This is an easy one. There are many wasps that will forage on trees and become a nuisance. Some can damage the tree but most are feeding on sap or some kind of insect that might be foraging around. In other situations they could be harvesting some part of the tree for nesting. Girdling is when they peel away bark and other tree parts and over time this can become a problem. To keep them away, you have two effective spray options.

The first is to treat the trees with CYPERMETHRIN. This is a highly repellent product wasps don't like. They'll avoid treated areas as explained in our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE so you can use it on your house and plants. Though Cypermethrin will repel, it will also kill insects that land on it repeatedly. That means they should move off and away from your trees after you spray them but if they insist on still landing on treated surfaces, they'll die.

If you don't want to kill them, you can opt to spray with the INSECT REPELLENT. This product is commonly mixed with paint and stain then applied to homes for the sole purpose of repelling insects. But it can also be mixed with water and sprayed on plants. When used this way, it will work as a repellent and not kill anything but it will keep the yard wasp free.

Both products can be applied using a PUMP SPRAYER or a TROMBONE SPRAYER. Treatments should last several weeks but just reapply as needed. And do the spraying in the evening, close to sunset, so you don't bother any leaves on the plants being sprayed. Vegetation can be hurt when sprayed in the middle of the day when it's hot and in direct sunlight so wait till later.

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

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page154.html

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

Insect Repellent:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/repellents/nbs-repellent-insect-spray

Pump Sprayer:  http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers/pump-sprayers/one-gallon-solo-hd

Trombone Sprayer:  http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers/pump-sprayers/trombone-pump

If you read our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn wasps do this for a few reasons. If you see this behavior in the summer, it's usually because they are expecting a major weather event like strong rain or wind. Another reason they'll bunch will be if their nest was destroyed. Being social and communal, if the nest they built elsewhere was destroyed by weather or some animal, the inhabitants will be forced to move. Before doing so, they'll group up to make sure their community is somewhat safe. When doing so, they'll meet in a group. This will many times be on a tree or nearby structure. Based on the commonality of similar reports your local store cited, I'm guessing you're seeing something weather related and not because all of these wasps were suffering from nest destruction.

Also in our article you'll learn wasps commonly do this each fall as they prepare to overwinter. During the cold of the winter they'll locate a tree or structure on which to live and hide when it gets cold. Normally we don't see this behavior till October in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the US so I would say it's a bit early for them to be thinking about the winter. But I have seen where the scent from past winters that's still left on a structure can attract and cause wasps to group at any time. So if you've seen them congregate or suspect some might be hibernating on your home when it's cold outside, the latest activity you've noted could be nothing more than local wasps smelling the past activity and coming around to investigate.

If you decide you want to get rid of these guys for good, you'll need to apply more than just your average "off the shelf" wasp freeze. As our article explains, the best product for long term control is our DRIONE DUST. When applied up under siding and other cracks and crevices where these guys like to nest and hibernate, you won't have to worry about them anymore. Drione will last 6-12 months and a good dusting now will easily protect the home from any fall invasion. Using it once or twice a year is one of the best ways to keep out wasps, bees, ants, roaches, scorpions and just about any perimeter invader the average home in the south might see.

Another product you should apply after dusting is the CYPERMETHRIN. Highly repellent and long lasting, it will keep wasps and just about any pest off treated surfaces. For this reason it's a great product to spray on house siding where you see wasps grouping and gathering. Cypermethrin won't last as long as the Drione but it's easier to use and is good for when wasps are randomly foraging around and on a home since it can be applied most anywhere you see them.

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

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

Drione:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page31.html

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page154.html

If you read through our post which talks about WASPS AROUND A PICTURE WINDOW, you'll see what we recommend doing. The bottom line is you must be able to locate their route of entry if you wish to stop the invasion. Based on how many you've seen, I'm sure there is either a nest on the home or they are foraging inside some space or void in the home which is connected to your basement. Regardless, you'll have to seal the entry point and in order to do this, you will first need to identify the exact spot. At that time you'll be able to tell which treatment option to employ and then once the activity stops, you'll be able to seal it up to prevent this from happening again.

So read through the following post and try to locate the spot where they're entering and once you do, a treatment program can be initiated. If you have further questions on how to proceed after you locate where they're most active, give us a call toll free at 1-800-877-7290.

http://www.wasps.net/how-to-treat/wasps-around-picture-window.html

Identifying entry points will be the key to solving this problem if in fact have some getting into the home based on an established pattern. Here are some guidelines that might help resolve the problem.

First, understand that seeing 1-2 wasps inside a home during the summer is normal and no need for concern. But seeing several in any week means something is happening that needs to be addressed. If you saw 10 this past week, I'm fairly certain you either have a nest inside the home or you have a passage way they're using which is indirectly leading some to your living space.

Second, if you have a nest in the home, there will be a very distinct pattern or flight path many wasps will be using during the day. If you take some time to stand outside your home from noon till dark and casually observe the home from afar, you might be able to locate an entry point they're using. Pulling up a chair and bringing out a refreshing drink while watching one side of the home for 10-20 minutes is a good way to pass the time. Set up outside in the yard, say 15-25 feet away from the side of the home, and remain motionless when watching. If there is a nest present or being constructed in your home, some wasps will be active and you should be able to see them once you focus your attention to the house itself.

Third, after watching all four sides of the home, you should be able to locate one side which has unwanted wasp activity. This side will then need further attention to stop the invasion. The next step will depend largely on where you think they're going once inside. If it's an attic or crawl space, getting to the spot will be required to see if they have constructed a nest you can directly treat. If you locate a nest, directly treating it with one of the products we mention in our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE should take care of it immediately.

Lastly, if you're not able to locate any side with activity, you'll most likely have to contact a professional service company to come and inspect. With any luck they'll be able to locate a key entry point and then offer some treatment options that will take care of the invasion. In most cases I've dealt with like this, if there is a wasp nest inside the home (like in a wall void, attic space or crawl space), directly treating it is the ideal way to resolve the problem. But in cases where I've seen them going up under siding or just entering cracks or crevices with no clear nest visible, I've used the DRIONE DUST applied to these areas combined with outside treatments of CYPERMETHRIN or INSECT REPELLENT and been able to keep them away. The point is you can stop this activity once you know more about just what is leading to them getting inside and in order to get that information, you'll need to do some detective work.

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

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

Drione Dust:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page31.html

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page154.html

Insect Repellent:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/repellents/nbs-repellent-insect-spray

As our online WASP CONTROL ARTICLE explains, wasps like to live up under the eaves and basically any space that is both open and somewhat protected from the rain and weather. Most all fireplaces that use an exhaust pipe will have a perfect void between the square build of the siding and the actual flue which runs through the center inside the "box". Wasps will commonly access this space from the top  and once they start using it, they'll return every year.

There are several ways you can treat the area to both control and repel the unwanted nesting. The first thing you might consider is to burn something in your fireplace. We have customers do this during the winter when wasps were found invading their home and if the nest is on the inside of the flue, this will usually knock them out immediately.

Now if the nest is located in the void of the chimney box, the "fire" treatment probably won't help. If you see them entering a certain location over and over, you can spray either CYPERMETHRIN or INSECT REPELLENT over the entire area to keep them out. The Cypermethrin is a true pesticide in that it will kill them as they forage over the treated wood. This won't happen immediately so you should expect to see some entering and leaving for a few days after the treatment. But eventually they should succumb to the spray over several days if you saturated the area good. The Insect Repellent is the paint additive "organic" option that you can either add to paint or stain when finishing your house to keep pests away. It can also be sprayed in the same fashion as the Cypermethrin. Though it won't kill anything, wasps and several other invasive pests don't like it and will stay clear of treated surfaces.

Lastly, if the fire and liquid options don't get rid of the problem, you'll need to dust the area with some PYGANIC or DRIONE DUST. These can be applied with a DUSTICK so you don't have to worry about getting right up on the chimney to treat. You can also use a HAND DUSTER if this area is reachable and you're comfortable working around the wasps. As a general rule we don't recommend this tactic but some people are braver than others and willing to take a chance. Remember, bad things can happen when you're up high and if you're working on a ladder, it can be especially dangerous so be careful. The Dustick enables one to treat safely away from the nests and in most every case well worth the investment.

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

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

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page154.html

Insect Repellent:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/repellents/nbs-repellent-insect-spray

Pyganic Dust:  http://www.bugspray.com/item/pyganic_dust.html

Drione Dust:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page31.html

Dustick:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1413.html

Hand Duster:  http://www.gotosprayer.com/dusters/hand-dusters

For some reason wasps seem to love chimney's. It seems like half of the nests I find on homes are on or alongside chimneys. It could be due to the all the "extra" lumber and framing common to this area on the home. Or it could be the air space is warmer behind the siding and therefore the external siding is  slightly warmer outside which attracts pests. Regardless, this is a common location to find wasps and in many cases a tough one to treat because it's high and inaccessible.

In most every case, there are two things I like to do when I see wasps foraging and active in this location. Due to the seams and spaces commonly found around the average chimney box, I like to first dust the area with some DRIONE. Since the location is almost always high, the use of a DUSTICK will be a big help. At this time I always recommend dusting around all the gutters in the home too since they will commonly attract pests and if you doing a little dusting, treating all the way around the home makes sense since it's so effective.

In most cases the dust is all that's needed and if done right, you'll not only stop the current activity but you'll effectively be stopping them from coming around again in the fall. But I do like to spray some CYPERMETHRIN over the top as a kind of "extra" protection. With the use of our TROMBONE SPRAYER, you should be able to reach 25-30 feet up there and this extra spray may be needed if you weren't able to dust every area and you're still seeing activity 2-3 days after the dusting is done.

Here are direct links for the products mentioned above:

Drione Dust:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page256.html

Dustick: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1413.html

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page154.html

Trombone Sprayer:  http://www.gotosprayer.com/sprayers/pump-sprayers/trombone-pump

If you read through our GROUND WASP CONTROL article, you'll see there are a three main products to use. The first is the DELTAMETHRIN DUST. This can be directly applied to any active hole and will result in immediate control of the wasp or wasps living there. Within a day they'll be dead.

The CYFLUTHRIN GRANULES are better suited for treating a large area and most definitely need to be used when you have a big infestation. However, they don't work quickly. In fact, by themselves they might take 4-8 days to work so if you only use them, be sure to water them in for faster results and be patient. Also, be sure to treat every 30 days for at least 3 months to insure you get them all. We've seen attempts at using the granules alone mostly result in failed effort. To help counteract these failures, we suggest spraying over the top of the granules for long term results.

For this, the ESFENVALERATE works well. It will act quickly, like the dust and within 1-2 days most that have hatched will die.

Remember too, as our article explains, the pupae of these wasps will be hatching daily for the next 2-4 weeks so expect to see surges in populations even after you start treating. This is because nothing can kill the pupae so even after your treatment kills the ones active, new ones will hatch out following their death for awhile. This means you'll be seeing "replacement wasps" till the cycle of the local population runs out. If you've done a good job of treating, in the end they won't be able to continue their cycle since your effort should stop them. The key here is getting them early on, like now, when they first get active and then to remain on them while their hatching out.

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

Ground Wasp Article:  http://www.bugspray.com/articles99/diggerwasps.html

Deltamethrin Dust: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1268.html

Cyfluthrin Granules: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1271.html

Esfenvalerate: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page537.html

Yellowjackets will many times create a nest in the wall as detailed in our YELLOWJACKET CONTROL ARTICLE. If you are able to treat these nests from inside the house, the impact can be devastating to the colony. A good dusting from this angle should knock them out on contact with little or no chance of any surviving. But the key here is being able to access them from inside your home. DO NOT attempt to dust them from their outside access point (where you see them entering and leaving their nest). This will almost always lead to nothing but a bad experience. When jobs are done this way in most cases the nest is broken up and forced to another part of the wall which is usually more remote and difficult to treat. As explained in our article, the only way to attempt to dust is from inside the home with the dust being applied toward the outside of the home. This insures if you do miss them they won't move deeper into the wall making it a more difficult problem to treat.

As for your choice of dust; the DRIONE listed in the article is definitely the best option. It's a dessicant and as such will remain active a long time. This insures you've got something working behind the wall to get all the hatching young that will no doubt emerge in the coming months if the nest is established and growing. ECO EXEMPT is an alternative that can be used and if you're able to treat the nest directly, it will do the job. Mind you it won't work nearly as fast nor will it last a long as the Drione but if you can deliver it where it will matter the most, Eco Exempt can handle yellow jackets fine.

May I also suggest another exempt alternative we have listed on our NON TOXIC WEB SITE known as MOTHERS EARTH. This  is another dessicant dust which is similar to the Drione with a lot of qualities that make it better suited for yellowjackets. Quick acting and long lasting, it would be a better choice over the Eco Exempt and should be considered for this job as well.

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

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

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page268.html

http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/dust/eco-exempt-dust

http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/

http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/dust/mothers-earth-diatomaceous-dust

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

Don't waste you time trying to locate any nest; I don't think you have one. If you read our WASP CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn that every fall wasps attempt to hibernate. Mostly wasps do this in the woods and landscaping so we don't encounter the bulk of them which come out every spring. But because of the sheer number of wasps around us in the "wild", some end up hibernating on our homes, auto's and other man made objects. When they emerge each spring, most will do so with us never seeing them. But if they do so in the wrong direction, like "into" the house instead of "out of" the house, the occupants will surely note the activity. I suspect that's the case here.

At this point you have a few options. The simplest would be to leave the bus alone for a week or two. Chances are high they will leave the bus altogether as the weather warms and they seek new locations to build nests for the upcoming season. I would think in the next 2-3 weeks you could go back to using it safely without seeing but 1-2 who slept a little late into spring.

Your second option would be to do some treating. If done correctly and thoroughly, a good dusting should solve the problem on the spot. As explained in our article, an application of DRIONE DUST up under the siding, motor housing, around the wheel wells, window frames and basically any crack or crevice should get them where they have mostly hibernated. Drione is a great "flusher" and will chase them out for many feet in all directions of where it's applied. I've seen problems like this before and in these the wasps have been somewhat closely located in one main side or area of the vehicle. But that doesn't mean you should rule out treating the whole bus. I'd do a thorough job which might sound like a long process but really isn't. For someone experienced, they would be able to the entire bus in as little as 15-20 minutes; for a novice like yourself, maybe 30-40 minutes. And the video on our Drione page shows why it's perfect for this job. First, it will kill them all on the spot. Second, it floats around a lot and will penetrate whereever they might be hiding as long as you get "close" so an exact process isn't really needed. Third, it's highly repellent to wasps and bees so they'll stay away from the bus once it's treated. And fourth (which for me is the kicker), if you're able to let it sit for a day or two great as all will surely die. But you don't have to; just a few hours will usually be all that's needed. And when you're ready to use it again all the excess product will blow off it which means there should be no exposure to the kids. This alone makes it a great choice.

Now if you feel the dust sounds like it will be too hard to use, you could opt for some PHANTOM AEROSOL. This product won't have the fast knockdown of the Drione but it will kill them all in 2-3 days. The advantave of the Phantom is that it goes on dry so no one will even know it was used. Plus it's odorless. Basically it's ideal for sensitive areas like this and would be a good second choice option that in the end would yield the same results; it will just take a little longer to see them all gone.

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

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

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page31.html

http://www.bugspray.com/item/phantom_aerosol.html

Good luck!

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

There are several. First, treating their pants lightly the day before would help. The Aerosol Permethrin is good for this.

For the skin, there are a few we recommend for children. I'd say the Citronella Lotion is fine as is the Deet 20% Lotion. And we also have a Deet Free w/Sunblock option which is good for children. All these will repel any flying insect including bees and wasps and will keep just about anything that flies away insect wise.