Wasp & Hornet Traps

This is a set of wasp & hornet trap attachments for common (discarded) domestic food packaging containers. They will fit plastic milk containers, mineral water, carbonated-drink and jerry can containers (see specs below). Clear containers tend to work better than opaque because the insects fly-out to the bottle wall, making retention more likely. Re-cycle the traps and containers after use.

UPDATE [July 23]. Access ports and geometry have been redesigned; all traps will catch both wasps and hornets (Wasp: Common wasp, German wasp and north American Yellow Jacket) (Hornet: European & Asian)

All traps have a built-in hood to avoid rain dilution and to concentrate volatile attractants around / within the trap entrance

The small trap is for intended for small fizzy drink bottles. Ports and geometry redesigned to catch both wasps and hornets. A landing pad has also been added to improve efficiency.

Print the trap parts in PETG to ensure they are suitable for external use (UV and water exposure). Print parts in GREEN or WHITE; wasps are well tuned to green (many prey insects are green). Do not print in yellow, red or blue since this increases the chances of unintentional bee capture. Do not print in black, brown or dark colours (reduces effectiveness - dark colours are perceived as a predator threat and will drive wasps away).

Printing: All traps print inverted (see pic). The g-codes have support built in already. I recommend using bed contact support in all cases. 

Container specifications:

MILK fits: 38mm neck Bericap (Milk jug containers - normally 0.568(1pt), 2.000, 2.273(4pt) 3.410(6pt) ltr capacity)

COKE fits: 28mm neck mineral water and carbonated drink bottles with PCO1810 threads [Int 21.74mm; single start 720deg thread]

JERRY fits: 38mm neck standard Jerry Can (typically 1.0, 2.5 & 5.0Ltr capacity) [Int 31.5mm, Thread OD -37.3]

Wasp / Hornet Trap Bait: Do not use honey as bait, you will attract and kill honey bees. Bait varies depending on what you are trying to attract and the time of year.

Wasp Bait. Varies by season. Early season (March / April) try diluted fruit jam with added sugar. Mid-season (May - Aug) use a protein source e.g. Tinned tuna, luncheon meat or pet food. Although a good attractant, the disadvantage is that the wasps /hornets die slowly, so check the trap often.  In late season (Aug-Sept) use cheap fruit jam plus sugar and water, plus a little fruit vinegar. Enhance further with some over-ripe fruit. Add the smallest drop of washing-up liquid (breaks surface tension). You need enough liquid to drown the wasps (although once in the trap they are very unlikely to escape). As a quick attractant use cheap UHT apple juice plus a drop of washing-up liquid (do not use UHT orange juice - it is too acidic).

Hornet Bait. Varies by season. (including Asian Hornet if you are a monitoring beekeeper). Spring / early summer as for wasps and likely to catch queens. Later (mid) season when hornets become predatory they are targeting protein. Use some frozen fish / prawns / tinned tuna and partially cover with sugar water (do not submerge). Note: the protein solution will need replacing every 3-4 days since it will readily rot. For late season as nests break up, bait as for wasps.

European hornets are active at night and are attracted to light sources. Hanging a trap under a light can be very effective. Asian hornets are not active at night.

Ecological notes: Most wasps do not trouble humans or honey bees. I am a beekeeper; I do not kill wasps mindlessly / without reason. Wasps (including common, German and yellow jackets) are a valuable ecological group. Early in the season they capture a high volume of crop pest insects e.g. aphids (for protein to raise young) and help provide natural balance. Adult wasps then require carbohydrate energy sources. Unlike honey bees, a wasp colony does not ‘over-winter’, all adult wasps die; except for the queens that hibernate and emerge in spring. As adult wasp numbers peak, they will predate bee colonies for honey and nectar; killing the colony. Hornets will predate honey bee colonies for both protein (adult bee thorax and bee pupa) and carbohydrate (nectar and honey); again, killing the colony. Often wasps will become a domestic problem later in the season as numbers peak and they seek any carbohydrate source (they often also mistake alcoholic drinks for fermenting fallen fruit). If you have a local problem, of course, set traps; but please do not kill wasps without good cause, especially early in the season. If you are trapping wasps late in the season then these will likely be redundant adult worker wasps that would have died anyway (without making any further colony contribution).