To ask whether 'the waspinator' actually works?

[alabasterangel]

I'd like to know from someone who's actually used one, or bright ideas of other solutions, before I send off for one later today.

I've found out the hard way last month that I am allergic to wasp stings. It was incredibly scary, and I still have a leg like a balloon and am going to see an allergy specialist (gp says they'll give me an epipen).

I wasn't freaked by them after that, after all I'd gone 40 years without being stung by one, but today and yesterday the warm weather seems to have brought them out in droves. I can only conclude there is a nest very nearby because yesterday we had over 20 in the house. I had to intercept dd putting a sandwich in her mouth with one on it too. Not good for my nerves when I know what the consequences could be of getting stung, and the gp also suggested being extra vigilant with the DCs as they could be susceptible to a similar reaction.

DH sat in the garden last night trying to work out where they are coming from with no luck. There were plenty flying about but not with any discernible homing point. Nor do they seem specifically drawn to one thing in our house otherwise I'd remove the offending bait. I can only assume they are nearby, but not actually on our property.

I've read about the waspinator and will happily hang one outside our backdoor, but before coughing up I want to know it really is going to work.

Has anyone actually used one with success??

I've been wondering to so I'll mark my place

I've got one hanging in my garden. Thought I'd not seen any wasps this summer - hooray.

Turns out I had a newly built wasps nest in one of my trees - bah.

So no then? I'm just trying to prevent them flying in the door. I hoped hanging one over the door would work

We created a home-made version- basically a paperbag loosely stuffed with newspaper, made into a vague teardrop shape, and hung from top of window frame outside. We definitely saw less wasps-and it's cheaper than the Waspinator

Should've added - paper bag was a brown one, although not sure if that matters

Now that's an idea...... Why didn't that occur to me? DIY!

We have one - it works!

I've heard you can get a 2ltr pop bottle, cut it in half, then put the top half back on upside down so the mouth now points into the bottle. Sellotape it together and put some sugary drink in the bottom. Supposedly wasps fly into the bottle to get the drink, can't find the hole to fly out again and drown in the drink.

We have 2 hanging in the garden and they seem to work. This is the second year I've used them, and in neither of those years did we have wasps nesting in our garden, which we did before.

Although they don't nest, they do still fly around when we're eating though, but only the last week or so.

We had lots of wasps around this weekend whilst camping & tried noblegiraffe's method - caught literally hundreds of wasps. Alcoholic ginger beer seemed a good bait!

I tried it yesterday, with both lucozade and orange juice, and not one went into the trap. I have no idea why maybe the bait wasn't the right kind...?

I've also read some weird thing that says if you kill one, then whilst dying they emit some weird pheromone which other wasps then detect and come looking for to see what the danger is..... I'd rather have none in the first place if a deterrent works?!

Going to try with a paper bag. We've only had 4 today (only!!) and I'm sure its something to do with when the sun shines on the door. Sun shining in = they come in. No sun and we seem to not get any. Not sure why?!