[NatureNS] Re: Wasp Nests

From: "Paul Murray" <murraypaul@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "Nature Posting" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:19:29 -0300
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Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Hi All,

When I lived in New Brunswick we had a significant problem with wasps =
(yellow jackets) that was caused by having a kid in the neighborhood who =
was extremely allergic to bee stings.  Apparently, one sting could have =
killed him if he did not receive medical attention immediately following =
the sting.  The significance of the hazard to this child required him to =
carry an epi-pen at all times and everyone in the neighborhood, the =
school, the school bus driver, etc. also were issued a pen for him in =
case he did not have his with him when he got stung.   Having wasp nests =
around the neighborhood was thus not an option.   What we all did was to =
watch for the nests to appear in the spring and before they grew to more =
than say 4" in diameter we "shot" them with the garden hose to dissolve =
the nest before it got really established.  The damage to the wasps was =
minimal, the hazard to the sprayer (me) was also minimal as I think the =
wasps thought the damage was caused by a sudden downpour!  They would =
sometimes come back to reestablish the nest but another "downpour" would =
usually discourage them permanently for that year.  After a couple of =
years of doing this, they did not return, at least to my house and =
shrubs.  I did not have any problem doing this with small nests but I'm =
not sure if I would tackle a large colony nest this way.  We always =
tried to get them when they first established their nests.

Paul Murray
Dartmouth
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Hi All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>When I lived in New Brunswick we had a =
significant problem=20
with wasps (yellow jackets) that was caused by having a kid in the =
neighborhood=20
who was extremely allergic to bee stings.&nbsp; Apparently, one sting =
could have=20
killed him if he did not receive medical attention immediately following =
the=20
sting.&nbsp; The significance of the hazard to this child required him =
to carry=20
an epi-pen at all times and everyone in the neighborhood, the school, =
the school=20
bus driver, etc. also were issued a pen&nbsp;for him in case he did not =
have his=20
with him when he got stung.&nbsp;&nbsp; Having wasp nests around the=20
neighborhood was thus not an option.&nbsp;&nbsp; What we all&nbsp;did =
was to=20
watch for the nests to appear in the spring and before they grew to more =
than=20
say 4" in diameter we "shot" them with the garden hose to dissolve the =
nest=20
before it got really established.&nbsp; The damage to the wasps was =
minimal, the=20
hazard to the sprayer (me) was also minimal as I think the wasps thought =
the=20
damage was caused by a sudden downpour!&nbsp; They would sometimes come =
back to=20
reestablish the nest but another "downpour" would usually discourage =
them=20
permanently for that year.&nbsp; After a couple of years of doing this, =
they did=20
not return, at least to my house and shrubs.&nbsp; I did not have any =
problem=20
doing this with&nbsp;small nests but I'm not sure if I would tackle a =
large=20
colony nest this way.&nbsp; We always tried to get them when they first=20
established their nests.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Paul Murray</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Dartmouth</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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