Duck Pen and Wasps

[agregg15]

Hi everyone. I have to build my ducklings pen soon. The area that was picked out is right near a 2 story barn and in the rafters are wasps, yellow jackets, and carpenter bees . The area is really good except for that issue. Will the wasps really bother the ducks or should I find a new location. I'm leaning towards a new location.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Go to your hardware store and buy a trap. I did put one up last year that had 3 different lures inside of it and I caught a wide range for them. Another thing they don't like is dryer sheets. Hang them up there when it it cold and they are flying less so you don't get stung. Yellow jackets are very aggressive. We had to take an old porch down a couple years back and they were in it. My husband went out in the early morning hours while it was still freezing out there to knock them down and destroy them. He never got bitten.

I had a wasp nest in the ground in my duck yards. I worried, but I worries for nothing. They dug it up and ate everyone of the wasps including their brood. Huge crater and they are gone for now. I'm not sure if they are immune to stings. Could be, because they are different then we are. Plus beekeepers tell you to fence of the hives for the ducks will eat the bees.

 

[agregg15]

Ahhh thanks that helps. I will definitively try it. I also had a feeling the ducks would eat them. I think I'll use bug-bombs in the loft of the barn first and then spray raid around the inside of the loft so it will kill them off. Of course I'm going to do this before I put my ducks in the pen (I don't want them to eat raid covered bees and wasps.)

 

[The Duck ABC's]

I try not to use poison, because you never know where it ends up. Plus it can't be healthy to breath it. Those bomb only work in airtight spaces, so you waste your time if your barn isn't. The wasp luring traps work well. They catch the adults and their brood will die because the adults cannot take care of them. Try to find some green products if you can. You can also call a local beekeeper association for someone to come out and help you with your problem. They usually have protective gear and can help.

 

[Alicia G]

Ive never had problems with hornets hurting my ducks, and we have yellow jackets EVERY WHERE! Actually Ive found my duck destroying hornets nests on numerous occations! I would think that you should watch out for the bees/hornets when they are younger though. Dryer sheets are a good Idea to put up as well as hornet traps to get rid of them.

 

[bel]

Before trapping make sure the yellow jackets are not really paper wasps, a lot of people mistake them for yellow jackets here because they are yellow and black. They can sting but are not agressive like yellow jackets and only really sting if you mess with them and scare them. They are beneficial by killing bugs that eat vegetable crops. If its on the eves of the house where its not going to be handled or bumped it easiest to leave it, I would only remove one if its in a childs reach or somewhere easily bumped into or disturbed.

 

[agregg15]

Quote:
Oh trust me they are yellow jackets. Paper wasps really don't bother me, it's the yellow jackets I hate.

 

[agregg15]

Quote:
When they're younger is what I'm worried about.

 

[agregg15]

The Duck ABC's :

I try not to use poison, because you never know where it ends up. Plus it can't be healthy to breath it. Those bomb only work in airtight spaces, so you waste your time if your barn isn't. The wasp luring traps work well. They catch the adults and their brood will die because the adults cannot take care of them. Try to find some green products if you can. You can also call a local beekeeper association for someone to come out and help you with your problem. They usually have protective gear and can help.

I know some green pesticide recipes that won't hurt my ducks and the loft is pretty airtight so it should work.​

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Mixing borax with water and spraying it on is really good. It hurts their breathing apparatus and kills them. Diamateous earth does the same trick. I'm sure there are plenty of other tricks. Ammonia works well too, but that is not that safe to apply.