# Pool and wasps



## davids0865 (Apr 12, 2016)

Hi All,

Hot enough for you all?

Hot enough here (Inland from Valencia) to NEED to use the pool several times a day, we've got the flies under control (RedTop fly trap, fantastic) but the wasps, well.......

They appear to be coming for water, but my wife has a mild phobia about them and it is spoiling her enjoyment of the pool.

Now we all know, happy wife, happy life, so and ideas to banish the little blighters?

Regards to all, 

David


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I do sympathise with your wife as I have a friend with a similar aversion. They don't really bother me though having trodden on one yesterday I now put on flip-flops as soon as I get out the water...

Have you had a good look to see where they are coming from? There may be a nest nearby which you could have removed.

Some people recommend buying a "fake nest" as a deterrent to new arrivals, but I've no idea whether this works.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

I think Acalaina makes a good point, its likely you have a nest close to you.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Another option is to put a better site nearby for them to go to: gather some clean pebbles and put them in one of those saucers you put under plant pots or a similar shallow dish add water to about half to three-quarters the way up the pebbles and place it a little distance from the pool. It is much easier for them to get at the water - they are only thirsty - and it should keep them away from you, provided you don't expose wet shoulders. The decoy will also attract flies who are on a similar mission.

DO NOT whatever you do, start flapping your arms about trying to shoo them away, that is what gets them panicky and likely to sting. If one lands on you, be patient, let it suck up some sweat and go. It takes courage but it isn't impossible.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

I am seriously allegic to wasps.... and am supposed to carry an EpiPen. 

Coffee granules in a saucer and then lit with a match and left to smolder is a good deterrent , I use this on our outside table. Apart from that I agree with the others, you've probably got a nest near by, they can be small only a few wasps, equally they can be in the ground. When we moved to our finca we had several underground nests. 

But I'm afraid wasps, like all creatures need water, so I can sympathise with your wife, but it's rare they just sting. Flip flops, and no arm waving is the best option, I've learnt to live with them at the local pool, I'm just very careful about wearing footwear around the pool and then later in the year when they're getting 💤 drowsy


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Megsmum said:


> I am seriously allegic to wasps.... and am supposed to carry an EpiPen.
> 
> Coffee granules in a saucer and then lit with a match and left to smolder is a good deterrent , I use this on our outside table. Apart from that I agree with the others, you've probably got a nest near by, they can be small only a few wasps, equally they can be in the ground. When we moved to our finca we had several underground nests.
> 
> But I'm afraid wasps, like all creatures need water, so I can sympathise with your wife, but it's rare they just sting. Flip flops, and no arm waving is the best option, I've learnt to live with them at the local pool, I'm just very careful about wearing footwear around the pool and then later in the year when they're getting 💤 drowsy


My husband suffered anaphylactic shock from a wasp sting. He underwent desensitisation therapy, being injected with minute amounts of wasp venom on a monthly basis. After two years, he was getting the equivalent of two stings with just a little local swelling.

We have a similar problem with wasps coming to drink from the pool. We have a lot of paper wasps, which form small nests, and they seem to come from all directions. I've never found a way to deter them as they drink from any and every water source. I do, however, do my crazy Lara Croft impersonation, armed with two fly swatters, and race around the pool to whack one whenever I spot it land, several times a day.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Madliz said:


> My husband suffered anaphylactic shock from a wasp sting. He underwent desensitisation therapy, being injected with minute amounts of wasp venom on a monthly basis. After two years, he was getting the equivalent of two stings with just a little local swelling.
> 
> We have a similar problem with wasps coming to drink from the pool. We have a lot of paper wasps, which form small nests, and they seem to come from all directions. I've never found a way to deter them as they drink from any and every water source. I do, however, do my crazy Lara Croft impersonation, armed with two fly swatters, and race around the pool to whack one whenever I spot it land, several times a day.


So while you are whacking one several times a day are the rest standing around watching?


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

baldilocks said:


> So while you are whacking one several times a day are the rest standing around watching?
> 
> Good point


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We had a terrible problem with wasps - literally hundreds of them made our pool totally unusable.

This is how to stop it - I discovered it by chance:

Buy a can of household fly-spray. 

At mid-morning, spray it directly on to the surface of the water for a good few seconds. A big pool might need this in each corner.

Later in the day get your net and scoop the hundreds of dead wasps from the surface. Do this a couple of times and the problem will go away. 

Repeat when necessary - maybe after a week or two.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Put one of these up & job done.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

jimenato said:


> We had a terrible problem with wasps - literally hundreds of them made our pool totally unusable.
> 
> This is how to stop it - I discovered it by chance:
> 
> ...


ETA make sure the pump is off during the process and switch on the skimmers straight after to clear any residues off the surface.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

The spray definitely does work, we did that at our old house and it worked a treat.
Here they tend to leave the pool alone but there are still hundreds of them around and despite being stung about 5 times the dog still tries to catch them soas a detterent we still use the spray.

I found 2 excellent sprays which both use a pyrethroid, one is called ZUM Fly C and the other is a Masso product in a big yellow can.

I'll never by Raid again as these products are great on flies too and normal fly spray doesn't tend to work these days.


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## Baldrick (Mar 5, 2012)

Mix a few drops of Fipronyl (Frontline flee & tick treatment) with some fishy / oily cat food and place it near the nest. The drones take it back to the nest and it kills the queen and all the hatchlings ... Bye bye wasps


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Megsmum said:


> I am seriously allegic to wasps.... *and am supposed to carry an EpiPen. *
> 
> Coffee granules in a saucer and then lit with a match and left to smolder is a good deterrent , I use this on our outside table. Apart from that I agree with the others, you've probably got a nest near by, they can be small only a few wasps, equally they can be in the ground. When we moved to our finca we had several underground nests.
> 
> But I'm afraid wasps, like all creatures need water, so I can sympathise with your wife, but it's rare they just sting. Flip flops, and no arm waving is the best option, I've learnt to live with them at the local pool, I'm just very careful about wearing footwear around the pool and then later in the year when they're getting &#55357;&#56484; drowsy



Carry it for crying out loud and make sure its in date, get a new one as needed


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