Why are wasps a problem? I am a gardener and they are essential for the
control of many pests.

Most problems we have in Maine are not from wasps but yellow jackets and
bald face hornets and they are marginal problems and easily corrected
(or ignored).

An interesting observation by people in the pest control business is
that when traps are put out for some pests (especially Japanese
Beetles), they act as a draw for those pests and the concentration of
the pest in the area actually increases. So the next year, because of
the increased numbers of the past year, you end up with more, not less
pests in your area. It also gives the pests more mates to select from so
you get even more pests the next year.

That is the reason to not let scouts get free, but you are talking about
a perfect system where the trap works perfectly and the procedures are
followed perfectly.

If you were perfect, another problem is when you reduce the number of
pests you also reduce the number of counter-agents to that pest, be they
other insects or pathogens. (Before we get back on the "natural" way to
control Varroa, remember that a balance already exists for wasps and
their counter-agents. None existed for Varroa.) So when you remove the
controls, you get more pests since the delay between pest and
counter-agent is always large.

So I wonder what the problem is with wasps?

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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