Wasp trap - suggestions please

After catching almost 100 wasps in three traditional jam jar traps this morning - I assume some kind neighbour has a nest of which they are unaware - any and all suggestions on the latest spec would be much appreciated.

Jim

I'm Thinking some kind of hi res camera with optical recognition software linked to a 30 watt laser!

Obviously this needs to scan on a pan tilt mount and be able to track the wasp!

Regards.

David.

Simple. You don’t need a wasp trap at all. Remove the reason why they are there and they will go elsewhere. Your traps are simply attracting them!

Most wasps will now be hunting for sugar - unlike earlier in the season when they were being fed by their larvae.

Have you checked your eaves, etc for a nest entrance?

Obtain an empty lemonafe bottle and cut the top off just past the curve of the body. Invert the top into the body and staple it together. Make a mix of sugar and jam or even a bit of fish so it will stink and set out and tie to a post to stop it falling over.

Clive

Have a look at the video, on this advert, for a high efficiency wasp trap. It is one advert of many for wasbane type traps. Karol, the inventor of the WaspBane trap, is a well renowned expert on wasp habits.

**LINK**

The fellow on this advert specifically tells you that if you remove the attraction, the wasps will go elsewhere.

I keep bees and would now never consider putting any wasp trap close to my hives - not even if a hive is being troubled by wasps! By all means attract them somewhere else and trap them!

Clive’s trap works because the wasps fly towards the light. A better trap is one with entry slots lower down and no possible exit at the top. Clive’s version is easier to load and empty.

The WaspBane traps are high efficiency. With your jam jars, any wasps which escape will simply return with a load more of their sisters from its nest.

I reiterate - remove the attraction and the wasps will go elsewhere for their sugary sustenance.

Google waspinator. It's a really effective wasp deterrent rather than trap.

The highly territorial wasps see what looks like an established nest and go elsewhere.

It really works and is eco friendly.

Plasma

Get a pet Badger

Neil

They don’t work, according to all(?) the beekeeping forum threads!

Further, I doubt that wasps are very territorial, now that they are sugar feeding.

Ifv you can get, or have some Carberil insecticide, put some (teaspoon full) in the bottom of a small plastic jar. Next the fun part, catch a wasp and put it in the jar, shake it around a bit, then let the wasp go, it will head back to the nest. The more you can treat this way the sooner the nest will die out, you should manage without getting stung.

Ian S C

We need wasps and other creepy crawlies to pollinate the crops. For far to long we have been poisoning these creatures, which we desperately need . Those farming lot over the pond now have to move bees hives around by the lorry load to pollinate the crops, simply because they have been busy with the chemical sprays for many years. If we are not careful it will be same here. A few people get stung every year and I'm one of them, not nice but you soon get over it.

Yes, seeing a honey bee over here is a hit or miss thing, seen 1 this year. "0" last year. No cherries also.

Yesterday I was at Rosliston, doing some bits on our club observatory.

There were insects everywhere, bees, beetles, dragonflies, butterflies and more. I haven't see so many insects at once for years. Wish I'd had a decent camera with me, got a few good snaps on the phone, will try and upload one later.

Neil

Very sorry JF1, if a wasp is in my air-space it has to die.

They seem to like beer but I thought the one on Saturday was either a bit ambitious or just fancied a swim.

Mike

Here we go, dragonflies from yesterday. Not bad for phone pictures, but don't get the depth in the compound eyes.

Actually, I'm quite impressed by this phone. Here's one cropped to 1024 pixels wide, so if you right click and 'view image' you can see it without being reduced by the website:

Wasps at this time of the year will not be aiding the grower, either by pollination or by catching pests for feeding their larvae.. The nest is breaking down; the wasps will eat fruit or other sugary substances.

The new queens will be mated and soon hibernate until next spring (I don’t know when the hibernation period might begin). Presumably the queens will still be feeding up for the winter? Yes, wasps are an important part of the eco-system. They and their nests should not be destroyed earlier in the season, unless a specific nuisance.

One possible reason why Neil may be seeing more insects than usual is the ban on certain non-specific insecticides - those that kill or damage bee colonies (amongst the rest of the insect population that also suffers). Another might be the increased temperatures due to climate change?

We need biodiversity more than some think. Humans try to alter the eco-system (agriculture) to their advantage but in the long run we must learn to live with nature and not try to change it. A bit like climate change due to fossil fuel burning altering the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. A bit like the destruction of the ozone layer by man-made CFCs, which is only slowly recovering after the ban on the worst offending chemicals umpteen years ago. Kill all the insects and we kill ourselves, eventually.

Nice pictures, Neil.

Are they both brown hawkers?

Speaking about wasps, any idea what this winged insect is? Was enjoying some coffee on the terrace this morning when this 3cm wasp like insect came buzzing around...scared the ..... out of me to be honest. It's about double the size of any wasp or bee I've ever seen! Can't believe I took a photo....ok it's zoomed in, I chickened!