Wasp nest under awning

[Russ&Reen]

I have a wasp nest growing under an awning. I've tried putting the awning out and back in to see if the next would fall off, but no such luck. I'm hesitant to spray Hot Shot on the RV as I'm worried about the finish. Is there a product that is recommended that won't hurt the gelcoat? One sting last night was enough, these suckers have to go.


Thanks!
-Reen

[Tom N OH]

Get yourself a can of good spray brake cleaner & use the straw that comes with the can for some distance. Just make sure the wind is blowing away from you when you spray it. Might want to wear glasses too. It will burn like crazy if you get it in your eyes. It will suck the moisture right out of their bodies & drop them almost instantly. I’ve used it to shoot wood boring bees right out of the sky.

[Russ&Reen]

Thank you!

[mlh]

I have a perfect way to get rid of them but you might not won’t to use it on your camper. In fact don’t use it on your camper but it sure is fun. Put 3 to 4 grains of Bullseye powder in a rifle case and hold the end of the barrel about 6 inches from the nest and pull the trigger. The nest all the bees are gone instantly leaving a white stain where the nest was.
Lynwood

[Preston & Terri]

Originally Posted by mlh

I have a perfect way to get rid of them but you might not won’t to use it on your camper. In fact don’t use it on your camper but it sure is fun. Put 3 to 4 grains of Bullseye powder in a rifle case and hold the end of the barrel about 6 inches from the nest and pull the trigger. The nest all the bees are gone instantly leaving a white stain where the nest was.
Lynwood

...hold my beer...

[Loneoak]

Whatever you do, you may want to wait until nightfall. This way they will all be in the nest.

[jimcol]

I'd use the hot shot, just be ready with a hose to rinse it off immediately.

[Mikendebbie]

I have a Bug-a-Salt 2.0 (or is it BugAssalt?) It shoots table salt at insects that I deem need to be removed from my presence. It has a small container for maybe 1/4 cup of table salt...you cock it back, take it off safety and a shot of salt and compressed air turns a fly to mush. It is fun to shoot flies and spiders! DW has to call me to put the gun down and come in for supper because the thing is so much fun...like when I was a kid "Oh Mom - I'm not ready to come in - do I have to?" You can use it inside or out - it does not damage walls or ceilings - besides maybe a bug splat to wipe off. The 2.0 does not kill a wasp but it sure makes them go away and it will tear up a paper wasp nest in followup shots after they have hi-tailed it out of there!

The new 3.0 Bug-A-Salt looks like a big improvement and may do damage to paper wasps (see video at this link below). By the way - it does not make a "pow" gun shot sound like in the video! It is more of a "punk" puff sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T7Ez3_9fwQ

[Mikendebbie]

Just confirmed my suspicion about the Bug-A-Salt's effectiveness on paper wasps. Noticed this morning that a small yellow jacket had started a nest on the porch soffit above the porch swing. I just went out and fired a shot at it from 12"...wasp was very irritated and flew out around the nest for a few seconds and returned to the nest. I took a second shot from 6" and the nest dropped to the floor ripped apart. No idea where the yellow jacket went.

Disclaimer: most of the yellow jackets on our property are small and not very aggressive. The one I just shot would fit on my thumbnail...head to stinger + wingspan. If your nest builders are some of the bigger varieties of yellow jackets or red wasps (maybe 1" long x 1/2" wingspan)...clear a path - you might make sure you can shoot and run! When I was a kid in East Texas we used to shoot big red wasp nests with BB guns...and the wisdom of the day was "shoot and stand still so they will think you are a tree". That piece of advice did not work for me on many occasions!

I have to get me one of those Bug-A-Salt 3.0 guns!

[mlh]

Originally Posted by Mikendebbie

Just confirmed my suspicion about the Bug-A-Salt's effectiveness on paper wasps. Noticed this morning that a small yellow jacket had started a nest on the porch soffit above the porch swing. I just went out and fired a shot at it from 12"...wasp was very irritated and flew out around the nest for a few seconds and returned. I took a second shot from 6" and the nest dropped to the floor ripped apart. No idea where the yellow jacket went.

Disclaimer: most of the yellow jackets on our property are small and not very aggressive. The one I just shot would fit on my thumbnail...head to stinger + wingspan. If your nest builders are some of the bigger varieties of yellow jackets or red wasps (maybe 1" long x 1/2" wingspan)...clear a path - you might make sure you can shoot and run! When I was a kid we used to shoot wasp nests with BB guns...and the wisdom of the day was "shoot and stand still so they will think you are a tree". That piece of advice did not work for me on many occasions!

I have to get me one of those Bug-A-Salt 3.0 guns!

Not a very effective way. Try it with 4 grains of Bullseye.
How much fun can you have?
Lynwood

[DQDick]

Originally Posted by jimcol

I'd use the hot shot, just be ready with a hose to rinse it off immediately.

That salt thing might be fun, but I've dealt with paper wasps in a friends furnace vent and I can tell you, the salt thing might be fun but if you piss them off and don't kill them all the fun will end shortly

[Mikendebbie]

I should have added more to my disclaimer...my first choice is always a can of hot shot...but Russ&Reen was concerned about damage to fiberglass or awning...just throwing it out for an option with a cautionary rider based on my experience.

[Russ&Reen]

Thank you for all of the options, it rained all day so I didn't have to deal with it today. Tomorrow the battle starts, I'll see which option Russ wants to go with. I'm okay with a flamethrower at this point as I'm the one that keeps getting stung.

[GrahamLock]

I have always been able to get rid of them with just a water hose. Works great and they can't figure out where the bad guy is.

[Buckfisher]

Put a little dishwashing soap in a glass. Turn on the hot water and wait until it gets as hot as it will get. Fill the glass with the hot water. Throw it on the nest. Works about like the wasp spray. Every one you hit will fall dead to the ground. Knock the nest down and rinse area with fresh water. This is my own invention. Been using it for almost 50 years.

[StageCoachDriver]

Hit it with wasp spray and then knock it off. Wasp spray shots 20 - 30 feet (and can also work as a great personal defense tool).

[Pa_5er]

Hello. Im a pest control technician and I use CB-80 Contact Aerosol. Wasps, etc., die within a matter of seconds. If I'm dealing with an active nest, I hit it with the CB-80 first and then with a liquid residual. Great stuff, that CB-80. Worth having around. Not sure if it would have any effect on your gelcoat, though.

[MaxwellD]

Just FYI everyone - last night upon arriving at campsite I went to drag my sewer hose out from the rear bumper. Stuck my finger in the square hole to pull the cap off and YOWWWWEEEE! Two red wasps got me! I threw the cap so hard at the bumper as they came boiling out that my shoulder muscles have been cramped all day. Not to mention my fat finger!

[Mark7]

As Buckfisher mentioned, a thick mixture of water and dish soap (we use Dawn)... maybe about 25% soap to 75% water and put it in a spray bottle.

Wait till evening when they’re all in the nest and squirt them being sure to coat them all. They die almost instantly.

The insects breath through their skin and the soap acts as a surfactant and smothers them. Works like a charm, is safe, and it won’t hurt the finish on your RV.

[Russ&Reen]

Russ chose to go with the hot shot and an immediate wash of the area with Dawn. It worked, and the gelcoat is fine. Just wanted to update in case anyone else runs into the same problem. Thanks again to everyone for helping out!