Hornets and yellow jackets are out in force right now and Alaskans are complaining about being dive-bombed and stung by the aggressive winged creatures that are especially mean at this time of year. Hornets are a type of wasp, and in late August they dive-bomb with a vengeance.
Whether its mowing your lawn or trying to work on a ladder, hornets can be dangerous even is you are not getting stung by one. They can surprise you while you’re operating equipment or balancing, and cause accidents.
Alaskans have reported watching them dive-bomb their windows lately, and having them get caught in their hair as they work in the yard.
Older Alaskans are more at risk of having an allergic reaction, and visits to the emergency room go up at this time of year for those who are stung, especially those who are allergic to stings. Unlike bees, wasps and yellow jackets can sting numerous times.
You can make your own hornet trap with a few simple items and ingredients. It’s a good project to do with the kids:
- plastic soda bottle
- scissors
- string for hanging
- tape
- bait (balsamic vinegar, flat soda, fruit, beer, wine, or fruit juice)
- a few drops of dish soap
The instructions for putting the trap together can be found at this link: DIY Naturals.
Thanks for the simple and real life challenges.
My hornet trap is taking advantage of their desire for meat. I put a bit of meat or peanut butter on the middle of a skewer that is placed over a bucket of soapy water. The hornet will gorge themselves on the meat until they cannot fly thus dropping into the water and die. You must empty the bucket every day as the amount of dead hornets will avail a float for future hornets. I make sure to place the Hornet Trap in the far away corner of my property. Works great.
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