Ok here is an odd one for you guys, I have a Full size Chevy Blazer. The Bumper is cracked badly where the bumper wraps around the fender, and the gap of the crack is about 1 inch wide. Ok my mother in law is up visiting, and she usually drives this truck when she is in town, as it is a 3rd vehicle for us. So I get home from work yesterday and she asked me if I was trying to kill her, thinking yes I say no… But I ask what happened. Apparently a swarm of wasps are living inside my front bumper and while she was trying it get into the truck they attacked her. Luckily she got away with out a sting, but she watched the truck from the window and said she saw them flying out of the bumper all day. I verified this by kicking the bumper, and running and sure enoph at least 10-15 wasps came flying out.
Now the problem, how the heck do I get them out?? I can?t see the actual nest, so I cant spray them. I am afraid to drive the truck as they may get ticked, and attack me when I stop. Also how do I convince my mother-in-law this is not my fault…
PS the truck has only been parked for a week, I have never need wasps move in so fast.
Wait till cool early morning and then investigate with wasp spray in one hand, wearing heavy clothing, gloves, hat and running shoes.
If its cold they don’t move quickly.
I agree. Get some wasp spray from a hardware store or home center. This job must be done at night when all the wasps are in the nest. Turn a light on somewhere away from you. Any wasps that get out will fly to the light and not to you. Don’t use a flashlight.
Yes, use wasp spray. After a single squirt get in the truck and drive to town, go about your routine errands. Wasps that fly out cannot ever return. When you return home, park in a different location. Wasps on your property will not find their nest and become permanently homeless.
…and, whenever your mother-in-law starts in on you about something, causually mention that you now have an extensive knowledge of wasp behavor and any bumper will do.
When I got my old truck out of being parked for spring/winter it had seven wasps nests in it! One in each of the little slots on top of the bed and one in the tailgate handle.
I just started it very carefully and ran it through an automatic car wash. Worked great! Cost less than a can of wasp killer and cleaned my truck to boot!
I’d also say wait for evening (when they are dormant), but instead of wasp spray, which doesn’t work all that well (just kind of knocks them out), I would recommend duct taping (several layers) the crack completely so that they cannot get out. Over a few days, they will all be dead. Wasps are extremely hard to kill. If you were to call an exterminator, you won’t be able to get a guarantee that they will be completely exterminated. This is why I recommend duct tape (as long as they won’t be able to find another way out).
Go to a garden supply store and buy the powdered form of Sevin insecticide. Sprinkle it on the bumper at the crack, where the wasps are entering to get inside. Let it sit for a day and they’ll be gone - guaranteed.
The wasps will get some on their feet when they land to crawl in. They will go inside, track it in, and then lick it off their feet.
I worked a hardware/garden supply store fixing lawnmowers/snowblowers about 30 years ago. The owner was an old-time expert in gardens, insects, etc. I saw him recommend this to many customers, who all came back amazed at how well it worked.
I’ve used it myself for various wasps or yellow jacket nests at my house over the years as well.
Joe
Will this work if they have another way out?? The guy above said duct tape, but this is a bumper and while I see them getting in and out thrugh the crack they can just as easily get out thrugh the bottom or top of the bumper… I guess what I am asking is, is this somthing they would usually avoid. Or is it more along the line of they will not notice it untill its too late??
I suspect they will not notice. Once they land on the bumper near the opening, the powder is on their feet.
For less than $10 you can find out fairly quickly if they use the bottom opening.
I once had yellow jackets nest in a wall next to our house. Since the nest opening was vertical, I taped a small piece of wood right next to their entrance to act as a lip for me to sprinkle the Sevin powder on. It worked fine. I offer this suggestion in case the bumper crack is in a vertical position.
Joe
Its a good idea because the crack is vertical… I will let you know how it works out…
Empty a can or two of wasp spray into every hole you can find-- after dark. If you duct tape one hole they may fly out another hole and attack you.
You don’t have to spray right on the nest-- the spray (which you can do from 10 feet away) will find its way into saturating enough of the bumper.
The idea of driving it elsewhere in the early morning and leaving it there until mid-day then driving it back home isn’t a bad one-- they might not find their way back to it.
Fantastic spray cleaner works much better than wasp spray. I had a screened deck for some years that used to get wasps wandering into it all the time. There were nests in the ground and trees all around my house. I’d just squirt them with the spray and they’d drop down and die.
- mountainbike
We have quite a few wasps around here and I’ve always used WalMart’s aerosol carb cleaner.
It’s cheap, better than Raid, and usually knocks wasps to the ground instantly.
The wasps can’t stand this stuff and it does not appear to even hurt paint.
Well I guess that is another good question… Will Wasp spray effect my paint or rubber parts??
Wasp and Hornet spray has always killed them instantly for me. I have a dozen wasp nests to deal with every year. I just killed about 100 wasps that had a nest in my outboard engine cover. Any spray near them and they die, it doesn’t have to hit them. They succomb to the vapors as well as the liquid.
The spray does leave a residue on the paint. The cans can spray very far and it’s nearly impossible to hit a crack without getting some on the surrounding area. I like to clean it off ASAP which is about 10 seconds after nailing them with it.
I cant seem to find a Sevin product that is wasp rated… What is the exact name… Thanks again
There was a company called American Motors that might have been able to solve your wasp problem. It took over the Hudson automobile company in 1954 whose product line was infested with Wasps and Hornets. AMC managed to kill off the Wasps right away. The Hornets became dormant until 1970 when they again emerged. However, the Hornets were anihilated by 1980 I don’t if the AMC formula for killing off these insects is known anymore and would be any help to you or not. (I couldn’t resist putting this in for my fellow old timers).
Beautiful. Many of us remember American Motors.
Hey, my next door neighbor has a Hudson Hornet (4 wheeled variety, no wings) in his building out back, along with a 51 Plymouth. Both are clean and running.