Anyone having problems with wasps & flies? (White House: buying a home, buying) - Nashville - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

46Barb · 08-04-2008, 07:54 AM

Our house has so many flies outside that when we open & close our back door to the deck for us & the dogs, they are coming inside. We are constantly walking around with fly swatters. I've never had such a big problem with flies.

Our other problem is I think wasps. They are big and all over. We have a brick home with siding in the back. They are going around all the window frames and possibly gutters. We have gone through 5 cans of bee/wasp spray but they come back the next day again. I'm going to go broke buying this spray.

Any ideas?

Greyhnd · 08-04-2008, 03:55 PM

We had more problems with flies in the house other times of the year than we do right now. I think we are having more of a problem with mosquitos/gnats right now; same as you - our door is constantly being opened to let the dogs in and out and we see them come right in w/ the dogs. We also have both black and red wasps, they have been flying all around our porch and deck for several months now, getting a bit worse I would say, but we haven't noticed any nests to spray and (so far) we have not been bit - if they start biting, then we will definitely have to do something about them, though I don't know what. I have seen something advertised on the internet, it looks like a nest, hanging grey thing, supposedly they are territorial so if they see that hanging on your porch, they'll go somewhere else. However, I don't know how territorial they are as we just found quite a few nests with the black wasps in the barn rafters.

TNkudzu · 08-04-2008, 04:22 PM

I made simple traps from 2 liter soda bottles to catch them. Do a GOOGLE search for

How to make a wasp trap

It works. You have to experiment with the bait. I use sugar water with a drop of lemon or apple juice with sugar added.
It caches flies and wasps.

LeeB · 08-04-2008, 07:31 PM

Barb funny you should post this. I was standing in the back yard today and I noticed a WASP crawl in between my vinyl siding and the window frame and disappear into the side of my house. I was going to post here and see if anyone had any ideas. But it looks like you beat me to it. Now I need some 2 liter bottles and make some traps. They are also flying around the Motor Home and they are giving my wife the creeps. Along with me

OK upon reading on how to make the traps. I saw a great idea and that is to flush them down the toilet, as their bodies might release a chemical that alerts the rest of the colony of their fate. or bury them. I like the flushing idea.

southernfried · 08-04-2008, 10:46 PM

FLIES ARE USUALLY ATTRACTIVE FROM DOGS&SOME OTHER ANIMALS,BUT IF YOU HAVE A STORM DOOR WITH GLASS ON IT?OR WINDOW NEXT TO THE DOOR YOU CAN PUT A SMALL SANDWHICH BAG ALMOST ALLTHE WAY FULL/BUT LEAVE ENOUGH SO THAT YOU TAPE IT TO THE GLASS! AND IT WILL MAKE THE FLIES GO TO IT,IVE EVEN HEARD IF YOU PUT A PENNY IN IT THAT HELPS ASWELL!! AS FAR AS THE WASP GO YOU CAN USE A SPRAYBOTTLE/OR IF YOU GOT ALOT OF THE CRITTERS APUMPSPRAYER LIKE YOU USE IN THE GARDEN,ANY WAY YOU PUT WATER IN ABOUT HALFWAY AND CHEAP DISHSOAP,A LOT OF IT!!!!!!!! IT WELL KNOCK THEM DOWN AND TAKE CARE OF THEM. IVE GOT A FRIEND THAT HAS A JUNKYARD AND THAT'S WHAT THEY USE,THIS CHEAP AND GOES ALONG WAY!!!!!

AFTER YOU GET RID OF THEM ,IF YOU HAVE VINYLSIDING THEY SAY NOT TO CHUGHT IT IN ,SO IT CAN BREATHE,BUT I BELIEVE I WOULD CHECK INTO SOME KIND OF SILCONE OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD GIVE &TAKE WITH THE TEMP CHANGES!! ASK AT YOUR LOCAL LOWES...HOMEDEPOT...!!!!!
MAYBE THIS WILL HELP!!
SEYALL

46Barb · 08-05-2008, 06:31 AM

Lot's of great ideas here. I'll be trying both of them. I really appreciate all the help everyone on this board gives.

TNkudzu · 08-05-2008, 07:05 AM

I wouldn’t worry about a single black or dark looking wasp going behind your siding. They are probably Mud Daubers. These wasps are not aggressive they will not defend their nests. Basically they are just a nuisance to have around.

On the other hand wasps with nests where you see constant traffic going in and out should be eliminated. They can get aggressive and will come after you. If you find the nest wait until after dusk when most are home and spray them with wasp and hornet spray. The spray must kill them instantly or they will attack you.

I hate those suckers since they got me a few times.

southernfried · 08-05-2008, 09:30 PM

HEY THE ONE I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT,IT HAS TO BE REALY SOAPY!!!!!! IT IS A GREEN WAY TO GET THE CRITTERS!!! YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT TILL DUSK/DAWN GET THEM IN THE COOL!!!!

MY WIFE SAID SOMEONE MAY NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WORKS,BUT IT DOES,IT SMOTHERS THEM SO THEY CAN'T BREATHE!!!THE SAME THING THE SPRAY DOES IT JUST MAY WORK FASTER!!!

THANKS!!

46Barb · 08-06-2008, 06:12 AM

This board is definitely a wealth of information. I didn't realize there were different types of wasps. We haven't found any nests but will keep our eyes open.

Thanks for the lots of soap info.

CaliCouple · 08-06-2008, 07:52 AM

So glad I read all of this. My husband and I are in the Nashville area right now and buying a home in the White House area. We have looked at about 25 homes in and around this area. Every home greeted us with wasps.. and the one we are making an offer on right now has them too. 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!