Pest Traps For Wasps: Yellow Jackets, Wasp Nests, Spray And Allergies

For those who suffer from a severe allergy to yellow jacket or wasp stings, keeping a living area free of these pesky insects is not just a good idea, but can prove to be life sustaining. Though the only way to dispose of a wasp nest is to destroy it, a wasp trap can help alleviate straggling yellow jackets from penetrating the human domain. To effectively protect the household from the minions of a backyard wasp nest, both a wasp trap and an arsenal of wasp killer should be handy. With the potential of multiple wasp stings to lead to death in humans with a wasp venom allergy, there are a multitude of companies which manufacture both wasp killer sprays and wasp traps.

Wasp traps vary in construction and size, though most are relatively inexpensive. Wasps and yellow jackets are the most territorial of the vespa species, and will not encroach upon another colony's turf. This noted, the most effective and impressive wasp traps, is in fact, not a trap at all. The appropriately dubbed Waspinator is a mock wasp nest created by the Walter Drake company. At 11.5 inches in height and 10 inches in diameter, this mock wasp nest is simply hung in the yard of any homeowner, and any scouting worker wasp who passes by will conclude the space is not for rent.

As the Waspinator does not guarantee the prevention of rough yellow jackets breaching the living space, a true wasp trap should be purchased in addition to a decoy. A person can crudely construct a wasp trap themselves, or buy a classy version that will double as lawn decoration. The basic elements of a wasp trap are equal parts sugar and water, and a difficult exit hole. Many manufactures claim to have a secret wasp formula, but what the flying demons are really after is sugar. Do not spend money on these wasp killer formulas, as they are as effective as sugar.

The wasp trap works in two very basic steps: First a wasp smells the sugar water and enters the trap;  and second the wasp cannot find its way out of the trap and drowns in the water. The most effective placement of a wasp trap is in the vicinity of a wasp nest, and far from human traffic. The benefit of a wasp trap or a wasp decoy, is the lack of harmful chemicals. However, should a person truly want to get medieval on a wasp nest, poisonous wasp killers are available.

The most popular of these wasp killing concoctions is Raid insect spray, although a bevy of lethal sprays can be purchased at grocery stores and home and garden shops nationwide. These wasp killer sprays are not only toxic to the bugs they are designed to kill, but humans as well. Desperate times do call for drastic measures, yet utmost safety should be exercised when using these sprays. Sprayers should avoid inhaling the product or getting it in their eyes.

To effectively eradicate a living space of a wasp nest, a conjunction of an effective wasp trap, a wasp nest decoy, and wasp killer spray should stop the ticking of any yellow jackets little heart. If a person chooses to use the direct approach of spraying down a wasp nest with wasp killer, this procedure should be executed early in the morning or at dusk when the nest nestles down for a long night's rest. If done correctly, this can ensure an eternal sleep for the angry wasps. If done ineffectively, a person is bound to fall victim to the wrath of an entire wasp nest, giving a whole new meaning to wasp trap. Kill in caution.


Sources:
"Earth Easy." January 2007. Eartheasy.com. 6 August 2007. http://www.eartheasy.com/live_natwasp_control.htm.

Sandersfeld, Tonya. "How to Use Wasp Traps." 5 November 2006. How to Do Things.com. 6 August 2007.
http://www.howtodothings.com/home-and-garden/a39 49-how-to-use-wasp-traps.html.

"NexTag." 6 August 2007. NexTag, Inc. 6 August 2007. http://www.nextag.com/wasp-spray/search-html.