If you review our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn wasps are naturally attracted to dead wood and since a cabin is made up of nothing but dead wood, it’s sure to draw a lot of attention if left untreated. In our article you’ll also learn about several products that can be used to keep them away but based on your message, there are three that I’d use if it was my cabin.

The first would be DRIONE DUST. This product is very active on wasps and if you go around the cabin dusting all the cracks and crevices into which they might try to nest, you’ll quickly kill any there and keep them away for months. Basically Drione Dust used in the spring and fall would be all that’s needed because it works that good.

Unfortunately Drione is a little tedious to apply and for some people, the extra work is not what they’d prefer over using a spray. So if you prefer to mix something up with water and spray, do so with the CYPERMETHRIN. It will repel wasps well but it just won’t last as long as the Drione. For that reason you’ll have to apply it throughout the year. Bank on once a month applications to stay on top of these pests.

Lastly, the NBS PAINT ADDITIVE is something I feel like I should mention so that the next time you paint or stain the cabin, you can add some to the application and get in doing so get extra long repellency. NBS is a natural insect repellent and wasps, ants and bees will stay off of where it’s been applied.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above and yes, we do sell them all through these links as well as over the phone for call in orders.

Drione:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Dustick:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustick

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

NBS Repellent:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

Wasp Control:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

I would like to know if the attached picture is wasp damage to my deck? It is not a hole borrowed into the wood. It looks like something was almost scratching at the surface of all the spindles (which are cedar). Please let me know. Thanks.



No doubt this is some kind of insect damage and most likely due to a “girdling” wasp. Common wasps that girdle include EUROPEAN HORNETS, YELLOW JACKETS and BALD FACED  HORNETS but there are others. Regardless of the species that’s causing the damage, if you wish to stop it from happening you’ve got a couple of treatment options.

The first would be to leave the wood as it is and spray it down with some CYPERMETHRIN. Wasps hate this stuff and will avoid treated surfaces. Treat as needed; usually 1-2 sprayings per month will keep them away. Mix at the rate of 1 oz per gallon of water.

A more permanent solution would be to sand the wood down and then finish it with some paint or stain. But before you apply the finish, be sure and add some NBS PAINT/STAIN ADDITIVE. The NBS will act as a long lasting residual repellent and need only be applied every year or so. Now if it wears out and the finish is still good, spray with the Cypermethrin should the damaging pests come back.

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

NBS Repellent:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

European Hornets: http://www.bugspray.com/article/eurohornet.html

Yellow Jackets:  http://www.bugspray.com/article/yellowjackets.html

Wasp Control:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

In fact I do. But first I feel it’s important to understand that we don’t sell “poison”. We carry an extensive line of pesticides and no doubt some of these can be “poisonous” to non-target insects and animals when used against what their label recommends. For this reason it’s important to read any label prior to making a pesticide application to insure you don’t use something that will cause it to present a danger or hazard to some non target organism.

And when it comes to treating around a lake, there is no doubt a very limited amount of products that can be “safely” used in such a vulnerable environment. This is mostly due to the fact that any product which gets into the water will present a direct threat to the aquatic wildlife including fish, plants and other animals. And if you were to read most any label of the products we carry, you’ll find 99.9% of them will have statements making it clear that they should not be used around lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, etc. However, there is one group of products that can be safely used around your lake.

Back in the 80′s the federal government passed a law that created a group of pesticides which are federally exempt from needing to get registered. Essentially these products use actives which are known to be very safe, have a low to no impact when used and won’t pose a hazard to people, the environment or other non-target organisms. And in recent years, these products have gained in popularity. In fact, we have several that do quite well handling a wide range of problems including wasps.

So for your problem, the list of what you can spray safely will be limited but fortunately, there is an option. Known as ESSENTRIA IC3, this concentrate can be mixed with water and sprayed or fogged on and around boat docks. In fact it works great for mosquitoes, wasps and a whole lot of other pests. And it’s labeled for use on boat docks (top of page 4 of it’s SPECIMEN LABEL). I suggest you consider this fine product because it will both control and repel wasps and other pests and when used properly. Most importantly, it won’t pose a hazard to the water, people or other life around the lake.

Essentria IC3: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/liquid/eco-excempt-gal

And here are some applicators you can use for the treatment.

Eliminator: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/eliminator-gallon-sprayer

FM6309:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/fogmaster-6309-120-v

Back Pack Mister: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/solo-mistblower-backpack

For now I suggest you read our WASP CONTROL article. In the article we go over very specific strategies one can employ to both kill and repel wasps from structures and the general landscape. These methods are quite effective and when applied should rid the yard of their presence. Send another message if you need further help but our article covers every option we recommend.

Wasp Control:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

If you read through our WASP CONTROL article, you’ll learn these guys “overwinter” or hibernate on structures. In fact attic spaces are prime real estate for them and highly sought after. My guess is you have some living up there or maybe in the soffits around your facia boards and the roofing. In most cases wasps will start congregating there and every year more and more will accumulate until they eventually get into the attic space. From there it’s just a matter of time before some come inside living spaces.

To treat the problem, you really need to dust the attic. But when living in a condo, you sometimes don’t have access. If that’s the case for you, the next best thing is to find their route of entry into your living areas. Many times this will be any small crack around ceiling molding, light fixtures or behind outlet covers. These areas should be treated with the DRIONE DUST listed in our article. Just a few puffs of the dust using a HAND DUSTER and all pests will avoid the location. They just cannot travel over the Drione which effectively dehydrates them so it’s highly insect repellent naturally.

Now if you can get into the attic, dust it with the Drione using a DUSTIN MIZER. This only has to be done once a year but since these wasps will be active in the spring, summer and fall, the treatment’s long residual will server you well.

Lastly, if you note wasps landing on the section of the condo that’s yours, spray it with CYPERMETHRIN. This will repel them and in turn, prevent them from entering the structure. This will no doubt cut down if not eliminate the problem of them getting inside.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Drione:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Dustin Mizer:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/dustin-mizer

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

Wasp Control:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

I use CYPERMETHRIN to effectively repel wasps and bees with residuals that last 3-4 weeks minimally. In some cases the results can be much better lasting 6-8 weeks. But this is when the climate is dry with no rain and little humidity. It’s also when I’m spraying on sealed surfaces (painted or plastic substrate) and from what I know of versa lock block, they tend to be quite porous.

If in fact they’re porous, I would say you could try the Cypermethrin but a better option for such surfaces would be something microencapsulated like the ONSLAUGHT. It can last a lot longer compared to any EC like Cypermethrin in general. But it’s also a lot less likely to get absorbed by porous surfaces like cement so that means you’ll end up with a lot more active ingredient where matters.

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

Onslaught: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/onslaught

We feature several of what we consider to be the “best” products for wasps in our WASP CONTROL article. For starters, dusting all cracks and crevices around the home 1-2 a year will no doubt stop them from nesting. But the DRIONE DUST alone is usually not enough.

Once you find them landing on any surface like soffits, overhands, siding, around window frames, etc., spray the area with CYPERMETHRIN for a long lasting surface repellent spray. The NBS can also be used this way.

In most cases, these are the only products you’ll need and they’ll provide the best control overall.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Drione:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

NBS Repellent:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

Wasp Control:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

I keep an I/O under a covered dock that has this exact problem. The daubers love going through the vent holes and nesting inside my motor compartment. I first tried installing some PEST STRIPS which no doubt stopped them. But because the boat is kept open with no cover on it, the strips evaporated too quick. Inside of 2 weeks they were gone. Since your boat is covered with a tarp, I would think the strips would last longer and if you got 1 month or more of protection from them, this would prove to be an efficient way to stop them. The Pest Strips release slowly and insects don’t like the scent so they’ll stay away where the odor is present. Wasps and bees are particularly sensitive to it so they won’t linger therefore they you won’t be killing them.

Since the strips didn’t work for me, I went to an aerosol called PHANTOM. It’s odorless, goes on dry (which was very important because I didn’t want to mark up my boat deck) and treatments seem to last about 3-4 weeks. The Phantom stopped the wasps as well as the spider problem I have. But it will kill them so I don’t think you’ll want to use this option.

For nothing but repelling pests like wasps, another option would be the NBS. It’s a liquid that can be used as a paint or stain additive but can also be used as a spray. Just mix it with water and spray down the motor housing. Is there a chance it will discolor the housing? Sure. I say this just to insure you try treating a test spot first before you treat the entire housing. We’ve been selling this product for years with people applying it to their homes and during this time we’ve not had one complaint of it affecting the paint or any other finish they’ve treated. But I can’t say I know of anyone using it on an outboard motor housing which is why I suggest testing it first.

A third option would be to set up an AEROSOL MACHINE with some KONK in it. If you place this machine up under the tarp and program it to release every 15 minutes, I’m sure it will deter and not kill them. Konk contains Pyrethrin and is an excellent repellent. Unfortunately it doesn’t last which is why you need the machine. The machine is easy to deploy and can be programmed to work around the clock. And a can can last 30-60 days so it’s cost effective. I’m sure because you’d be using it up under a tarp the release of pyrethrin could be directed where the wasps want to nest so they’ll have no choice but to leave and stay away.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Pest Strips:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/fumigant/hotshot-no-pest-strip

Phantom:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz

NBS:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz

Aerosol Machine:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/aerosol-dispenser-2000

Konk:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/konk-974-py-6-5-oz

We get this question quite a bit. Fortunately there are a lot of options and none of them will hurt or damage your plants.

You see, years ago when the first generation of home and garden pesticides came to market, they were highly concentrated and contained solvents that were many times damaging to the plants being treated. These highly concentrated active ingredients would many times burn or damage the treated plant (which is why so many people think insecticides will kill plants). Actives like Malathion, Diazinon and liquid Sevin would in fact do harm to most any potted plant when used like you want to use. Not only that, but their nasty odor would linger for many, many days. Fortunately a lot has changed.

Today we have actives that are a lot less concentrated (instead of 40-60% active ingredient, 5-20% are the norm). Additionally they have solvents which don’t cause side affects like burning the leaves of a treated plant or hurting the plants root system  These actives are first tested to make sure they won’t hurt the plants they’re intended to be sprayed on so that by the time they come to market, there will be directions indicating what if any plants are sensitive to it’s use along with any other important treating guidelines.

So for your problem, the good news is there are plenty of options that can be utilized. And the treatment is actually quite easy. Basically all you have to do is mix one of these products with water and apply it like you would with a watering can. In other words, you don’t have to spray the plant but instead just water it into the plants soil. We have several products that will work on wasps and can be used in your potted plants, but here are two that we know very well.

The first is the CYPERMETHRIN mentioned in our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE. It not only will kill any nesting in the soil, but it’s repellent action will also keep new ones from coming around. Mix it at the rate of 1/2 oz per gallon and it will only take 32-64 oz of the mixed spray to do the job.

Alternatively, you can use an organic product like MULTIPURPOSE INSECT KILLER. Use it the same way as the Cypermethrin. Once it filters through the soil and finds the wasps nest, it will both kill any alive in the nest and continue to work for a day or two. Since it won’t last long like the Cypermethrin, you will have to treat again in two days if you continue to see activity. This is because the organic actives just don’t last long like the more traditional products. But in the end, it can get you the same result.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

Wasp Control Article:  http://www.wasps.net/wasp-and-hornet-control

Multipurpose Insect Killer:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz