WaspBane is a high efficiency wasp trap and kills virtually 100% of the wasps it catches. However efficiency must not be confused with effectiveness. Effectiveness is the ability to reduce the number of wasps in any given area that is to be protected. No matter how efficient, WaspBane is just like any other tool and must be used properly to be effective. This page has been compiled to provide you with a list of handy hints to get the most out of your WaspBane wasp trap in the domestic setting. Pest controllers visiting the WaspBane website are invited to register free of charge to gain access to professional hints and tips on integrated wasp management.

 Where do I place WaspBane?

1. Wasp colonies send out wasp scouts to forage for food. When these scouts find food they communicate the food source back to the nest. This behaviour results in swarms of wasps congregating around food sources. It is essential therefore to kill the scouts before they have an opportunity to return to the nest. As WaspBane is a high efficiency trap that kills effectively 100% of the wasps that it catches WaspBane will prevent scouts from returning to the nest. For WaspBane to be effective it must therefore be sited to intercept wasps before they find food in the area you want to protect. It may be necessary to change the position of the WaspBane wasp trap to better intercept those wasps that persist in an area in order to eradicate them.

2. The WaspBane wasp trap must be placed in direct sunlight for the bait chamber to warm up so that it can disperse bait aroma efficiently. Placing the WaspBane wasp trap in the shade or in contact with cold or damp surfaces, such as on soil in flower beds, may reduce the efficiency of the trap.

3. The WaspBane wasp trap should be placed in a position exposed to the wind. The rate at which bait aroma is dispersed from the trap is proportional to the movement of air across the vapour chamber. Placing the WaspBane wasp trap in a wind trap or tight up against a fence for example, may reduce its efficiency.

4. WaspBane is designed specifically for outdoor use to intercept wasps to stop them entering the indoors. For this strategy to be successful it must be understood that a wasp is attracted to a building by any opening or ports which disseminate the aroma contained within the building. WaspBane should therefore be sited downwind within the air stream emanating from windows, doors, louvres and vents. In this way any wasps coming up the scent trail will come to the WaspBane wasp trap before entering the building.

5. Always place WaspBane out of the reach of children.

 Where do I place WaspBane to protect eating areas?

6. Siting WaspBane to protect eating areas must be done carefully. The WaspBane wasp trap must be placed downwind of any sensitive areas which need to be protected. So for example, if the wind is blowing from left to right across a patio area then the WaspBane wasp trap should be placed to the right of the patio, preferably several paces away.

7. Wooden tables frequently become a problem with nuisance wasps when food and sweet drinks are spilled onto them and absorbed into the wood itself. An important part of controlling wasps around such tables is to ensure that the tables are kept as clean as possible and that they are maintained in a reasonably well sealed (e.g. painted or lacquered or covered with a plastic table cloth ) condition to prevent sweet liquids being absorbed into the wood. WaspBane should be used downwind to intercept wasps from reaching the tables. If the wasp problem is particularly bad and the wasps have learned to feed from the tables then you can try standing WaspBane directly on the tables for a few days when the tables are not in use.

 Where do I place WaspBane to protect fruit trees?

8. Where fruit trees are to be protected then the WaspBane wasp trap should be suspended in the actual fruit trees themselves before the fruit ripen. If you have more than one fruit tree and the fruit trees ripen at different times, be sure to move the WaspBane wasp trap into those trees that have ripening fruit.

  How do I use WaspBane to eradicate a swarm of feeding wasps?

9. When wasps find a food source they are programmed to consume that food source before seeking alternative food. If wasps are already swarm feeding it is important to remove the original food source to break the programmed swarm feeding behaviour. A WaspBane wasp trap should then be placed in the position of the original food source to eradicate the swarm feeding wasps. For health and safety reasons this is best done at night when there are no wasps about.

 How many WaspBane traps will I need?

10. WaspBane works by intercepting scouting and feeding wasps before they reach a food source. It is therefore a question of understanding what food sources are available in the area you want to protect before deciding how many traps you need.

11. WaspBane will compete with other naturally available food sources to catch wasps, however the proportion of wasps entering the WaspBane wasp trap will depend on the amount of alternative food available to the wasps and how easy it is for the wasps to get at that food. Fruit tress are protected very efficiently by WaspBane because generally fruit are small, discrete and compare favourably to the entrance flutes of the vapour chamber of the WaspBane wasp trap. Lime trees or ivy covered walls on the other hand represent a massive surface area of available food which will swamp a single WaspBane wasp trap. It is unreasonable therefore to expect a small number of WaspBane wasp traps to be able to compete with a large lime tree or a large expanse of ivy.

12. If wasps continue to persist in an area protected by WaspBane and the WaspBane trap(s) is/are catching wasps then it is likely that more traps will be required or the traps will need to be re-positioned.

 What do I use for liquid bait?

13. The WaspBane wasp trap should be made up with sweet, naturally flavoured liquids that are known to attract wasps. Artificially flavoured and artificially sweetened liquids such as colas, squashes and fizzy drinks should be avoided. Citrus fruit juices should also be used with care because wasps are attracted to the aromatic oils in citrus fruit skins rather than the citrus fruit flesh itself. When using naturally flavoured and naturally sweetened liquids the addition of about 100 to 150 grams of honey has always proven beneficial. More than 200 grams of honey should not be used per trap because there is a small risk that if the honey concentration is too high the trap may catch honey bees.

14. Do not use peppermint cordial or any liquid which may contain mint oil, eucalyptus or menthol. The WaspBane bait system is designed to keep the bait liquid that you add fresh. Mint oil, eucalyptus and menthol disrupt this process and neutralise the bait making the trap ineffective after a few days.

 What do I do if I have used the wrong liquid bait?

15. If artificially flavoured or artificially sweetened drinks have been used in error decant some of the liquid (between a third and a half) and then add about 150 grams of honey dissolved in equal parts of water. You may also try adding over ripe blended pippin or stone fruit.

16. To add liquid to the trap use a funnel to press open the seal of the self sealing mechanism to add the liquid. Alternatively if you do not possess a funnel you can use the vapour chamber instead. Ensure that the trap is properly assembled with the vapour chamber coupled to the bait chamber. Lay the trap on its side so that one of the entrance flutes in the vapour chamber is pointing upwards, pour the liquid into the vapour chamber through the entrance flute. Stand the trap vertically and allow the liquid to drain into the bait chamber, shake thoroughly to ensure good mixing.

 Does it matter if I spill liquid bait on the outside of the trap?

17. It is important for the efficiency of the trap that there are no traces of bait liquid on the outer surfaces. Where bait liquid has been spilled onto the outer surfaces of the trap this should be removed by thoroughly washing with water. Any bait left on the outside surfaces of the trap will only serve to distract wasps from entering into the trap.