Anyone having problems with wasps & flies? (house, living)

[TNkudzu]

The reason you see so many wasps in TN is because this is a wonderful state to live in. I moved here for the same reason. The weather, lots of food, mild winters, plenty of moister (water).

Wasps are beneficial insects but when they live close to your home or yard you should control them.

The one you will have problems with are the social ones. They live in colonies and will defend their nest also they could get aggressive without any provocation. The mud daubers (usually black or dark colored) are solitary so if they don’t bother you leave them alone they kill other insects.

If you have perfume, hairspray or other good smelling stuff on you they may look at you as a food source and come to investigate. They especially like people from California.

Do not swat at them if they come close just walk away. You can try homemade remedies like soap to control them but as far as I am concerned if they bother me I want them dead now.

Years ago in NJ I was stung so many times I had to go to the hospital emergency room. Here in TN one stung my wife on the lip without any provocation. Believe me it hurts.

I am at WAR with the ones who dare to come close to the house. The ones in the woods can live in peace and eat all the insects they want.

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by CaliCouple

I'm glad I read this post, but will still be checking out some more ideas which I will post for all of you. Bees, wasps, hornets and all the rest of them will not take over my new home..LOL We have them in Los Angeles, but not to this degree. What's up? HA!

Unfortunately, I've never lived in or visited in an area of Middle TN that didn't have wasps. As long as you stay out of their way, they usually don't bother you. But if you're trying to kill their nest, you better have a good spray and be ready to run.

They're a nuisance, but not really something to be feared.

EDIT: I just read Kudzu's post...I couldn't agree more. The stings do hurt quite a bit and some people have nasty reactions to them. The key is making sure they don't build nests around your house...they really like attics, roof overhangs, and decks.

[yarddawg]

There are a number of different species of wasps in TN. Leaving out the latin names the most common in my area that like to live in/on houses are:

1) mud daubers (usually called dirt daubers here), mostly shiny blue-black, sometimes brown, with a long thin waist, solitary, never heard of anyone being stung, you'd probably have to pick one up.

2) brown wasps - build small exposed paper nests under eaves and decks or the rafters in your attic if they can get to them, not terribly aggressive but will sting you if you annoy them or mess with their nests. Not usually more than a dozen or so wasps to a nest.

3) red wasps (red devils) - evil little bas***ds, bright orange-red with black wings. Build nests hidden inside your walls or whatever other convenient cavity they can find. Much larger colonies than the brown ones, can be several dozen wasps per nest. Hard to kill with sprays because the nest is usually some distance back from the entrance. May have more than one entrance to the nest cavity. At certain times of year (like now) they are very protective of the entrance and maintain guards on watch that will attack anything that gets within a few feet of it. And the part that really sucks - unlike the brown wasps they will winter over on the nest and reuse the same nest cavity multiple years.

There are also several other species of wasps and hornets in various colors and stripes, both social and solitary but they aren't likely to try to live in or on your house.

That doesn't even touch the problem of bees. Woodpeckers have shredded my fascia boards this summer in search of carpenter bee larvae. I'd be more ticked about the damage if I hadn't been trying to get rid of the carpenter bees for over five years now. Makes one heck of an alarm clock about sunrise though.

[LeeB]

I am ready to build the "Trap" using the liter bottle. But where do I place the bait?

[mema246]

I do know that a number of people in rutherford county are having a problems with gnat in the house. Nothing to intice them, I have cleaned everything. PLEASE HELP SOMEONE.

[TNkudzu]

You need to find the source. They are probably fruit flies. Look for ripe fruit, peelings and vegetables, empty you kitchen waste can often, check the garbage disposal if you have one. Look at indoor potted plant’s the mulch on them may harbor gnats. Look for moldy or wet walls or wet spots in the house. Hard to get rid of those little suckers but if you can eliminate the breading ground they will be gone.

[LeeB]

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Anyone know what this is...... Besides DEAD? I have been told it is a Hornet or a Cisda Killer

[TNkudzu]

I am 99% sure it is a Cicada Killer (Sphecius specious). Sometime called the Giant Cicada Killer. It is common throughout North America. Adults drink nectar, larva feeds on cicadas.

[LeeB]

Thanks... Now to find out where they are living. I have seen and read about them. But I am not sure if they are loners or if they have a nest. Sure would like to find the source so I can stay away from them. It is possible that they are under my low lying deck. Which will be a bummer if they are. I have never seen more then one at a time.

[TNkudzu]

You don’t have to worry about the Cicada Killer they rarely sting. Here is more information on this wasp.

Cicada Killer