# Catching wasp-queens



## Duboisi (Oct 7, 2009)

Hi

Finally spring has arrived where I live. (really late this year)
A few days ago I saw a few bumblebees, meaning that it should not be long before I see the first wasp.

I want to catch as many wasp-queens as possible before they establish, and are going to put up a few homemade (inverted bottle)traps that I will bait with water-soaked chicken after reading another post on this forum.

It would be nice to hear if there are better ways to make traps and baits, but what I am most uncertain of is where I should put the traps.

What kind of placement do the good people of BeeSource have the most luck with?

BTW: The wasps I will try to catch are mainly yellow-jackets.

For the more-than-average interested reader - we are talking about Dolichovespula norwegica, Vespula germanica, Vespula vulgaris and (possibly)Vespa crabro


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

_Vespa_
I have had very good results using a plastic trap that can be purchased at our local home and garden soutlets. It's baited with a pheromone which the _Vespa_ seek.
I also seek and destroy their over wintering sites which can be a super filled with plastic frames.
Ernie


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## knpeterson (May 18, 2009)

People who know me think its weird that I love bees so much and have no fear working them, this is because I HATE other critters that sting!! I am a magnant for waspers. I don't mind bees because they have a sense of self preservation....wasps can and will sting you as often as possible...for no reason!! I am open for any and all wasp trap ideas...especially for the Red Wasp. I have an abundance of them around my house.


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## Duboisi (Oct 7, 2009)

@Bees4u: I might buy pheromones for bait if I knew where to get it. Have not seen such products where I live. Making a "hibernation trap" sounds like a great idea. I may try it this fall.

@knpeterson: Hi soulmate. I've gotten into this bee thing trough my hatred of wasps.
When you study your enemy - you might find that they have some really nice relatives. I quite like bumblebees and honeybees, not to mention solitary wasps/bees that will leave you alone. But the social wasps are evil incarnated.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

A very simple trap is any long necke beverage container, a small amount of water and some bait. The vespa go done and dine. But they drown in the sauce befor they can exit.
right now is a good time to set out habitat traps like I mentioned earlier and kill the small nests befoer they can build large colonies.
Ernie


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## knpeterson (May 18, 2009)

What do you use for bait?? Will this attract red wasps? 

Duboisi- LOL! Soulmate must be correct! I got into bees in a similar way. I had found a feral hive on our farm and found them to be docile...unlike wasps. Wasps are attracted to me. My husband says they smell my fear and to not shy away. He retracted that when one went straight for me and stung me behind the ear.


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## concrete-bees (Jun 20, 2009)

i just use raw hamburger for bait - 
even a chunk of freezer burned stewmeat 

here is a trap on the cheap

take a liter of cola (haha love that movie) 

but really take a plastic pop bottle - any size and cut the funnel off - and drill a 1/8" hole through the thread part - through both sides - 

then take a peice of stiff wire and heat the end till hot - red hot works

the invert the funnel into the bottle - then line up the cut ends 

then take the hot wire and melt throught the sides of the pop bottle and through the holes that you drilled and through the other side 

this keeps the funnel in place ( tape just dont work)

then drill a small hole about an inch from the bottom to let out extra rain water 

put in some raw meat and hang from the two wire stubs that stick out the sides !!!!

i made 3 last week and have 10-15 dead wasp each --- no honey bees


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## mike haney (Feb 9, 2007)

my middle son was very attractive to paper wasps while undergoing a series of shots designed to alleviate allergies. they would come frome seemingly nowhere and sting him. once he got stung in the middle of a 10 acre mall parking lot. after his treatment, no more trouble. perhaps you should wear some scent to disguise your natural body odor, or possible consider some changes in your diet. good luck,mike


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## knpeterson (May 18, 2009)

Yeah they seem to come out of nowhere for me too Mike. I just stink good I guess!! LOL!! 

Concrete- thanks for the trap plan....I'm gonna have to get a few "liters" of cola to get goin'.


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## Duboisi (Oct 7, 2009)

bees4u: By habitat traps - do you mean traps in their habitat(area) or traps mimicking their preferred habitat-dwellings as in the hibernation super?

I have made some traps now(13 pc.). Used 1,5L bottles with a 32mm hole. In the hole I have made a cone of mosquito-netting that goes inwards. The netting is fastened at the outside with some MacGyver-tape to keep it in place.
I am going to make a small hole in the cap for metal wire, and a small hole lower down to let out excess water.

I have taken a chicken-fillet from the freezer, and put it in water. Will let it stay there for a day and a half. The pieces I cut will be hung in a metal-wire that are suspended from the cork.

My plan is to put a nail in some tree-trunks, and hang them by wire or rope.

BTW: I also seem to attract wasps. I find that they tend to fly up to me and hoover in front of my face with an evil grin. That's when I normally turn around running and screaming like a girl.:lpf:


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## Duboisi (Oct 7, 2009)

I have now put out all 13 of my newly made traps. They are pretty closely spaced around the house.

I am going away for the weekend, but the forecast says that it's gonna be really nice weather. This should mean that the queens starts to wake up. Will be exiting to see how it has gone when I return on sunday.

If all goes well, I may make a few more traps to cover the last bit of the 20 acres property - especially along the perimeters.


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## raosmun (Sep 10, 2009)

I also hate anything with a stinger EXCEPT bees! I have found this on several posts and sites: 2 liter plastic bottle, cut a 1" or so hole on the flat side just below the top taper. Leave the cap on and hang on something. 

The bait: 1 part each of water, sugar, vinigar (say a cup each), MOST important!! put in a BANNA peal!!! I have cought wasps, bald faced hornets, yellow jackets, wax moths and a lot of other critters, but NO bees!!!! and the traps are only a few yards from my hives. 

I thought this was a bunch of bunk, untill I used one. On the cheeeeep and works.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Yes, and a heated 1/4" bolt makes the holes.
Ernie


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## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

Wasps are benefitial insects and very gentle as well. Yellow Jackets are hornets though, and hornets are not gentle and with few exceptions (such as the bald faced hornet), are generally mean as spit! In addition, yellow jackets are not native in the U.S., so kill away! 

PS - fish makes a pretty good yellow jacket bait.


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## knpeterson (May 18, 2009)

Oh I agree that wasps can be beneficial insects....they just need to go some place else other than my entrances to my house to be beneficial.


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