Wasps and Hornets in the Garden

Dealing With Stinging Garden Invaders

Jul 10, 2009 Loraine R. Degraff

Many farmers and gardeners contend with large groups of stinging insects in their work environment. These include hornets and yellow jackets and they can create havoc.

Wasps are commonplace in the garden. They make up a large family of stinging insects which include hornets and yellow jackets. Like other vespines, wasps live in colonies, and build paper nests. Workers usually feed on nectar and so are attracted to ripe fruits. This can pose a big problem for farmers as well as gardeners. Not only do these insects damage fruit--they also have a painful sting.

Eliminating Stinging Insects

There are several ways to deal with problems concerning stinging insects:

Protect ripe fruit by covering them with muslin, cheesecloth or pantyhose.
Create a trap for the wasps by placing sugar water in an inverted plastic bottle and hang it from a tree. The wasps will be attracted to the sweet water but will be unable to escape from the bottle.
A piece of fruit tied to a stick can also serve as a trap. Suspend the stick above a pan of soapy water. When the wasps have eaten their fill, they will drop off into the water and be unable to escape.
Flypaper sprinkled with granulated sugar can be hung from trees to attract wasps.
Look out for underground nests created by yellow jackets. These nests often have only one entrance. After sunset, carefully approach the nest and pour a solution of malathion and water into the entrance. Quickly, cover the entrance with dirt. By morning, all inhabitants of the nest should be dead. (You might want to get a companion to help you to ensure speed in covering the entrance.)

Working with Stinging Insects

For all their annoying ways and painful stings, wasps and yellow jackets are heavy predators of many garden pests. They feed on the larvae of flies, ants, caterpillars and beetle grubs. If their nest does not pose a danger to you or your family, you may consider leaving them to help you rid your garden of other unwanted insects.

Some farmers even purchase beneficial wasps. These wasps are smaller than other wasps, do not sting humans and aid farmers by helping eliminate garden pests. The beneficial wasps lay their eggs on these pests, which are paralyzed and later used to feed developing larvae. Adult wasps feed on the nectar of clover, goldenrod, sunflowers and other such plants.

Avoiding Stings

Wasp stings can be very painful. The stingers do not have barbs, so wasps can sting repeatedly, if provoked. Sometimes, they sting with little provocation. You can avoid wasp stings by being conscious of their presence and doing the following:

Choose morning or evening hours for working in the garden. At these times, wasps are less active.
Do not leave food or drinks exposed. Make sure garbage cans are closed securely.
Do not leave ripe fruit on trees or on the ground.
Do not use perfume or other scented products when working in the garden.
Do not wear bright clothing (such as yellow or bright blue) when gardening.
Do not work in the garden with bare feet and wear gloves whenever possible.
Do not agitate wasps by running, screaming, or hitting at them.
Use eliminating tips to distract wasps from work areas.

Treating Stings

A local reaction to wasp stings (redness, pain, itching, swelling) can be addressed with the application of Benidryl or cortisone cream applied to the skin.
Honey applied to the skin can be soothing.
A paste made with baking soda and water can be applied directly to the sting.
Possible allegic reactions (rash, difficulty breathing, tummy ache, or a headache) merits the advice of a doctor or other professional.
If the sting occurs on the neck or mouth, medical attention should be sought immediately.

The copyright of the article Wasps and Hornets in the Garden in Organic Gardens is owned by Loraine R. Degraff. Permission to republish Wasps and Hornets in the Garden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.