Many people individually requested my write-up on yellow jacket control,
to which I obliged.  However, I will be on trips much of the time during
the next few weeks and cannot respond further until late July.
 
   Along that line, Cindy Amack responded with the following information
about her use of one of the commercial traps, as follows:
 
**********
 
"You asked about the attractant we used last summer - it was a commercial kit -
a clear plastic bag with yellow plastic funnel insert in top, and hanging hole.
Came with liquid attractant packet.
 
"Kit directions were to fill bag with either water or apple juice, and add
attractant packet - being EXTRA SUPER CAREFUL not to get any on you
or spill it.
 
"Sure enough, the wasps were after the bag in under a minute.  Was
great to see.  Unfortunately, we apparently had IQ-inhibited
yellowjackets, because it took them nearly a week to figure out how to get
into the trap.  Once they started getting in, the bag continued to
fill till we took it down at first-frost."
 
**********
 
   For those who are interested, the attraction chemical used in some of
these commercial traps is heptyl buterate (information courtesy of Sharon
Collman in Seattle).  That chemical is quite expensive, but a drop or two
goes a long way.  The least expensive price I have found so far is $52.00
for 100g, offered by PFALTZ & BAUER:  (800) CALL-1-PB.  [As Cindy pointed
out, though, be "EXTRA SUPER CAREFUL not to get any on you or spill it."
 
   At a Santa Maria style barbeque I attended last summer (a memu that
included chicken and beef), one such commercial trap placed downwind from
the picnic tables did very well at keeping many wasps from bothering people
at the tables.
 
                                                        Adrian
 
 
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* Adrian Wenner        E-Mail   [log in to unmask]  *
* Department of Biology        Office Phone    (805) 893-2838 *
* University of California     Lab Phone       (805) 893-2838 *
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