Wasp management
Aug. 10th, 2009 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnridleyI had a brainwave on the way home from work, stopped at Dexter Mill, bought a 2kg bag of diatomaceous earth, which is listed as an effective, non-toxic and deep penetrating wasp killer (not fast, but it gets the job done in an hour or three). Then I went to the hardware store and bought a couple of reducers to get from 2" to 1/2" PVC.
Took some of the parts that I prepared for berzerker to make spud guns; a 14" length of 3" PVC with a small hole in one side (intended for an ignitor), a threaded end cap, and a 3" to 2" reducer, stuck them together (no glue, for this application, just wedged them together). Put in my reducers to get to 1/2". Took a 4 foot long piece of 1/2" PVC, cut one end off on a 60* angle or so to make it easier to punch through plastic and insulation. Took all this upstairs along with my air compressor with a blow gun nozzle.
T and I dumped a few cups of the powder into the base, capped it, put the sharpened pipe in, and I shoved it through the plastic and into the cavity. Inserted the blow gun nozzle into the little hole and let it rip. The entire cavity instantly filled with the powder, and several wasps dropped into the plastic area over the next few seconds, covered with dust and looking very forlorn. Within a few minutes they started looking very distressed. We repeated twice. I figure the area up there is probably entirely coated with diatomaceous earth, and when they all come in this evening they should get a fatal dose and be dead by morning. Just to make sure I'm going to hit them again well after dark.
I have tomorrow off. Tomorrow morning, put down dropcloth, don tyvek jumpsuit and gloves, remove plastic bit and drop into trash, begin CAREFUL inspection.
Long term plan; tape that hole up, clean the room up. Wait until it's well cold, like December, then remove the drywall and clean up the mess, plug all holes thoroughly, spray down with some enzyme or lemon joy to remove the nesting pheromone, re-insulate and re-drywall. Hopefully K will have a room again for xmas.
Took some of the parts that I prepared for berzerker to make spud guns; a 14" length of 3" PVC with a small hole in one side (intended for an ignitor), a threaded end cap, and a 3" to 2" reducer, stuck them together (no glue, for this application, just wedged them together). Put in my reducers to get to 1/2". Took a 4 foot long piece of 1/2" PVC, cut one end off on a 60* angle or so to make it easier to punch through plastic and insulation. Took all this upstairs along with my air compressor with a blow gun nozzle.
T and I dumped a few cups of the powder into the base, capped it, put the sharpened pipe in, and I shoved it through the plastic and into the cavity. Inserted the blow gun nozzle into the little hole and let it rip. The entire cavity instantly filled with the powder, and several wasps dropped into the plastic area over the next few seconds, covered with dust and looking very forlorn. Within a few minutes they started looking very distressed. We repeated twice. I figure the area up there is probably entirely coated with diatomaceous earth, and when they all come in this evening they should get a fatal dose and be dead by morning. Just to make sure I'm going to hit them again well after dark.
I have tomorrow off. Tomorrow morning, put down dropcloth, don tyvek jumpsuit and gloves, remove plastic bit and drop into trash, begin CAREFUL inspection.
Long term plan; tape that hole up, clean the room up. Wait until it's well cold, like December, then remove the drywall and clean up the mess, plug all holes thoroughly, spray down with some enzyme or lemon joy to remove the nesting pheromone, re-insulate and re-drywall. Hopefully K will have a room again for xmas.
