Go Away Hornets

[Pat]

Our sail cover has a hornets nest inside. The boat has sat unused for most of this year due to the drought in the central plains....now is in the water but
they are buzzing and only slightly aggressive....We have a relatively new
mainsail/Doyle Stackpak and I want to avoid discoloring the main if possible.
Your ideas are appreciated.

Patrick

 

[justsomeguy]

A garden sprayer with soapy water, earl-eye in the mornin'.

 

[philwsailz]

I am going to assume you are complaining of the insect we know as a dirt dauber. The nests are built of dirt, right?

I kept them out of the boat interior for years by using those hanging flying insect repellent strips. I man the kind where the active repellent strip is housed in a vented plastic cage where you can see the stuff but not actually touch it unless you poke your finger through. I changed them every couple of months. This is the product I used

http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Shot-5580-Unscented-Repellent/dp/B0019BK8AG


If I were you I might consider tucking one of these in your sail cover? My only concern is you are trading an organic stain out for the potential of a stain from a chemical. I am not sure if the vapor from the pest strip I show would discolor your sail or not.


I will watch this thread with interest as I have a brand new main going on the boat when it hits the water and I too want to avod the red/pink stains from our local dirt daubers...

 

[Ross]

First of all identify the species. some are much more aggressive than others. then attempt to locate their entrance. but some stainless wasp and hornet spray and spray the entrance .