Controlling Bees (yellow jackets) (ceiling, stain, build, siding)

[ansky]

I get a lot of yellow jackets and large bees around my deck. What is the best way to keep them away? I have seen a type of bee trap at the hardware store that looks like a little box that supposedly traps them. Do these work, or any other ideas to keep them away.

[Pitt Chick]

Yellow jackets are wasps... a wasp spray should take care of them.


Are the large bees around your deck carpenter bees? They LOVE naked wood. Stain and/or sealer should deter them.

[ansky]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

Yellow jackets are wasps... a wasp spray should take care of them.


Are the large bees around your deck carpenter bees? They LOVE naked wood. Stain and/or sealer should deter them.

Well I can't just go around spraying wildly into the air. The bees are constantly flying around and there is no nest to spray.

[jerseyj]

Originally Posted by ansky

Well I can't just go around spraying wildly into the air. The bees are constantly flying around and there is no nest to spray.

We've had the same problem. Killing them one at a time is a waste of time and spray. They are nasty buggers and live in lots of places.

When they got really bad last summer, we tried this time consuming method-
How to Find and Treat Yellowjacket Nests

Finally found that nest under an overgrown juniper beside our driveway. It was an inground nest.

Before we re-sided our home, they got through our old cedar shake siding and built a nest in the attic (which eventually fell through a closet ceiling).

Exterminators were absolutely no help for us (and outrageously expensive for ZERO results).

Good luck. They are nasty and aggressive!

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by ansky

Well I can't just go around spraying wildly into the air. The bees are constantly flying around and there is no nest to spray.

Well, no, no one suggested that... you find the wasp nest and spray it.

The bees, if they are carpenter bees, won't bother you.

[Ellwood]

We had the same problem. This year we decided to have the deck turned into a screened in porch. When they removed the decking (they put screening on the underside) they found wasps nests underneath.

As a precaution, we have put chicken wire (so bunnies and skunks don't build nests) and screening around the outside of the deck, before replacing lattice. Hopefully this will avoid wasps nests underneath.

[Coldjensens]

The traps wrok great. You need to put them out in the spring to catch the queens. We have a big yellow jacket problem where we live. Their nests are small, so You do nto have a lot of chance of getting them all. It you follow them, you will find neses and then you can spray the nest with a foam that kills them when they return. Be careful. Many of the parays donot kill them right away and they fly around really P.O.ed for a while before they die.

In a pinch, WD40 will knock them down instantly and kill them in a minute or two.

The only thing that ever worked for us was traps. Lots and lots of traps. Try different baits. Bacon worked well. Coke (not diet) works well. The stuff you buy works well to, but it is costly. We trapped hundreds and hundreds of them. Then there were nto many around our house.