We have a red oak (Quercus rubra) in our garden, it's now about 25 feet
tall and is in the middle of the lawn.
Every year we've had the same thing happen, it's been absolutely covered
in wasps. They are attracted by the honey dew left by presumably the
aphids which are higher up the tree.
When I say covered, I actually mean that there are clouds of wasps
especially if you disturb the tree, hundreds fly about. (The leaves are
about four times larger than ordinary oak trees.)

This wouldn't be so bad, further away down the bottom of the garden or
if I could spray the tree with systemic insecticide which I have done
every year up till now, though I have been loathe to kill other insects.

However it is now getting too big too spray and in late July and August
we have to close the Patio doors and windows on the garden side at night
to stop stray wasps coming in, attracted to the light. We can have up to
30 wasps crawling up the kitchen window so it is a problem. They don't
bother us in the daytime.

I didn't think wasps flew at night anyway.

Thought that having the tree properly pruned last year would do the
trick but it hasn't and there doesn't seem to be the same amount of
wasps on ordinary oak trees.


If we can't find a solution we may have to cut the tree down which would
be awful as it's such a lovely tree in spring and autumn.


Would hosing the lower leaves wash off the secretions? The recent
thunder and lightning didn't seem to have much effect.


Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk