[Anton]

Advice please. In my new vegetable plot, I suddenly noticed wasps flying into a hole in the ground in a part I have not yet started cultivating. I have been strimming the uncultivated part (about three times so far to keep down the weeds). I placed a stick close by to make sure I don't step on the nest.

My wife thinks it is terribly dangerous and we should call in the experts (more expense) but I am hoping if I just ignore them, do not step on the nest and do not strim too close I should be OK.
Any ideas welcome

Anton

[Subversive_plot]

There was a recent post about similar wasps here https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=136525.0

If you or someone else that uses the plot is allergic to the stings, then a professional might be in order.  Otherwise, you can likely find sprays that you can use yourself to eradicate them, OR, you can use an avoidance strategy, as you have been doing.

Do-it-yourself control is described here:  https://diypestcontrol.com/yellowjackets.htm.  Chemicals available to you for control may be different in your area.

[geordiekev]

leave them alone.

[hasbeans]

They will eat unwanted grubs and pests if you leave them.  Digging Wasps tend to sting to kill prey rather than defensively, like the normal ones that build nests above ground do.  They also have much smaller colonies so you are unlikely to be chased into the nearest pond by a swarm!

[Subversive_plot]

I don't have personal experience with your burrowing wasps, but ours can be quite aggressive. Ours will chase you.

[Anton]

Thanks for all this advice.
Do you think I dare continuing using a strimmer in their vicinity?

Anton

[Subversive_plot]

Thanks for all this advice.
Do you think I dare continuing using a strimmer in their vicinity?

Anton

Quoting Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry: Do you feel lucky?

[hasbeans]

If you remain vigilant then there doesn't seem to be a reason to change what you are doing.  If they suddenly seem to get annoyed by you then rethink the strategy

[Plot94]

I had a colony on my plot some years ago, despite me walking over the nest at least once and working in close proximity to it I never had a problem and was not stung. I think I would be cautious about using a strimmer near them though as the noise might be more likely to set them off. At the end of the year they will be gone and they don't usually come back to the same place. Hope this helps.

[Anton]

Thanks a lot for all the advice.

Anton

[AlaninCarlisle]

I regularly have a wasp problem in my borders. If it starts to bother me by me or the grandkids getting stung (like last year when I suffered a real attack and received five stings in one go) I simply mark the hole with a twig and then after dark when they have all returned to the nest, simply dribble about half an egg cup amount of petrol, maybe 40cc, into the hole and cover it with half a spadeful of soil. The fumes suffocate the wasps.
I recall posting something similar a few years ago and being criticised for polluting the soil even though the petrol evaporates in a matter of minutes so it's a matter of personal conscience (and maybe allotment rules)

[cc]

Any wasp powder or even ant powder will get rid. Blow down the hole at night. Had two nests either side of steps. They didn't appear to be happy with me using the steps, so killed them off with ant Powder. Wasp in wood shed (paper nest) were a minor problem as they didn't like me puttimg firewood in. A let them live. Also had some in roof, didn't like that idea specially as I live in bungalow. Wasn't able to move them but they've not come back. As said the cheap powder works. Anyone suggesting getting an expert in likes spending other people's money.

[Anton]

Well, I was strimming fairly near the nest yesterday  and I didn't seem to bother them.
If I put powder in the hole at night wouldn't they wake up and come out to get me?

Anton

[AlaninCarlisle]

No, they don't leave the nest after dark

[Anton]

OK. Thanks very much for the reply.

Anton