# Help! Wasp nest in my rosemary!



## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

I was in the herb garden with my son this morning when he noticed a wasp nest in the rosemary bush. How can I get rid of it, without spraying my rosemary with poison?


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## RenoHuskerDu (May 26, 2011)

First you have to tell us how big the nest is. Whatever you do, do it at nightfall when it's chilly. They can barely move when it's cold. I would just dress up protectively, grab it, and toss it in a can with a lid.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

It's about 1.5 to 2 inches (5cm) from top to bottom. 

The trouble here is that it doesn't get very cool here at night this time of year, but you're right, that is the best time.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Water with a little dish soap may help immobilize them long enough to tear down the nest.

Spraying plain water from a hose can help too, because they want a dry nest


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## BruceC (Jan 19, 2011)

Wasp are great predators of harmful insects. I actually have a wasp garden.


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## Tricky Grama (Oct 7, 2006)

I wouldn't destroy it, but try to move it. A spray of water, when there's no wasps or very few, then pick it off (are they 'paper wasps'?) & put it in a bush farther away.


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## RenoHuskerDu (May 26, 2011)

BlueberryChick said:


> It's about 1.5 to 2 inches (5cm) from top to bottom.
> 
> The trouble here is that it doesn't get very cool here at night this time of year, but you're right, that is the best time.


Heck, that's just a cute l'il baby nest! I'd just whack it with a pole. :bash:
But then wasp stings don't do much to me, can't feel 'em after 20 mins.

Soapy water works too. They breath thru their exoskeletons, so if you coat them with anything, they're breathin' it :stars: :hysterical: 
Spray insecticides are 99% WD-40 type oil for a reason! ound:


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Water with a little dish soap may help immobilize them long enough to tear down the nest.
> 
> Spraying plain water from a hose can help too, because they want a dry nest


I happen to be alergic to wasper stings, therefore the only good wasp is a dead wasp. As Bearfoot was saying put a little dishsoap in a spray bottle full of water and spray them late at night. Make sure it's Dawn dishsoap as some brands will not kill them but Dawn does a real good job of killing waspers.


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## RenoHuskerDu (May 26, 2011)

Oldcountryboy said:


> I happen to be alergic to wasper stings, therefore the only good wasp is a dead wasp. ....


As a fireman, I could tell you scary first-hand stories about seeing people almost dying from stings. But I'll spare you that and just say instead

*See a doctor and start the desensitization process!*

It works, and can save your life. The neighbor lady still offers me chocolate every time I see her, because I helped save her life after a sting 6 years ago. She forgot her benadryl injector. Now she is desensitized.


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## YuccaFlatsRanch (May 3, 2004)

Spinosad.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

So did you get it? 

With that size of nest there's only the queen and a couple young females taking care of the nest. At night they would all be on it. If you have to eliminate it you just line one board up on one side of the nest, line another board up on the other side of the nest and then bring the 2 boards together hard. 100% effective, no poison, boards are reusable.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I would do it the way Danaus29 suggested, i.e. squash them between two boards ... if I wanted to get rid of them.

Most of the wasps we have around here are like our bumble bees. They do not bother us if we don't bother them. We can even harvest from a plant they are enjoying at the same time. 

We do find a few large dark colored wasps I have never seen in the garden; just in our wood sheds. They can be aggressive; so whenever, I find them, I watch where they go at night; then use "Raid Wasp & Hornet" spray on them. ("Ground bees" are similar to the black wasps in that they can be aggressive. We get rid of them differently by finding where they enter the ground; then pouring 1/4-1/2 cup gasoline in the hole and cover that entrance with a rock. When they have more than once entrance, it will show up later and we do the same thing with that one.)


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

RenoHuskerDu said:


> As a fireman, I could tell you scary first-hand stories about seeing people almost dying from stings. But I'll spare you that and just say instead
> 
> *See a doctor and start the desensitization process!*
> 
> It works, and can save your life. The neighbor lady still offers me chocolate every time I see her, because I helped save her life after a sting 6 years ago. She forgot her benadryl injector. Now she is desensitized.


You betcha! The last time I got stung was by a red wasper and the darn thing stung me right on the tip of the nose. It didn't take long for me to look like Jimmy Durant. My wife was driving me to the hospital and kept looking over at me saying "God your nose is big". By the time I got in the emergency room my toungue was swelling and my throat was beginning to swell shut. They immediately put me on IV and gave me some drugs to reduce the swelling. I now keep benadryl very handy, for just incase.


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