammable. Do not use it anywhere near an open flame. Soapy water does the same thing. It is not flammable. It will not harm plants or pets and it will kill the wasps.
Deann, was that greenhouse expensive? It's looks like my dream greenhouse!! You don't have to tell me, really! One of these days, oh one of these days I will have one!!
Nicole
Nicole.....the greenhouse was designed and built by my son in law who just likes to "tinker" with wood. He used a Cad program and made sure because I live in Northern Michigan the roof was designed for snow to slide off easy. The exterior of this greenhouse is all Redwood and the panels are made of double polycarbonate, which is sorta like thermopane only in plastic.
I do have a heater in there, propane and electric. The exhaust fan keeps it a pretty much what the thermostat says.
The greenhouse was a Christmas present from my kids, so they all chipped in on the cost of it, which he says was around $3,000.00. This of course did not include the heater, electric, water hookup and the exhaust fan. We put those in after it was built. I feel very blessed and fortunate to have such great kids to have done this for me.....here is another picture of the greenhouse taken in winter.
Deann
Deann,
What a beautiful greenhouse.
Wow!!! It's gorgeous!! Does he have a brother? HA HA HA!!!
Thanks for the second pic!
Nicole
ncgardenaddict.......LOL.....actually he is an only child....and I am still getting those &$@% wasp's in my greenhouse.....not as bad as earlier in the year, but one or two I have to dodge when I go in there....
Deann
Darn it!! Well maybe since he's so handy he can come over and fix your wasp problem!!
note to self......marry daughter off to handy guy......
:~D
Hee hee! My note will have to be, GROW my son to be a handy guy! LOL!!!
Kachinagirl.................Actually my son in law was a pilot for Delta Airlines....was a Capt. flew the 757 and just retired a year ago...but just loves to work with wood....That greenhouse was a real challenge to him. They live in Southern Indiana and I live in Northern Michigan. He built that greenhouse in pieces in his basement....and carted it up to Michigan on a flat car hauler trailer. The biggest pieces were the peak and the rest were the panels that were screwed together. I have a album in webshots showing how it went up.
Deann
What a great guy! And your greenhouse is lovely!
K
How sweet!!!!
