The hornet's nest in the ground always poses considerable problems for the gardener. In addition to all kinds of damage to sweet fruits, insects threaten with bites, which often ends in serious lesions of soft tissues. Therefore, they begin to fight them already at the first stages of the formation of the aspen nest. Next, they will consider in detail what to do when earthen wasps appear on the site, and also describes how to effectively destroy this dangerous insect.
Life, appearance, behavior features of earthen wasps
Under the earthen wasps, it is customary to understand an extensive group of stinging insects from the order Cepillaria. These are small creatures, from 1.5 to 5 cm long, with 2 pairs of membranous wings and a pair of small antennae. The color of insects is characteristic, the whole body is covered with alternating strips of yellow and black-brown tones. The body of the wasp is smooth, but it is hidden by a continuous cover of small hairs. At the end of the abdomen, insects develop a characteristic sting with a poisonous gland, it acts as the main tool in protection and hunting.
Earth wasps are focused on building their dwellings exclusively in the ground, or on its surface. But such insects often do not stand out as a separate group, since the soil is not the only place they live. Therefore, after the separation of the family, young individuals can successfully settle in a radically different place.
As you know, wasps build their dwellings only in quiet and secluded places, so most often they can be found in hollows of trees, in attics. However, if there is no suitable place near, they can settle in the thickness of the soil layer. Often the reason for this can serve as an abundance of food supply in combination with an ideal microclimate, which safely affect the growth of the family.
Did you know? Wasps are one of the few insects that can distinguish the appearance of their relatives. However, this feature is observed only in social individuals living in families.
But in the soil create holes and individual insects. They lay eggs in them, from which later in the spring young individuals will appear. In this case, the ground dislocation for insects becomes only a temporary habitat, as well as the best way to protect offspring from adverse environmental conditions.
What danger is the neighborhood with earthen wasps?
There is a fairly widespread belief that wasps are not the most dangerous pest, and their appearance on the site can be ignored. On the one hand, this statement is more than justified. They build a nest exclusively in the thickness of the soil and leave it only in small groups, or alone. In addition, such a neighborhood can even be useful, since insects often feed on pest larvae, which reduces the activity of their distribution at times.
However, the main danger of wasps lies in the fact that these living creatures are particularly aggressive and unpredictable behavior. This leads to the fact that in case of the slightest danger, the whole family can attack a person. Of particular danger is the hornet's nest, located in the aisles, or near fruit trees, in which case any contact with a person can result in a painful bite. And for this it is not necessary to disturb the nest, it is only enough to wave your hand sharply.
In addition to a strong pain effect, a wasp sting can cause a sharp dermatological reaction and tissue inflammation. With several bites, this is fraught with the occurrence of an allergic reaction, up to suffocation and anaphylactic shock. Such a defeat is especially dangerous for young children and the elderly, whose immunity is often not able to effectively cope with dangerous toxins. Complicating the situation is the fact that the wasp does not die in the attack and can sting even several times in a row.
Important! Wasps do not tolerate harsh odors, so the smell of perfumes or alcohol can provoke them to attack.
What to do if you were bitten by a wasp?
In most cases, a wasp sting leads to short-term itching and allergies, which pass safely in just a few days. However, the main danger of this phenomenon is its localization, since when poisonous toxins get into a dense network of blood vessels or the lymph node, they can cause a more severe effect on the body. Therefore, in case of insect damage, you should immediately resort to general therapeutic measures.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Rinse the bite area thoroughly with cold water and thoroughly clean the bite area and nearby tissues from dirt.
- Disinfect the wound with any antiseptic (alcohol solution, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, etc.).
- Put a cold compress in place of the bite and take any antihistamine (Claritin, Supradin, Erius, etc.).
A wasp sting leads to quite serious stress, so after processing the lesion site, you need to relax and lie down. Until the edema from the site of the bite, you must drink as much liquid as possible, this will help reduce the negative effects of poisons on the body. Sweet tea or sweetened boiled water is best for this.
To neutralize the poison in the tissues as quickly as possible, you need to treat the affected area with lemon juice or a slightly acidic solution of apple cider vinegar. If they are not at hand, you can use any acidic substance (juice of berries, sorrel, etc.).
Did you know? Unlike bees, wasps during the defense of a nest for a bite use not only a sting, but also a mouthpart. This makes them one of the most dangerous and aggressive insects found in suburban areas.
How to get rid of earthen wasps in the country?
It is not easy to get rid of the invasion of wasps in the suburban area, so this procedure must be resorted to even at the first stages of the formation of the nest. The first thing to do with this is to protect yourself from the possible defeat of disturbed insects. To do this, you need to get a special suit used to work with bees, including a protective mask, or wear clothes and shoes made of thick fabric, and protect your face with a mosquito net.
Before destroying the nest, it is necessary to close all paths for the migration of insects into garden buildings. To do this, it is necessary to close all doors and, if possible, attic rooms and basements. After this, you can directly proceed to the destruction of wasps.
Do this late in the evening or at night when they are less active. Most often, various contact methods are used for this. Using them, you can directly affect all insects, their larvae, etc.
Important! In the case of the use of toxic substances to the site, access to pets and small children should be closed. The toxic substances of insecticides, even in small quantities, can cause severe poisoning.
Apply for this:
- burning out - the burrow and the surrounding soil should be filled with 1-2 liters of kerosene, or another rapidly flammable liquid. After this, the mixture should be set on fire, the entire contents of the hole instantly undergoes fire, which contributes to the death of adult individuals and their offspring;
- boiling water - the nest must be filled with 10-20 liters of boiling water, and then close its entrance with a stone or any other object. This method is no less effective than burning, while it is almost completely safe for the environment;
- contact insecticides - the hole and the soil are filled with specialized poisonous compounds that have a toxic effect. Almost any specialized means can serve as such, however, the most commonly used drugs are Karbofos, Aktara, Solfisan, Kukaracha, Troapsil and Tsimbush;
- poison bait - Near the nest, feeders with pickled feed should be installed. For this, the contact insecticide should be supplemented with boric acid salts (according to the instructions), and then the sweet fruit (melon, watermelon, etc.) should be processed with the resulting liquid. Also, based on it, you can cook and syrup, which should be placed in a small saucer. The method is quite effective, but may require at least 2 weeks.
Video: The destruction of earthen wasps in the country
Wasps on the site every year become an increasing problem for the modern gardener. In search of food, they can migrate closer to a person, settling right on the territory of the beds. Such a neighborhood, over time, can lead to aggressive contact and quite serious consequences. Therefore, in the case of the appearance of insects, one should not hesitate, otherwise, it will be much more difficult to overcome it.
