Pests: stinging, biting, or chewing

[Grammar Rules]

It was wonderful to have a wet spring, but we are paying for it now with a ravenous overpopulation of pests. The grasshoppers are chewing the drying grasses down to the roots. :( And wasps and yellow jackets are everywhere, plus killer bee attacks locally.

This is the first year I've noticed very small, very irritable and aggressive yellow jackets. My husband and I joke that they are "Africanized Yellow Jackets," because we both grew up in Central Texas and haven't seen these before. Maybe we've just been lucky, but these are in a new category of pest.

Of course, the distance-spraying Raid takes care of them, but I disturbed an angry swarm when I moved some wooden lawn furniture. The dog got stung; I was more fortunate. Have these critters always been around here? The usual variety have always been slightly smaller than what we call red wasps and the larger hornets, but these are tiny, about the size of bees.

[CenTexDave]

I've seen then the last couple of years. They tend to build their nests on overhangs of porches, entrance ways, etc.
And, yep, that wasp and hornet spray that shoots 20 feet takes care of them fast.

[onetime]

Excellent post Grammar about the troubles that we are all facing, I had some mosquito issues until I bought this mosquito trap that pumps out CO attracting them into a netted trap until they die it costs about $300, but it is worth it. I also placed some bird feeders around my house last year, they cost about $10 to $40 dollars but you would not believe how the presence of these birds scares off all of these other bugs. You really have to place these in areas where the birds will drop their waste on the grass otherwise you will constantly have bird doodie clean up.

[Grammar Rules]

:)) if the mosquitoes out here recover from the drought of '11 and come back, I may get one of those traps. Where is it available? I have a bird feeder plus four "mosquito plants"--citronella plants. We really don't have much problem with them.

There are a couple of chaparrals who pass through the yard, but not often enough to control the grasshoppers. I finally gave up and sprayed spectracide.

[CenTexDave]

If mosquitoes are the problem, build a marlin house.
My next door neighbor has one - about 16 separate compartments for the birds. Marlins are a type of swallow - eat their weight in flies and mosquitoes each day.
I've lived here 28 years and can count the times I've been bitten by a mosquito in my yard on one hand.

[SamBrown]

"Martins" are fantastic insect control:thumbsup

[onetime]

:)) if the mosquitoes out here recover from the drought of '11 and come back, I may get one of those traps. Where is it available? I have a bird feeder plus four "mosquito plants"--citronella plants. We really don't have much problem with them.

There are a couple of chaparrals who pass through the yard, but not often enough to control the grasshoppers. I finally gave up and sprayed spectracide.

Spectracide is bad for the environment and kills the local ecosystem, the bugs that are suppose to kill the pests are usually killed off from those chemicals. Here is the link for the mosquito machine http://www.mosquitomagnet.com . As far as the bird feeder is concerned I would place them in every possible corner of your yard and one in the middle.

[Grammar Rules]

It wasn't mosquitoes I was going after; it was grasshoppers. I would need a whole squadron of chaparrals (road runners) to take care of them this year. Any ideas of an eco-friendly alternative to the Spectracide?

[CenTexDave]

Napalm. :)

[cnjbond]

It was wonderful to have a wet spring, but we are paying for it now with a ravenous overpopulation of pests. The grasshoppers are chewing the drying grasses down to the roots. :( And wasps and yellow jackets are everywhere, plus killer bee attacks locally.

This is the first year I've noticed very small, very irritable and aggressive yellow jackets. My husband and I joke that they are "Africanized Yellow Jackets," because we both grew up in Central Texas and haven't seen these before. Maybe we've just been lucky, but these are in a new category of pest.

Of course, the distance-spraying Raid takes care of them, but I disturbed an angry swarm when I moved some wooden lawn furniture. The dog got stung; I was more fortunate. Have these critters always been around here? The usual variety have always been slightly smaller than what we call red wasps and the larger hornets, but these are tiny, about the size of bees.

My wife said her and our neighbor were stung by them a few days ago and this is the first time anyone has been stung in the 7 years that we've been there.

[kantwin]

I was cutting the grass yesterday and had the misfortune of running the law mower over a previously unknown yellow jacket nest. Got hit 3 times. The long distance wasp and hornet spray was my reply.

[CenTexDave]

It must be all Bush's fault. :))

[Grammar Rules]

Dave? Did you drink lunch? :?

[CenTexDave]

Not today!! :))

[FieryPrincess]

I have a citronella plant and a lavendar plant. They help.

We grow skeeters really big here. I have no idea how they survive the cold. I guess the eggs live under the snow or something.
3746

[Grammar Rules]

I have four citronella plants and a large stand of lavender. The mosquitos aren't bad, but the grasshoppers ate every bloom off my lavender plants.

Of interest regarding the tiny variety of yellow jackets: the Raid Wasp and Hornet spray isn't as effective on them or their nests as it is on the larger ones. A direct hit will kill them, but the survivors will return to the nest and continue business as usual.

[CenTexDave]

Raid must have gotten impotent.
I use some off brand and all I do is hit the nest and bye bye to all of them.

[Grammar Rules]

That works with the wasps, big yellow jackets, hornets, and dirt daubers. Not with the little jackets. They're MUTANTS!!!!!!

[FieryPrincess]

I have four citronella plants and a large stand of lavender. The mosquitos aren't bad, but the grasshoppers ate every bloom off my lavender plants.

Of interest regarding the tiny variety of yellow jackets: the Raid Wasp and Hornet spray isn't as effective on them or their nests as it is on the larger ones. A direct hit will kill them, but the survivors will return to the nest and continue business as usual.

Hairspray and open flame.

The hairspray prevents their flying and the flame speaks for itself. Don't set your yard on fire, though.

[Night Owl]

I have a citronella plant and a lavendar plant. They help.

We grow skeeters really big here. I have no idea how they survive the cold. I guess the eggs live under the snow or something.
3746
And to think that one is still a baby.:)