best hummingbird feeder to keep wasps away

You may need to be repeat the treatment on the following evening. Direct the spray into the nest opening and then move away from the area in case any of the wasps emerge from the nest. You can use any of the aerosol “Wasp & Hornet” sprays that propel insecticide in a stream about 10-12 feet. This can be done at anytime of the day, but near dusk, most of the wasps are more likely to be inside the nest. Control is best achieved by applying a pesticide directly into the nest opening. If a nest is located where people may be stung or if you (or others) are hypersensitive to wasp stings, then colony destruction may be appropriate. The nest will slowly deteriorate from weather or from attack by hungry birds. If a yellowjacket nest is built in a secluded area, you may choose to simply wait until the colony dies out in late fall or early winter. It is important to also note that these colonies die out each year. They also serve as food for bears, skunks, birds, and other insects. In spite of their reputation, yellowjackets are actually beneficial because they prey on many insects that we consider to be pests.

The first decision to make is whether control is actually necessary. If the nest is not in the immediate vicinity, the likelihood of stings is greatly reduced.

Defensive behavior of yellowjackets occurs in response to nest defense. Trash cans should be kept covered or have a flap over the opening. It is also important not to spill sugar water when filling the hummingbird feeder. Hummingbird feeders can be fitted with mechanical guards or a coating of petroleum based chest rub on where the insects land. As an alternative, keep all outdoor food and drinks covered, except while actually eating. The only way to control this situation is to locate and destroy the nest, which is rarely possible. Yellowjackets, in particular, may be late-season pests around picnics, trash cans, and humming bird feeders as they forage. The current year’s nests are not reused the following spring. Nests are abandoned by wintertime and the future queens seek shelter alone, in protected places under tree bark, in old stumps, or sometimes attics. The males cannot sting, due to lack of a stinger. The mated female reproductives will serve as the next generation of queens the following spring. In the late summer, the colony produces reproductives. Frequently, it is not until this time that the nest is noticed, although it has been there for many weeks. The insects continue to enlarge the nest until fall when there may be 600-800 yellowjacket workers. Like other predatory wasps, their diet consists mainly of other insects such as flies and bees. The workers expand the nest, forage for food, and feed the young. She takes on this task by herself, but once she has produced enough workers to take over nest-building and foraging duties, she focuses on egg laying. BiologyĪn individual yellowjacket queen begins building a nest alone in the spring. Small holes leading to large covered cavities are ideal for yellowjacket nest sites. Cinder block openings are another common place they have been known to inhabit. Occasionally, yellowjackets will nest in attics or wall voids of houses or storage buildings. In wooded areas, they are common in rotted logs or stumps.

Common locations for nests are in lawns, particularly in sandy exposed areas, as well as at the bases of trees or shrubs. They are very agile flyers, and they construct small tan nests made of paper, usually within a cavity or void. Yellowjackets are small wasps with distinct yellow and black markings.

Best hummingbird feeder to keep wasps away