Daily Living: Wasp Wars

The yearly wasp wars have begun..   this is good or bad depending on how  you look at it.  This year we put a trap up in Spring and caught a queen but also this year, paper wasps arrived on the scene, a species I have not seen in our yard before.  A couple of years ago I photographed a huge paper wasp nest at the Cowichan River, and later that summer they had to put yellow tape up and close down the swimming hole that so many people enjoyed, because of the wasps that had invaded the swimming hole area from that nest.  Here is a photo of it:

 

This was the first time I had seen a paper wasp nest.  Previously the ones that we were able to destroy where we live were little ones that looked like clay with lots of holes that belonged to yellow jacket wasps.  These nests were found tucked in the corners of our deck.  When I saw this nest I was thankful that paper wasps were not in our area, but this year that changed.  Earlier in Spring these paper wasps went about their business and didn't cause any problems.  But a couple of weeks ago their presence became dangerous.  At the entrance to the park where we live there is a lawn area with a little creek that rushes with water when it rains.  The lawn is regularly mowed and last time they posted flags with the notation "wasps" and when walking our dog I could see many of them hovering around the creek.  One night my husband went down with wasp spray and sprayed the area.  I haven't seen them there since then.  

However, our deck and backyard has had many wasps flying around.  I guess they are looking for food but I am allergic and cannot take the chance of being stung.  To that end we have hung two traps up, one was purchased and is catching a great many wasps, both paper and yellow jackets that must have been in the area but up until now, not seen.

 This trap is very simple, but it sure catches a lot of wasps, the other day we emptied it and put in fresh mango juice and very soon there were 5 wasps in it.  In this photo taken this morning, you can see another wasp who has just arrived.

We made this next trap from an empty salad dressing container.  I don't know whether or not it is the blue lid, or the writing on the side, or no canopy like the first one, but it has only caught one wasp.  I think that they prefer yellow.

 

So I guess the wasp wars will continue until the cold weather comes and kills them off.  I only hope that I can avoid being stung until then.

Here is an article on Paper Wasps, but I must admit, I did not watch the video.

 http://www.orkin.com/stinging-pests/wasps/paper-wasps/http://www.orkin.com/stinging-pests/wasps/paper-wasps/