Forum
« Rec for Fireplace/Chimney Work? Unpermitted Construction »
April 23, 2009
Wasps in the kids' room!
The flying and stinging kind. Today there were two on the window, trying to get out. I caught them and moved them outside (as my 2 kids sat trembling with fear in the corner). How many more do you think there are? Where are they coming from? It is an old wood frame house, but there are no holes in the kids' room (I recently painted so have gone over the room fairly carefully). Ideas? solutions? I don't mind living with bugs but hate the idea of one of my kids getting stung in their own room.
Comments
Sometimes they will make nests around windows on the outside (these will look like a series of small round plaster domes) or, if there are holes in the wood frames, they will make there nests inside of the frames (the plaster stuff may or may not come out of the holes). In cases where they nest inside of the frames, they may find passage into the interior of the window or the interior of the home.
Posted by: SJ at April 23, 2009 3:14 PM
Hmmm, thanks. I looked around the outside of the window where it was flying and couldn't see anything. There are probably holes though, it is shingles and they are kind of old. So if they are nesting inside the window frame - any way to get at the nest? Or is it just seasonal annoyance?
Posted by: WTbound at April 23, 2009 3:16 PM
1. You probably need to monitor for 10-15 minutes or more to properly assess a particular area.
2. If they are nesting in such a way as to penetrate into the interior of your home, they will continue to do so until they move on to a new home. I would consider wasps inside of my home a serious problem and would call an exterminator to assess the situation and resolve it... They know where and what to look for and can not only kill any wasp populations, but can fill in any existing nests and hopefully any potential nests. I've been bitten by a wasp or two and it's significantly more painful than a bee sting, also if someone in your home or a guest in your home is allergic, then the problem becomes more serious.
Posted by: SJ at April 23, 2009 3:29 PM
I am going to venture a guess that you are not looking at wasps, but instead looking at carpenter bees. I say this particularly because you describe your home as woodframe, though you can often find carpenter bees nesting in the old woodframe windows of brownstones, brick homes, etc. Look around your window sills, both inside and out, for their castings. Then look along the sides and bottoms of your window sashes for points of entry to their nests. Here are quick two links; there are many more online (some likely better than these): http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7417.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee
Posted by: vinca at April 23, 2009 3:53 PM
If you wait until dusk you'll probably see them heading to their nest whichever kinds of insects they are. Then you'd be in a better position to evaluate how to deal w/ them. Is this your first spring in that house? If not, is it the first year you've seen them? I have to wreck new nests each year - usually near to those of prior years.
Posted by: Arkady at April 23, 2009 4:04 PM
vinca's probably right. I've had them before in attics.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 23, 2009 5:40 PM
All of the carpenter bees I have ever seen are fat and fuzzy, this thing was long and skinny, with 2 distinct body parts connected in the middle (like an elongated hourglass)? I have not seen any more since this afternoon - and I have been watching. No signs of nests visible. It is our first spring in this house. If I see another one I guess it is time to call an exterminator.
Posted by: WTbound at April 23, 2009 10:19 PM
Okay, then wasp it is. Until you've found the nest, or the crack, crevice, or wall they're living in, keep a shop-vac with a long extension in the room (not kidding). Also, even though it's specific to the Pacific Northwest, read more at this link: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0643/eb0643.pdf
Posted by: vinca at April 24, 2009 12:42 AM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.