Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Any advice welcome and thankas for reading this.

Cheers

Flummoxed

May I just recommend that you make sure that nobody around you is allergic
to Wasp stings please? My wife is very allergic and when stung is in real
trouble with swellings. If she is stung on the arm for example, we have to
get rings and watches off PDQ. Wasp stings have been known to kill. Wasp
stings noted on medical records.

Mike

--
..
"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Any advice welcome and thankas for reading this.

Cheers

Flummoxed

"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but
because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Any advice welcome and thankas for reading this.

Cheers

Flummoxed

I am certainly not an authority on wasps. I have merely been reading
this site and other sites http://tinyurl.com/dyfj5. It appears that,
apart from the queens, all of the other wasps will die during the winter
and the nest will not be used again as the queens make off and build
other nests in the spring. So my advice is to leave well alone, now
that you have put up with them for so long.

Other good reading:

http://tinyurl.com/dl2hx

http://tinyurl.com/8ly7g
[Open in new window]

http://tinyurl.com/8xw85

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps
nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought
I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes
where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but
because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they
may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can
be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and
disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too
late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan
or
Feb?

Any advice welcome and thankas for reading this.

Cheers

Flummoxed

I am certainly not an authority on wasps. I have merely been reading
this site and other sites http://tinyurl.com/dyfj5. It appears that,
apart from the queens, all of the other wasps will die during the
winter
and the nest will not be used again as the queens make off and build
other nests in the spring. So my advice is to leave well alone, now
that you have put up with them for so long.

Other good reading:

http://tinyurl.com/dl2hx

http://tinyurl.com/8ly7g
[Open in new window]

http://tinyurl.com/8xw85

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

When you open this site
http://tinyurl.com/dl2hx click 'Active Topics' scroll to and open OMG in
left hand column.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

The message .com
from "Flummoxed" contains these words:

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

The best way to deal with the nest is to put a dustbin bag over it and
break it off into it.

Depending on where you are, there may or may not be wasps still alive -
they were certainly active on my ivy flowers a short while ago.

The drowsy ones you find around may be young queens, a bit slow finding
somewhere to hibernate. The old queen will die along with the workers,
and the new queens will set up home somewhere else - in the spring I'd
check the loft for little paper lampshades the shape of a fritillary.
(Snakeshead lily, not the butterfly!)

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Depends on how warm your loft is I suppose. The dustbin bag method you
can do more-or-less any time - I've done it in the middle of summer -
but at night, and only after casing the job for a while...

--
Rusty
Separator in search of a sig

In article ,
Mike wrote:
May I just recommend that you make sure that nobody around you is allergic
to Wasp stings please? My wife is very allergic and when stung is in real
trouble with swellings. If she is stung on the arm for example, we have to
get rings and watches off PDQ. Wasp stings have been known to kill. Wasp
stings noted on medical records.

Allergy to wasp stings is relatively rare, and they are NOT noted
unless the person reacts to them.

And PLEASE do not top post and leave the junk unsnipped.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

--
..
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Mike wrote:
May I just recommend that you make sure that nobody around you is
allergic
to Wasp stings please? My wife is very allergic and when stung is in real
trouble with swellings. If she is stung on the arm for example, we have
to
get rings and watches off PDQ. Wasp stings have been known to kill. Wasp
stings noted on medical records.

Allergy to wasp stings is relatively rare, and they are NOT noted
unless the person reacts to them.


Just why do you think I posted it and said "Wasp stings noted on Medical
Records"?
Certainly not MY health, but certainly for others.


and please point out where I have said allergy to wasp stings is common.

Mike
The truth will prevail. Perhaps you would like me to obtain a copy of my
wife's medical records.

"Flummoxed" wrote in a message:
snip
I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

Can anyone tell me when would be the best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!),
---

Two years back I had two very large wasps nests in my attic. One hanging
under the rafters, the other built under roof insulation. A few wasps from
both nests lived well into November. Last year I put my house up for sale
and both nests proved quite a talking point with my estate agent and the
surveyor who told me that he hadn't before seen such a magnificent nest as
the one under the rafter.
I hadn't the heart or the nerve to remove either nest before selling.
Perhaps they are still there!

Mike Roscoe

In message .com,
Flummoxed writes
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

If it's any help, I had half a dozen wasps in the front garden this
morning - not queens - which is most unusual for this time of year. (I
think. - Someone else may know better).
Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Possibly...... I believe the queens leave the nest in autumn, already
carrying fertilised eggs, and hibernate, starting a new nest in pairs
of queens in the spring.

To quote Robert in another group 'but what would I know?' but I hope
this helps.
--
June Hughes

"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
Get a wasp killing powder containing bendiocarb-usually 0.5% -and cost 2
quid-puff it into the access ways this does the job even in summer.

Thats a good suggestion but can I recommend that you contact a local
beekeeping association if you are nervous. We keep bees and sometimes
will get rid of wasp nests. They will have the suits to deal with
them.

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!

Once rid of them - seal up where they are getting in


On Mon, 5 Dec 2005 20:37:15 -0000, "DaveJ"
wrote:

Get a wasp killing powder containing bendiocarb-usually 0.5% -and cost 2
quid-puff it into the access ways this does the job even in summer.

In article ,
Steve Newport wrote:

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!

That is not so. If your first statement were true, your second would
necessarily be false! It is, indeed, true that allergy to bee stings
is much more common than allergy to wasp stings - despite many more
people being stung by wasps in the UK, many fewer people die.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 5/12/05 23:06, in article ,
"Steve Newport" wrote:

Thats a good suggestion but can I recommend that you contact a local
beekeeping association if you are nervous. We keep bees and sometimes
will get rid of wasp nests. They will have the suits to deal with
them.

As for allergies, dont be so sure its rare. Allergic reactions to bee
stings and the resultant cases of anaphalactic (spelling?) shock are
growing rapidly, and I would assume the same is true of wasl stings.
The venom is different, but the trigger for the reaction, mast cell
degranulating enzyme that causes a chain reaction in allergic people,
is the same - its what causes the swelling. It is supposed to be true
however, that people allergic tyo bee stings are not allergic to wasp
stings - but just try and find one thats willing to take the risk!


I'm dangerously allergic to bee stings and last time I was stung (in
something like twelve places) the swelling was very alarming and lasted a
long time. I suffered flu like symptoms and was shaking badly a few hours
later. My doc gave me an injection and it helped immensely. But two years
ago I was stung by a wasp and had only a small localised swelling which was
slightly painful for about an hour and then itched for a day or so but was
rapidly forgotten.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article ,
Sacha writes:
|
| I'm dangerously allergic to bee stings and last time I was stung (in
| something like twelve places) the swelling was very alarming and lasted a
| long time. I suffered flu like symptoms and was shaking badly a few hours
| later. My doc gave me an injection and it helped immensely. But two years
| ago I was stung by a wasp and had only a small localised swelling which was
| slightly painful for about an hour and then itched for a day or so but was
| rapidly forgotten.

My wife is the same. It is a very common combination.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Following all the advice and the statements of this can or cannot, I thought
that the comments here would be of use to those who don't know it all such
as the likes of me.

http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/wasp_allergy.htm

Mike
The truth will prevail

--
..
"Flummoxed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi folks

I know this topic has come up before, but we have a massive wasps nest
in the loft. I realised it was there in the summer, but I thought I'd
wait till winter to get rid of it, then try to seal up the holes where
they get in, following previous advice in this group.

I gather that by December the wasps would normally be dead, but because
of the mild weather we had (apart from the recent cold snap) they may
still be alive. I still find the odd drowsy looking wasp around. Can
anyone tell me when would be teh best time to remove it, when I can be
sure they're dead? I don't want to risk doing it too soon, and disturb
them (not to mention getting stung!), but if I leave it till too late
next year, the queen wasp might be active building a new nest - any
idea when they start doing that (I guess it depends on the weather)?

Is there a time when they would be guaranteed to be dead, e.g. Jan or
Feb?

Any advice welcome and thankas for reading this.

Cheers

Flummoxed