"Broadback" wrote in message
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david taylor wrote:
"Space" wrote in message
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"Broadback" wrote in message
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Love eating out this weather, but since receiving multiple wasp stings
a
few years ago I have become allergic to them; this means that I am very
anxious when wasps are about, so cannot enjoy eating out as I did.
This brings me to 2 questions. First in an earlier life I used to
holiday a lot in Greece and cannot recall seeing wasps there, is it my
poor memory or are they not as common as the UK? Secondly is there any
way to keep them away from the table area? I know that jam jars with a
little jam and water act as traps, would that work to attract them away
from the table? Any help would be appreciated.
I can remember "dancing" around our table in a restaurant in Corfu,
determined that the wasp following me would not get the chance to sting
me.
the waiters thought it highly amusing!

Beer traps are effective. They are useful in orchards, reducing damage
to fruit, but they are not especially effective if you're trying to have
a relaxed meal out of doors. Main problem is that a trap may catch
several dozen wasps over a few days, but the nest which may be within
100m is home to many thousands.
You have to find the nearby nests if the problem is serious and get rid
of them.
About 30 years ago an experimental chemist-then in his late 50s told me
about his youth when he was one of a gang of lads in Warrington who used
to seek out wasps nests, dig them up and sell each to anglers for a
shilling. Anglers used the grubs for bate.
One of the gang could spot the flight direction of an individual wasp and
trace it back to the nest.
I know that many people tackle wasps' nests in daytime, I don't know what
technique the Warrington lads used.
I have dealt with about a dozen nests over the years and if you can
locate the nest precisely they can be dealt with after dark when the
wasps are inactive.
Regards
David T
Thanks all for your informative and helpful answers. I only destroy wasp
nests if I really have to, which is not very often. I will make a few
traps from old 1 litre plastic bottles, also I will try the trick of
blowing up a paper bag, tying the neck with string and have that near the
table. It seems the wasps think it is another nest and stay away! All I
need is to find a paper bag, rare these days, I wonder if in a few years
they will be for sale in antique shops. ;-)
Ps, I guess if it works the Summer will end in a matter of hours.
We had four young children at home(Cheshire), together with fruit trees and
apart from one in the house roof, I used to knock off the adjacent nests
around the second week in August.
Regards
David T