Many owners of summer cottages know what earthen wasps are, but you will not find these insects in any reference book on entomology. The people call it this way of different types of wasps that have settled in the soil. If stinging neighbors have settled next to the dacha, the owners are of little interest in what genus they belong to, it is more important to find out what danger they pose and what measures can be taken. There are several ways to get rid of the swarm, but when eliminating the burrow, you need to act correctly and carefully so that no one is hurt by the bites.
Description of appearance
Wasps in the ground equip nests for several reasons - there is no suitable place in the immediate vicinity, an too attractive rodent's hole was found, an abandoned anthill. Externally, earthen wasps in the country are no different from those that equip a hive under the roof of a house, in an attic, balcony, or tree.
Characteristic features are bright striped color with yellow-black stripes, thin wings, small head, small antennae. And also the presence of a sting, which the insect uses for self-defense, in the process of hunting when obtaining food. A photo of an earthen wasp is presented below, and next to it is a representative of paper wasps that do not live in the soil.
Precautions and Recommendations
In addition to solving the problem of how to deal with wasps, you need to figure out how to protect yourself from them. The ideal option is the usual "beekeeper suit". In its absence, any tight clothing that covers the body as much as possible will do. Additionally, you should protect your face and especially your eyes with a mask. A thick hat should be put on your head.
You can not make sudden movements and make loud sounds - the hearing of earthen wasps is the sharpest. All actions should be performed in the dark when the wasps fall asleep.
If the situation has worsened, and the wasps began to leave the nest in large numbers, you need to quickly hide in a closed room and wait three hours. Better to spend more time waiting than rushing and risking being bitten.
Vespiary
Wasps in the ground build the same hive as on the surface. The building material is wood - tree bark, wooden fences, outbuildings. The insect spits out a special secret, waits for the top layer to soften, then scrapes it off with powerful jaws. Carries into the nest, digests with saliva, resulting in a sticky elastic mass.
Inside there are numerous honeycombs arranged in several rows. The outer layers of the nest are more fragile, the material resembles toilet paper. The nest expands as the size of the family increases. The average size of an earthen wasp hive is about the size of an apple. In some cases, they can reach a diameter of 50 cm or more. Takes the shape of a sphere.
Interesting!
True earthen wasps dig holes in the ground to find the larvae of May beetles, other potential victims. They paralyze with poison, lay an egg on the abdomen, get out, bury the entrance. A few hours later, a larva appears, which lives on the victim's body, feeds on its entrails. In this way, the female provides the larva with favorable conditions for development, but she herself no longer takes part in raising the cub.
Earth wasps
Several effective methods
There are several effective methods for breeding earth wasps.
Use of factory-made insecticides
Especially fast and reliable results in this matter are demonstrated by such means as "Solfisan", "Karbofos", "Aktara" and a number of similar in composition and action.
According to the recipe on the label or in the attached instructions, you must prepare a solution of the selected product and then pour it directly into the socket. At the end of the procedure, close the exit from the nest with a dense piece of cloth soaked in the same solution.
Application of fire
A simpler, but quite effective way is to completely burn out the nest. It is also good in that it does not require contact with toxic substances like insecticides.
For burning out, you need a couple of liters of kerosene or gasoline. They are poured into the nest, and a few drops spill a path a dozen or so centimeters from the entrance. Then it is set on fire. Containing a large number of paper honeycombs, the nest will burn out in a few minutes.
Pouring boiling water
This method is less effective than the previous ones. However, it is also much simpler, since it does not require anything other than a few liters of boiling water for use. But you should be ready to repeat the procedure several times.
The essence of the method is quite clear from its name. It is important not to forget to cover the nest with a stone or some kind of lid after each pouring. This will prevent aggressive wasps from flying out and attacking the person carrying out the destruction procedure.
Poisoned baits
This method is easy to use, but quite effective. It is necessary to prepare sweet sour jam or beer with sugar. Add a couple of grams of insecticidal products such as Get or Lambda Zone. Pour the prepared liquid into a saucer and place in a conspicuous place. Please note that pets and children do not have access to the prepared poison.
The listed methods of dealing with wasps are quite enough for life at the summer cottage to return to normal, and you could no longer be afraid of painful insect bites, but calmly go about your business.
Behavior, lifestyle
By the middle of summer, the wasp swarm numbers hundreds of thousands of adults. Each wasp performs its own functions:
- some build a nest;
- others get food;
- still others look after the larvae.
At the head is the uterus, which is exclusively engaged in the reproduction of offspring. Adults feed on flower nectar, fruit and vegetable juices, and honey. Protein food is required to feed the larvae. For their sake, female workers kill insects, circle around meat and fish products.
Ground wasps on the site become extremely active by the end of summer, early autumn. Often they penetrate the house, circle in the yard, do not allow them to calmly work in the garden, in the garden. Insects are aggressive, the slightest movement of the hand in their direction is regarded as a threat, and they rush to attack. An accidental finding of a person near the nest can result in numerous bites from a whole swarm.
Interesting!
Earth wasps communicate with each other by giving special sounds and signals. The insect notifies others about the danger, threat, finding food. In a matter of minutes, a whole swarm appears.
Lifestyle
In the middle of summer, the number of insects in one hive can reach tens of thousands. In the family, each insect performs its predetermined functions: it builds, hunts, looks after the larvae. The only individual that produces offspring is the uterus, which is protected by all wasps.
Insect food consists of flower nectar, juice of vegetables and fruits, honey stolen from apiaries and hives of wild bees. Larvae require a large amount of protein to grow, so worker wasps kill insects or flock to the smell of meat and fish while cutting outside.
Wasp activity increases strongly by the end of summer.They can penetrate buildings, spin intensively on the site, interfering with work, and when approaching their habitat, they violently attack. If a person is attacked by a whole swarm, then the resulting herbs can lead to anaphylactic shock.
The lifestyle of earth wasps
Danger of being bitten
Wasps living in the ground bite quite hard. At the site of the attack, swelling, swelling, redness, and a local increase in temperature immediately appear. Itching is felt as the wound heals. With a normal reaction of the body, proper first aid, the bite of an earthen wasp passes within 3-5 days. The bruise finally disappears within a week. To reduce painful symptoms, folk remedies are used in the form of compresses, lotions, soda paste, laundry soap.
If an earthen wasp has bitten, it is imperative to rinse the wound in order to remove the remains of the poison, to disinfect the wound. They use medical alcohol, ammonia, as well as any alcoholic tincture based on medicinal herbs - valerian, motherwort, glod, calendula.
Antiallergic ointments with a wasp bite
On a note!
In the field, they are treated with the juice of plantain, celandine, dandelion. And also with vodka, lemon, cucumber juice, rubbed with a slice of fresh potatoes. Or moisten the sore spot with their own saliva.
The poison of the ground wasp causes an allergic reaction of varying intensity. If the bite site becomes denser, increases in diameter by more than 10 mm, we are talking about a severe allergy, which must be treated with antihistamines, antiallergic ointments. They use drops, tablets for oral administration - Claritin, Fenistil, Diazolin, Elset, Supravtin, as well as ointments for treating the affected area - Fenistil gel, Psilo balm, Elokom, Betamethasone, etc.
A severe allergic reaction is accompanied by a general deterioration in well-being - weakness, malaise, headache, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, vomiting, impaired coordination of movement, laryngeal edema, and decreased blood pressure. Symptoms develop within 5-20 minutes after the bite of an earthen wasp. Emergency assistance is required, the introduction of Epinephrine, antihistamines, hospitalization for several days.
What are dangerous for humans
All wasps are active, agile and strong predators. Only one individual during the day is able to catch and destroy dozens of harmful insects or their larvae - aphids, caterpillars of butterflies and bedbugs that spoil ornamental plants and fruit harvest. Therefore, earthen wasps are considered the protectors of gardens and vegetable gardens.
But, settling in the immediate vicinity of a person, the earthen wasp pose a threat to him. The danger lies in the fact that these striped insects fearlessly attack anyone who approaches their nest or tries to destroy it. For them, the size of the victim does not matter, so it costs them nothing to attack a person.
The bites of ground wasps and hornets are painful, and the poison that gets into the wound causes a strong local allergic reaction. The bite site quickly swells and turns red, begins to itch. Puffiness, hyperemia and burning from a single bite disappear after 1 - 3 days, however, it all depends on the state of health of a particular person and the degree of his sensitivity to poison.
It is much worse if there are a lot of bites, because the earthen wasp can not only sting, and more than once, because, unlike a bee, its sting is not equipped with serrations and does not remain in the skin after a bite, but also bite the victim with its jaws. In addition, when attacking, the insect gives a signal to its relatives: it releases a specific alarm pheromone into the air, sensing which other wasps fly out of the nest to help and also attack the victim.
The consequences of a mass attack on earthen wasps can be very dire, especially in people with hypersensitivity to wasp poison.The body's reaction to the substances included in it can be very violent and expressed in the following symptoms:
- a sharp rise in temperature;
- headache;
- weakness;
- chills;
- difficulty breathing;
- asthma attacks;
- nausea and vomiting;
- abdominal cramps.
In extreme cases, everything ends with anaphylactic shock, convulsions, loss of consciousness.
You can anger earthen wasps if you accidentally or deliberately disturb their home during gardening work. You can also crush the wasp by picking up a ripe fruit where it will sit. They are attracted by the aromas of certain spices or perfumes, which contain certain essential oils. Therefore, it is better to get rid of wasps if you find one or more hornets' nests in the ground of your garden or vegetable garden in the following places:
- in the beds with root crops;
- in the center or near flower beds;
- in tree trunks;
- near paths, buildings;
- in places where small children often play.
If the nests of earthen wasps are located on an area far from home, the main places of movement, beds with vegetables and do not bother anyone, then they can be left so that insects can fight pests of the garden and vegetable garden.
How to get rid of ground wasps
If there are no allergy sufferers in the family, the nest is located in a safe place for humans, it is not worth fighting with earth wasps. They attack only in case of danger, threat to their own life or larvae. By their presence, they help to fight many pests of garden, vegetable garden crops. At the end of autumn, the swarm disappears, the nest becomes empty. Workers, the old queen dies, the young fertilized females look for places to winter in the wood.
If there is a danger to humans, there are several ways to bring the wasps out of the ground: destroy the nest, or reduce the number of insects on the site. The procedure for getting rid of the hive should be carried out in the evening, when the whole family returns to the nest to spend the night, or early in the morning, when the insects have not yet had time to scatter.
- You can destroy a hornet's nest in the ground by burning it. Poured over with a combustible substance - kerosene, gasoline, engine oil, set on fire.
- You can destroy a nest in the ground with water. A bucket of boiled water is poured into the hole. If necessary, repeat the procedure again the next day.
- A nest that has become empty in the fall needs to be dug up. Destroyed in any way. This is required so that a new swarm does not settle there in the spring. Wasps have the ability to return to their original place.
- Another option for extermination is to drive an aspen stake into the nest. The interior is damaged, the family is forced to move. But there is a possibility that they will settle in the immediate vicinity.
It is quite simple to get rid of earthen wasps on the site on your own, the whole difficulty lies in observing safety measures. With wrong actions, errors, a person is exposed to numerous bites. You need to do everything as quickly as possible, clearly. Put on a protective suit, a net on the head, a helmet or beekeeper's uniform.
On a note!
To reduce the number of insects, traps made of plastic bottles are placed on the site. The neck is cut off, turned over inside, fixed with tape, adhesive tape, staples. Pour honey, jam, kvass, beer, juice, lemonade inside, put a piece of meat. Several dozen wasps can be caught in one trap per day.
Features of insects
In summer cottages, this type of wasp appears quite often, so the problem of how to get rid of dangerous insects interests many owners of suburban areas. Although, is it worth to engage in their extermination is a moot point. After all, not only danger and harm comes from earthen wasps. These insects also destroy a considerable number of pests - caterpillars, aphids, etc. But their bites are dangerous, they take nutritious pollen from bees, and those who often spend time in the country will look for ways to remove them.
In addition to pollen, wasps feed mainly on smaller insects. Outwardly, wasp nests look like bee hives. Individuals of insects guard their homes and, when approaching it, show aggression. Therefore, you should not engage in gardening or garden work near the hornets' nests. Many bites of these insects can cause serious harm to health, and in people prone to allergic reactions, even death.
However, if only one nest appeared in the country, located in a remote area of the site, then you can safely leave it intact. In the summer, the wasps will destroy pests, and in the fall they will simply disappear.
Remedy for earth wasps
Chemical methods of dealing with earth wasps
Dangerous roommates can be poisoned with special drugs. Boric acid or broad-spectrum insecticides are used.
- Gel baits are laid out on the site, designed to destroy ants, rodents - the Great Warrior, Fas, etc.
- Dilute a bag of boric acid - 10 g, 1 liter of water, mix thoroughly until complete dissolution, add 1 tbsp. spoon into the bait - jam, honey, juice, etc., sprinkle with powder pieces of fruit, meat, fish.
- The nest is poured with insecticides, the soil is crushed from above at the entrance to the burrow, and added to the bait. It is better to use odorless preparations so as not to scare away insects. Effective products - Lambda Zone, Get, Delta Zone, as well as any dust in powder form - Clean House, Baygot, Trianon, Super Fas.
The poison enters the insect organism by contact, intestinal route. Disrupts the functioning of the nervous system, causes paralysis, death. The complete destruction of the family is observed within a week. Exterminating the hive can be done with little effort. The advantage of poisonous baits is that wasps drag them into the nest, feed the uterus, larvae. Removing pests with poison in a summer cottage requires caution.
What to do if wasps have settled under the roots of currants
If the insect nest is located in the roots of shrubs, insecticides should be used with caution. How to get wasps out of the ground on the site without harming the plants? Pests can be driven out by more humane methods without the use of chemicals.
Experts consider poisonous baits placed under the bushes to be the most effective means of getting rid of insects. Insecticides are dissolved in sweet syrup, jam, honey or juice, the poison is placed near the entrance to the hole. You can use boric acid, dust, helium bait fas, great warrior, odorless preparations lambda zone, delta zone, get. As soon as the dishes are empty, add the bait. Usually one week is enough for the death of a swarm of insects.
Note! Experienced summer residents recommend spraying watermelon and melon crusts with preparations, as they attract insects well and can be spread throughout the site.
Hammering an aspen stake forces insects to seek new refuge
The popular method of destroying the nest is to hammer in an aspen stake. With this option, the internal structure of the burrow is destroyed, which forces the insects to seek a new refuge. It is important not to damage the root system of the shrub, so this method is used in extreme cases.
You can also kill pests with bait traps. In a plastic bottle, cut off the neck and turn it into the rest of the inside, fixing it with tape, staples or electrical tape. Jam, honey, beer, kvass, juice, lemonade or a piece of meat are poured into the trap. In one day, in this way, you can catch several dozen insects.
It is effective to use a mixture of mushroom caps and honey. In a glass of water, dilute 100 g of honey product and chopped mushrooms, boil the resulting mixture for 3 minutes. After cooling, the bait is laid out near the nest.It is necessary to carry out the preparation and layout of the poison with gloves. After the insects have died, the mixture must be removed.
