COMBATTING WASPS

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 11

COMBATTING WASPS

Following are two abridged letters on combatting wasps. “Sting” writes: wasps do not travel very far from their resting places. The first essential is to locate their nest by observing their flights and when this has been done no action should be taken until night fall to avoid arousing their anger and their stings.- D.D.T. Powder (or lindane), should be placed in the entrance or can be blown into the nest with a vacuum cleaner operating in reverse. As the wasps pass in and out of the nesting place they get covered in powder which they also transfer inside. As they will soon be going to rest for the winter it will be necessary to act quickly to get at them this season.

A.P. says: up to last year we suffered a great loss of grapes owing to wasps. However, last year, and again this year, grapes matured without interference. We put about lj inches of sugar and water and a lot of old jam or jelly mixed into a sticky mess into small jars and covered the top with grease proof paper. This paper has

a hoi: put in it, rather bigger than a 10 cent piece, tying it down around the> edges. Another tie is used to hang the jar in position up amongst the grapes. A smear of this mixture is put around the edge of the hole. The wasps go through to the bait, get in a mess and that’s that! We employ fly traps also which are very effective. A small piece of liver or fish is put into the container every three or four days and a little lemonade or beer spilt along the ledge of the trap seems to attract the flies. While not hazarding a guess, I would say that many hundreds if not thousands have gone into the traps this year, which are emptied into the incinerator.