Wasps in the cabin

[mike gartland]

I know there was a post on this topic 5 or 6 years ago but I didn't pay much attention...I didn't have the problem then but I do now.  Wasps in Colorado really like all the wood in our CP 23-3 cabins for nesting and I'm having problems keeping them from entering at the corners of the companionway hatch, just above the washboards.  I've tried stuffing small kitchen sponges in between the overhanging edge of the hatch and the upper surface of the washboards and it seems to help but isn't a foolproof or very elegant solution.  Any thoughts on a better mousetrap?

Thanks,

Mike
CP 23-3 WindRush

[brackish]

Over the years I've heard that fabric softener sheets (bounce), a piece of irish spring soap bar, and pennyroyal oil in a jar cap are some of the things that will keep them from coming in.  I haven't tried any of them, but the next time I'm at the boat going to hang a few bounce sheets around when I leave it.  They have been much worse this year for some reason.  I get them building nests hanging on the underside of the cockpit locker seats.  spray them and kill all I can, then the next time I return they are happily rebuilding.

[Shawn]

I had a bunch of small wasp nests starting to be built this year when I was getting the boat ready. A good tip to killing them is putting soapy water in a sprayer. Give them a good blast and they can't fly and after about 30 seconds they die. Much nicer than spraying chemicals inside the boat.

As far as keeping them out maybe hanging a wasp trap outside of the boat to get them before they get in?

Shawn

[MacGyver]

I just tried this year (and suggested on this site a month ago) the Irish spring soap bar idea. On our 19 we have had no wasps now, of any kind since putting the bar in the boat.
Now we put it on the step in a container with a open top, that way the smell is the closest to the open hatch area holes.

I was working on it for several hours the other day and not a single new nest, nor did I have any flying around me while working which for the majority of the times before the irish spring I ALWAYS had wasps around me.

My wife said at walmart it was a dollar for 2 bars....... cheap!

Mac

[mike gartland]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I will start with the Irish Spring as it seems to be the easiest thing to implement at the wasp entry point and remove when we are moving about in or on the boat.  I also like the sound of the soap spray solution as the act of spraying toxic chemicals about the cabin has always bothered me.  I think I will try to set up a small spray bottle of the solution and keep it handy on board.  I will plan to report back at summer's end.

Mike
WindRush

[skip1930]

Give 'em a spritz of Wasp Killer stuff. That stuff lingers a while before evaporating, [Monday through Thursday], they'll be dead and the boat is all ready for the weekend.

skip.