Wasps

A conversation among Whalers
Masbama
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 8:33 pm
Location: Mobile, Al

Wasps

Postby Masbama » Sun Apr 24, 2022 7:57 pm

I have not used my 2003 190 Nantucket for several months. I took off the cover to get it ready to go out. I have two batteries in the console and I checked both of them by turning the ignition key; both are drained of power.

I also noticed wasps swarming around the boat. I quickly got out of the boat and noticed they were coming out of the console so I’m assuming they have built a nest in the console.

Has anybody had this same situation with wasps?

I am thinking of using a fogger but I don’t know if that would be harmful to the wiring.

I need to stick my upper torso in the console to get to the batteries.

jimh
Posts: 11674
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Wasps

Postby jimh » Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:23 am

Be careful with wasps. Last summer at our cabin up north, wasps built a huge in-ground nest right under the transom of my boat where I keep it in the driveway. I tried to discourage them by flooding their nest with water. Several wasps came out, quite agitated. One wasp stung me on my hand in three places in about a second or less. The stings were painful, and the inflammation in my hand persisted for several weeks.

After that, I stopped doing battle with the wasps and ignored them. I moved the boat about five feet away.

In the Fall, after we had been away for a week, I discovered that some animal had found the wasps, dug them out, and apparently made a meal of them. I know that remedy won't be helpful for you, but I wanted to caution you about getting stung.

On another occasion, waps built a very large and very visible nest under our deck. The remedy for that was to wait for an extremely cold day in January, air temperature about 5-degrees-F. The wasps were all in hibernation. I was able to cleanly knock off the nest from the underside of the deck (which is about 10-feet in the air), and the nest dropped into a garbage bag I had position below. That was the last of that colony. Again, not workable for your situation in a temperate climate.

Masbama
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 8:33 pm
Location: Mobile, Al

Re: Wasps

Postby Masbama » Mon Apr 25, 2022 8:39 pm

Well, my neighbor, who is fearless, stuck his head in the console and did not see a wasp nest.
We did determine that they made a nest in a pole that supports the t-top. He sprayed wasp great in a hole at the top where the radio antenna wire exits. He then plugged it with a rag.
I hope that I find no more wasps.
I would be very interested to know what kind of animal feasted on that wasp nest.

Jloutrage
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 7:22 am

Re: Wasps

Postby Jloutrage » Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:40 am

It’s pretty common for wasps to build nests in the spring. I have attached fiberglass window screen over all openings in the console. If you attach from the back side, it won’t be seen from the outside. No more problems with wasps!

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 718
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: Wasps

Postby Oldslowandugly » Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:45 pm

At my marina they hang traps. Someone must empty them on a regular basis to be effective. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wasp-Trap

hauptjm
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 3:26 pm
Location: New Orleans

Re: Wasps

Postby hauptjm » Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:04 am

It seems we all have Wasp problems, regardless of climate. That is too bad, because they are quite painful with their sting. I have been stung more times than I care to remember, but other than the pain, I don't have any other effect from the sting. Some folks are allergic to bee stings and it can be quite devastating and even deadly. If you have a persistent swelling, I would get an MD opinion on your allergic reaction and maintain an EpiPen to counter the sting effects. As far as the sting pain, simply cut a raw onion and rub it on the sting site. May sound crazy, but it really does work.

jimh
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Wasps

Postby jimh » Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:31 am

Thanks for the tip on use of an onion. I think the three stings on my hand may have left some of the stinger in my skin, and it took a week or two for it to dissolve.

I don't know Nature's exact plan and purpose for Wasps, but as long as their territorial defense perimeter and the normal occupancy of my cabin do not come into conflict, I am quite content to leave them alone and I won't try to exterminate them.

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 718
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: Wasps

Postby Oldslowandugly » Wed Apr 27, 2022 5:28 pm

We once drove way up into Connecticut to take body parts from a 1968 Buick LeSabre. Upon arrival we discovered what appeared to be about a million yellowjacket wasps that had taken up residency in the Buick. The owner advised us to merely work slowly and not swing at the wasps. Seeing that we had driven for hours to get there, we tried doing that. We moved like snails, never swatting or showing malice towards them. We took the tail lights, bumper, and rear quarter extensions off the car. Not a single sting came our way. Either they were preoccupied with wasp business or the trick is to not annoy them, and they will let you alone.