Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dilemma

I've got a problem.

Wasps. Probably carpenter ants, too. I've spotted both on and around the house (outside).

James doesn't like wasps. I'm okay with them. However, I'm beginning to see how they could become a bigger problem because they're currently scoping out our garage for nest sites. Not good.

I don't like pesticides.

Last year, I'm pretty sure I saw a toad with only one eye. Which means a birth defect. Not good.

Time to do a little research. I'd better HURRY.

Any suggestions?

6 comments:

Charkes said...

Up north, I saw wasp traps all over the place. They use an sweet and/or meaty attractant to get the wasps' attention and get them into the container, then they can't leave and eventually die (but they die happy). You could always catch and release!

I think I read that capturing one wasp prevented the birth of 1,000 more in the same season.

If you need to kill a wasp, spray it with a mixture of water and Dawn soap. Their wings can't fly when they're covered in the soap, and then the soap works its way into their bodily openings that they use to breathe.

The Dawn soap didn't work on a particularly nasty nest of yellow jackets who just wouldn't leave. I used a natural lemongrass spray and it killed them all--and then it made the entire neighborhood smell like lemongrass.

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers said...

Dang, I wish I wasn't such a SOFTIE. I hate the thought of even killing the wasps! Isn't that bad of me? I'm getting more thoughts/suggestions via Facebook so I'll post those too. Thanks, Charkes!

Anonymous said...

I've been using a bar of hand soap to coat the ceilings of bird houses, patio door frames and the inside of the deck box.

Wasps will take care of any scorpions so they have a use in the garden.

As a wildlife habitat steward I try to stay away from pesticides and live and let life...now about those 12 yellow jackets stings I got on my palms!@#!!

Enjoy your blog and have linked to it. Learning a lot about "bugs" from you.

CWPickens said...

We spray red wasps with soap and water if they are pesky on the porch - but let them go when they nest out in the yard. Last year I had a monster red wasp nest on a Jerusalem sage.

Donna R. said...

Sheryl,
I've enjoyed reading both of your blogs. Your comment about being "such a softie" brought back a memory of when you did the story on the San Marcos Animal Shelter and their need to euthanize animals there every week. You and I both cried buckets over that one! I still think about it to this day. Hope you're having a great birthday.
Love ya!

Sheryl Smith-Rodgers said...

Hi Donna!! Oh my, I STILL don't know how I did that story!! How I made it through the sad process, THEN went back to the office and wrote it on typewriter!!!

Thank you!

Love you too! sheryl

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