I never used to bother with wasps, however they are becoming an increasingly serious problem. Over the years I have used many methods quite sucessfully. The big problem is now they fill up with wasps so quickly that in a few hours the traps need emptying. This is just not convenient for me to do consistantly. 

I've noticed that the wasps fly into my bucket of solution faster than they fly into the traps, so now I just leave the open bucket of solution by the hives. It only catches about 90% of them and maybe that's a good thing. The odd one can go back home and lure the others (if that is what they do?). I carry an extra empty bucket and a piece of #5 mesh. I pour the wasps and solution through the mesh into the empty bucket. Add a bit of new solution. Less than one minute and I'm done. And I have an emtpy bucket ready for the next apiary. 

My solution is any attractant (jam, old honey, whatever is handy), vinegar and a few drops of dishwater detergent.

The regular traps are OK in spring to catch the queen wasps while they are still foraging. Each queen caught is one less colony in fall, right?

Cheers, Bob

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