Afraid to go out the door

[toffeeboy]

Hi there, first summer here, love it despite the difficulties, but... WASPS, I hva enow been stung 7 times by the critters and 3 head shots. It hurts like hell for a while then is sore for a day or so and a bit of swelling so not life threatening, but I need to know how to stop this. Is there something I can eat, wear, spray, grow or generally do to keep them away from me? I know the normal about keeping water away so they have a place to drink and so forth but its doing my head in (literally)

[gavilan]

suggest you try a different door! but seriously you need to locate the nest/s ... and identify which sort of wasp ie 'british' type wasp or those long legged types ... the first make a sort of whitish honeycomb nest and attached to anything from a beam to a leaf! and the other build mud constructions attached to walls, window corners etc ... but for either or both ... wait til after dusk when it is cool or very early morning (this means the wasps are gathered in the nests, not flying around) and then spray - the spray I use is called 'Bloom' (I know it sounds like a furniture polish! but believe me it kills in seconds) ... good luck!

[La Raya]

I find antihistamine cream gets rid of the pain very quickly. Ask at the chemists.

[toffeeboy]

Ive got creams, I dont want the sting in the first place, when you open the door during the heat of the day all you can see is wasps. Also I have big stone walls with gaps in places there could be nests anywhere.

[Beachcomber]

If you can find the nest spray it with Zoom but be prepared to run because it does not kill the wasps instantly and they get pretty annoyed. Once you have persuaded them to vacate the nest hook it down onto the floor and destroy it.

Be careful for sometime afterwards because the wasps will be dying all over the place. Do not walk around in bare feet for a while.

If the worst comes to the worst you will need to contact a pest control expert.

[sheilap]

you poor thing so sore I have been out off and on for the last 4 years never had a sting till the last trip out I was in the pool and I thought i was very brave no inflatable ring cooling off as you do then wham one of those horrible dangley legged wasps caught me . I jumped out of the pool and my neighbour came out with vinegar and dowsed my arm , I then put on antihistamine cream with an ice pack and sat in the shade for 10 minutes it seemed OK after that, but the next day I thought someone had punched me in the arm my muscle was tender for a few day's. We did locate a few nests the masonry type and I had great pleasure in killing the little blighters

[frog]

change your name toffeeboy,that should cure it

[Maddi]

I know where you're coming from. Wasps, mossies, cat fleas all a major problem with me. I always seem to attract them, yet my OH never has any problems. Any bites or stings, trigger off strong reactions and allergies. I then have to take antihistamines, antibiotics, stay out of the sun and out of the pool - doctor's orders. So why am I here?
The worst time is in September, when water and pollen is scarce and they become carnivorous and even more vicious.
Sorry, would love to be more positive, but it seems like your body is producing the kind of chemicals that attract these peskies.
I've read up lots, and do the following to minimise attracting them - take B100 every day, drink tonic water (they don't like the quinine in it and it's an excuse to taking in the vodka!), rub in Boots' sun cream with insect repellant. Altho' have to say that the blighters still aim for me - OH says I'm paranoid, but even flies land on me and bite.
You're not on your own - tho' I know that's little consolation. I've met many people in same situation.
Current solutions I've read about - yes, try and get rid of any nearby nests, have a plateful of raw meat or tuna away from your house, so they can feed there and away from you, or move to the coast where there are less insects or move back to the UK during summer months if you can, which I have had to resort to.

[La Raya]

Ive got creams, I dont want the sting in the first place, when you open the door during the heat of the day all you can see is wasps. Also I have big stone walls with gaps in places there could be nests anywhere.

In that case, as already been said you need to destroy the nests near your door.

If you can locate the nests the best time to spray (or burn) them is in the early morning when it is cooler. The wasps are dormant at this time and are all on the nest. If you try to destroy them during the day a) you risk being stung again and b) many of the wasps will be away from the nest, foraging. When they come back they will form a posse and come after you..... nah! they will just rebuild the nest.

[peteroldracer]

.........and if you are in the country, do think very carefully before burning anything - it would be so easy to set fire to half Andalucia at the moment - especially if you are a little preoccupied running away from a few hundred angry wasps!
You could always report them to the Junta de Andalucia for doing an illegal unlicensed build?

[patricia]

Although yes you want to get rid of the nest if you can, but I just thought to tell you that wasps are attracted to aftershave and perfume, so if you are being stung more than normal dont wear anything with perfume in it. I got stung the other day on the beach my foot came up like a football.

[gavilan]

...your first summer ... old stone walls ... masses of wasps ... sounds like they have been nesting there for years undisturbed til you arrived ... so best find a pest control agent ...

[JAKE M]

I find antihistamine cream gets rid of the pain very quickly. Ask at the chemists.

But do you have to apply it to each wasp?

[Beryl1914]

I applied the Neem oil and the essential oils sugested and that works, sprayed the kids hats and clothes and some in the small rubber pool.
I killed a nest at the night time when they are in the nest and used ant powder which works. I found this out when I got the pest control man out here in England for a nest I had and he let it slip when he dropped some on the grass that it was ant powder. let me know how you go on.

[alaninspain]

Jake- that was very silly, reminds me of a terrible joke about smelling mothballs.

[JAKE M]

Jake- that was very silly, reminds me of a terrible joke about smelling mothballs.

Alan- whatever turns you on is no business of mine