Keeping Wasps/ dirt dobbers out of my Bat House??

[JoeyS]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to keep my bathouse free from wasps and such? I shined a light up in there tonight and one cavity has a wasp nest, and another a dirt dobber nest in it. Obviously, wasp/hornet spray is not the solution. Anyone have any insite?
Thanks,
Joey

[cob]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to keep my bathouse free from wasps and such?

Uhhh... Lighter fluid?

On the serious side, I don't think there is much you can do about it, tho I don't think the bats will care much (they eat bugs)(come to think of it, they might like it even better that way, "Hey marge, you wanta midday snack?")

However, if the wasps are bothering you... Uhhh, lighter fluid?

tom

[JoeyS]

Well I wasn't sure if a bat could take on a wasp, I know my dogs don't like them... I'm just trying to figure out how to make the house more hospitable... but yes, I do realize that bats eat bugs. I just figured the would rather eat/ share habitat with the ones that don't have such a venemous defense mechanism.

[tropicalbats]

Joey,

Think of it this way. The bats don't eat the wasps and the wasps provide some bit of protection to the bat roost. It seems to work for both of them without a problem unless one or the other is at such high numbers that there isn't enough space for both.

Keith

[Grandpa Caver]

Hey Joey,

This stuff might do the trick. The company does claim the product repels wasps... http://www.bugrepel.com/

According to the ad, your bats might even live a longer, happier life, enjoy the outdoors more AND smell better while doing it. Of course, if they get it on themselves those nightly forages might get a little tougher! If it doesn't work, I guess there's always the lighter fluid!

Seriously though, I suspect Keith is right. They probably get along just fine. I imagine they share habitats in barns, belfry's, under bridges etc.

I'm curious, are any bats currently using the box?

BL

[graveleye]

bug repellent and lighter, lighter fluid and wasp spray is likely to soak in to the wood (cedar I assume if it is like mine), and wind up killing wasps, and repelling the bats you are trying to attract.

Dont know what to tell you though. My bat house wound up being home to hundreds of mud daubers, but not one single bat. I finally gave up... there are bats in my neighborhood, but they must have somewhere more comfortable to roost.

[JoeyS]

Hey Joey,


I'm curious, are any bats currently using the box?

BL

Apparently not, but like Graveleye, I've got them in my neighborhood, just not in the bathouse. They could be living in my attic though. I've got the bathouse fixed near the top of my chimney, which is probably 15 feet above ground. That's the highest place I can find without using a pole.

[Grandpa Caver]

Joey,

Ya might be interested in the 3rd-5th FAQ's offered here...

http://batcon.org/home/index.asp?idPage=91&idSubPage=20

or this...

http://www.batconservation.org/content/ ... oputup.htm

Nothing about wasps or muddaubers there but some good info.

Since you have no bats in the box you might try what I do at home, under the eaves. Confuse 'em with a little smoke (if ya can), rip out the nest with a stout stick and run like hell!

[Mike Rz]

Those mud tubes are the egg holders for a stingless wasp. The wasps pack 'em full of wasp eggs and paralyzed spiders. Guess whats for dinner next spring!

Mike