I had a yellow jacket surprise over the weekend but there's nothing to
take a photo of. They had built a nest inside the brick/stone wall of
my enclosed back porch... the far wall of this room
<http://www.chucknorcutt.com/2712%20Columbia%20Drive/img_5550e.htm>
We were scheduled to have a weekend party with friends in this room and,
a few days before, yellow jackets started appearing in the room as from
no where. I eventually discovered a 3/8" hole in a mortar joint in the
facing stones outside and about a dozen smaller holes in the mortar
joints of the brick inside.
I should have waited until dark and sprayed the interior of the nest but
that would have been tough through such a small hole. I decided to plug
the hole (in daylight) but made the mistake of choosing a mortar colored
caulk rather than a fast setting cement. It was easy (and fast) to
apply and I didn't get stung but, much to my chagrin, I discovered these
guys have no trouble tunneling through caulk. Spraying the ring leaders
with wasp and hornet spray only slowed them down as more took their
place. Since the caulk wasn't working well I stuck a long 3/8" dowel
into the hole. This gave them a lot more tunneling trouble but they
kept at it. Periodically I'd go out and spray the tunnelers. I think I
eventually knocked out the intelligent end of the gene pool since, after
a while, the remaining workers didn't seem to know what to do and just
flitted about aimlessly in the vicinity of the hole. However, those
trapped inside began to find their way out onto the porch. I stemmed
that flow after plugging about a dozen small holes in the mortar of the
inside wall... some so small that I doubted that a yellow jacket could
get through.
The activity is now almost completely over. Now I have to go clean up
the mess I made with the caulk on the stones and mortar. Engage brain
first.
Chuck Norcutt
On 8/26/2013 3:27 PM, Jim Nichols wrote:
> As I passed our front door this morning, I noted that some local insects had
> prepared a surprise for me. This wasp nest would have been within 3 ft of my
> head on my next trip to the mail box. It has now been neutralized with
> commercial insect spray.
>
> http://zone-10.com/tope2/main.php?g2_itemId=8001
>
> E-1 with Leica Summicron-R 50mm
>
> Comments and critiques welcomed.
>
> Jim Nichols
> Tullahoma, TN USA
>
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|