Preventing Wasps

We went round and round with wasp for ever, I would spray them, and they always came back, the last two years, I have given up on spraying. It is time consuming but I had gotten stung one too many times in my yard. I love to be outside in the spring summer and fall, I have a huge yard and large flower gardens, my summer past time is to watch our humming birds, it always seemed that when we sat out we got stung, the picnic table, lawn chairs, grills, you name it they where in it. My daughter, 11 at the time got nailed so bad I thought we where going to the hospital by the wasps. She was the one that came up with the wasp patrol, and that is just what it is. We get up on Sundays, and sit in the yard and kind of watch the goings on, there is always a large concentration of the near the hummy feeders, as we sat and watched you could see them hanging out in certain spots. They were the first checked. If there was something there we would remove it. It is easier to remove one building a nest then one already established. After taking care of the spot we seen them in we would search any spot that we thought they might build. After a while we got used to the building spots. Last summer we only got nailed one time and that was because I sat on one hear the hummy feeder, and that was just plain stupidly on my part.

From state of MN dept of Ag web site

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...re/DG3732.html


Wasp and Bee Stings
Wasps and bees sting to defend themselves or their colony. Stinging involves the injection of a protein venom that causes pain and other reactions.

Wasps and bumble bees can sting more than once because they are able to pull out their stinger without injury to themselves. If you are stung by a wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin.

Honey bees have barbs on their stinger which remain hooked in the skin. The stinger, which is connected to the digestive system of the bee, is torn out of the abdomen as the bee attempts to fly away. As a result, the bee soon dies. If you are stung by a honey bee, scratch out the stinger (with its attached venom gland) with your fingernail as soon as possible. Do not try to pull out the stinger between two fingers. Doing so only forces more venom into your skin, causing greater irritation.

Most people have only local reactions to wasp and bee stings, although a few may experience more serious allergic reactions. Local, nonallergic reactions range from burning, itching, redness, and tenderness to massive swelling and itching that may last up to a week. These local reactions can be treated with ice, vinegar, honey, meat tenderizer, or commercial topical ointment to relieve the itching. An allergic reaction may include hives or rash, swelling away from the sting site, headache, minor respiratory symptoms, and stomach upset. These allergic reactions are not life-threatening and can be readily treated with an antihistamine.

Very rarely, a person may suffer a life-threatening, systemic allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting, which can cause anaphylactic shock (fainting, difficulty breathing, swelling, and blockage in the throat) within minutes of being stung. These systemic symptoms are cause for immediate medical attention. People with known systemic allergic reactions to bee or wasp stings should consult with their physician to obtain an Epi-PenTM or Ana-Guard Sting KitTM to carry with them at all times. The venoms of bees and wasps are different, so having a severe reaction to a wasp sting does not mean a person will have the same reaction to a bee sting.

Control of Nests
The first step in wasp or bee control is to correctly identify the insect and locate its nesting site. An experienced pest control service may provide wasp or bee control service or you can use the following information to attempt to control them yourself.

Wasps
The best time of the year to control wasps is in June after the queen has established her colony and while the colony is still small. But because nests are small, they are also harder to find. The best time of the day to control wasp nests is at night, when they are less active. At temperatures below 50