DIY Wasp Trap - What Works Best??

Hey Everyone,
I don't know about you but the Wasps are really, really bad this year. Everywhere we go we are finding more wasps. Our backyard is no exception.. We have soo many wasps that we have been running out the sliding door just so they don't fly inside the house. At my son's birthday we have to move everyone inside due to the wasps...
I build a whole bunch of these wasp traps to see what fluid works the best and I thought it is a good opportunity to help others do the same. These wasp traps have helped so much in reducing the wasps.

[@christophertaylor87]

Thank you for actually running a test! So many other things are just re-posts of re-posts that doesn’t seem like anyone ever checked if their solutions worked.

[@bobsoddjobs]

Thanks Christopher!

[@jessicacopeland9066]

Thank you for the video! I will definitely be trying these very soon. Our neighborhood is plagued by wasps from spring till fall. Hopefully this can help even a fraction at keeping the wasps at bay this year in our yard!

[@wxnlp]

I learned new things today. Thanks!

[@thomassawyer6523]

Thx for the comparison, will try it.

[@SuperLaplander]

Thank you Bob!

[@kristinboden]

This is awesome!! Just got attacked by wasps and stung multiple times. OUCH. Time to set some traps. I did spray the bushes with a mixture of soap and peppermint along my walkway which is actually keeping them away but is only short-term. Need to make sure they stay away for my dog's safety! Appreciate this!!

[@kimharris6511]

Thanks for testing the different liquids, very helpful! I've got an issue with mud daubers in my garage, so crossing my fingers that this works.

[@donaldshimkus539]

Dirt daubed are actually good to have around. They are not normally aggressive and they kill black widow spiders and other such critters we don't like.

[@dalehammond1749]

I've tried a lot of wasp traps featured on KZbin and this design you show here is vastly superior to all I've tried. The old pop bottle trick is the best for immediate wasp elimination in a certain area. For long term elimination the Boric Acid technique is great.

[@suemarie6032]

I wish I knew about this earlier but glad to see it now. I've made a trap with jam the other night. Thanks for sharing!

[@UnsaltedCashew38]

Did it work? I got a wasp nest in my backyard and I'm scared.

[@suemarie6032]

@@UnsaltedCashew38 I haven't looked at this video in a long time but watched several. One showed 3 or 4 different things to put in the bottle. I tried 3 of them. I caught maybe 2 in each. I found some flying around the but just curious instead of actually going in. One time years earlier I had to call an exterminator and they did a great job. Prob is money is tight these days so I tried a DIY job. My problem did not come back this year, thank goodness.

[@newerafrican]

Nice and simple comparison. Another site mentions putting meat (chicken leftovers) above the soapy water, too.

[@lorid8944]

Thanks Bob!

[@simonheywood1286]

Thanks 4 sharing Brotha

[@wayne-oo]

Well done !

[@chrisnewby5713]

Hey Bob, thanks guy

[@varianhall1483]

Making a couple today. Thanks

[@what-lies-in-your-skies]

Beer/cider is a good one to use as bait.. hence why pubs always have wasps going for half empty glasses

[@Chaurette]

Thankyou. I will try this NOW! I have several black wasps flying around my patio and I’m afraid to go out there to turn the water on to water my citrus trees. There are so many flying around. Thank you for testing the different solutions. Hope I don’t get stung putting up the trap ha ha. 😳

[@PhilFeedback]

Good information, thanks for making this video.

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Phillip Riggins, I'm so glad to hear it helped :) Take Care

[@laurv8370]

You should try meat instead of jam. Wasps are carnivores, they don't come to the beehive for honey, they come for larva. They eat worms and stuff. Just tie some pieces of chicken meat round the neck of the bottle (outside of the "funnel"), before turning it upside down and scotching it, then add some water with few drops of liquid wash, the one used for dishes, with no smell or very light smell (the thing has to smell "meaty"). The water has to come about 1-2 cm under the "funnel" (so the wasps can go inside without touching the water, walk around to eat the meat, which is on the top of the trap, they are very greedy, they take a chunk of meat and drop into the water, the soap acts as surfactant, so the wasp can't swim out of the water). Try and see. You will get 500 times better result.

[@cecilb3216]

When u say meat. Cooked or raw

[@ahahfwygna2778]

@@cecilb3216 raw

[@AGR96]

Actually it depends when you place the traps. Early in the season fruite juice/jam/sugar are consumed by the wasps, later on they will start to hunt to feed their larvae.

[@ahahfwygna2778]

Yea i actually made this trap with chicken 10 hours ago, it didn't catch jack

[@AGR96]

@@ahahfwygna2778 Don't worry, I just did it as well with jam, and no catch this way either 😂

[@SomeoneCommenting]

You can add a little baker's yeast to make the juices ferment and smell even more. That's what all these insects love, the smell of rotting fruit to know that it's ripe, sweet and juicy.

[@jammy446]

Thanks a lot I made one and within 15 minutes I had 3 wasps

[@korzer]

I made trap same as this but used melon seeds, skin which still had slight bit of flesh on it. and a little touch of honey plus a tiny dash of rum.. works a treat the rum replaces the soap which can deter some wasps, instead of sinking because of the loss of surface tension they drown drunk

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Korzer, Haha, I love it! Take Care :)

[@1974rednaxela]

I've just tried to cover my compost hive for a couple of days, but they are still swarming aggressively. I just made a bottle. Can't wait for tommorews count ;)

[@lisad476]

Ty

[@randybaumery5090]

I'm using jam and water too, this Summer.

[@orlandojohnson5742]

I made a discovery to kill yellow jackets crawling through openings near your home/shed etc! Place glue traps near the hole! Where they land etc! I killed over 30-40 in a days time that way! Diminish the colony… then you can attack without so many swarming or harming ya! I was able to open my storage unit find the nest/hive & kill the rest! (None were flying around when I was finally able to go in unit safely)! Best eradication I’ve experienced besides wasp spray foam into a ground nest! Many methods thank goodness! Jus try not to get stung! 😮😅😂 ikr!👌💪👋🏻✌️

[@katies.punkin1269]

Beginning of season you should use meat, at or nearing end of season you should use the fruity sweet stuff. Because at the beginning of season they need proteins for their nest and they will be more of a nuisance at that time as well. They gotta keep the queen happy!!

[@GrandmaSezSo]

In paper wasps, the Queen comes out in spring and is on the hunt for her food source which in the spring is nectar from plants and flowers. If you can trap the queen, you're ahead of the game.

[@user-co8uy5rb2s]

This past summer of 2023, they mostly came to raspberry jam water, strawberry jam water and Orange Crush soda.

[@johngalt97]

That soap has a ton of perfume. I put these traps out at the first wasp sighting to get the scouts, which prevents the nests.

[@SomeoneCommenting]

You can use practically any soap, like that Ivory brand soap that doesn't have any smell or scented oils. Whatever that can break the surface tension in the water.

[@ddsiow5298]

good job

[@bobsoddjobs]

Thanks!

[@kenblank9892]

Thanks 🙏 I’ve got a serious wasp problem, I’ve had over 100 enter my house via the fireplace.

[@UnsaltedCashew38]

Did it work? I got a wasp nest in my backyard and I'm scared.

[@a-a-rondavis9438]

Fireplace? Put a scorching fire in it lol.

[@thommyavv8905]

I would try without the soap, they likely wont get out anyway. And if they survive longer, another wasp may try to help out

[@johnbrylledomingo6377]

I tried Grape jam + water, then cold ham slices + water, then Apple cider vinegar + water, Honey + water ... and not one of them works ???? Are these super genius wasps or something ???

[@creamcheese271]

I just saw a wasp today in a room that connects to my house. I usually call my dad to take care of it, but I'm going to try doing this on my own for once..

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Shivangi Patel, These work quite well. I can't say they totally get rid of all the wasps but they certainly cut down the problem substantially. Let me know how it goes :) Take Care

[@knockknock1246]

So, are they so stupid they can't find the way out? 😄 You can catch fish this way near a stream with the same concept. They're "smart enough" to swim in...but 👍

[@edt9697]

Seriously, you need to quit the whiny act, and undertake the death defying act of wasp hunting on your own.

[@SkootchabitWoodjya]

I'm a father of 4 girls and as such I have to say that I'm proud of you for taking on the task without bothering your own busy dad. Even if he's being lazy, he's busy with other things. Good job.

[@Draknfyre]

I had some commercial traps that were similar but used two side openings. I had some hornets with a nest near my back porch and they got defensive especially at night when I'd go out on it. I tried a suggestion of orange juice (no soap) which didn't have much results at first. Then once the orange juice started fermenting, they were on those traps like a starving dog to a steak. The traps filled so fast I had to empty them repeatedly just so more could fit in them. I imagine it would work the same for yellow jackets and other types of wasps.

[@cherylgibbons3554]

That makes sense. Thanks for the tip. I will try both of them at the same time. See which one is best in the long run.

[@KingyNZ]

Important to add vinegar te repel bees

[@GrandmaSezSo]

What time of year did you set out your traps? Here in TN, red paper wasps bombard my shed and porch in the spring but even more so in October. I've been stung and my dog was stung all in the last week! I have a garden so don't want to risk hurting any pollinators but these red paper wasps have got to go. I think they have nested inside my shed roof under the new tin and old roof.

[@Jellylagun]

Would this also work inside the house when you have 2 paper wasp on your room?

[@terinacasanova3405]

We make something very similar...we use honey ..we just drizzle straight honey around the inside and let it just coat the sides as it drips into just plain water in the inside...nothing else...we haven't had any issues w honey bees getting trapped but lots of wasps..yellow jacets..and even hornets...we tried several items and just straight honey works best..

[@mariegrace6762]

surprised. I have read Never to use honey as it attracts bees.

[@terinacasanova3405]

@@mariegrace6762 it mainly attracts yellow jackets..hornets..wasps..flys...very rarely ever get any honeybees..maybe 1 or 2 if any at all...just the ones listed..mostly it's yellow jackets & hornets..

[@stevedibona961]

"So long sucka..." lol Well done good sir.

[@tammyrenee64]

I have at least 10 wasp nest on my porch, and i like to sit outside a lot, i can't get the nest down myself, I'm only 5ft tall and allergic to BEES, I'm gonna try this, thank you for the video✌️

[@charlesshepperd6916]

The best time to get rid of wasp nests is at night (darkness) when all the wasps are in the nest. The darkness prevents them from navigating and it's a good time to spray all of them. I walk around my sheds at night with a flashlight and when I see the nests hanging under the eves packed full of wasps, I spray them with wasp/hornet spray and it kills them all.

[@tammyrenee64]

@@charlesshepperd6916 ok thank you, I thought I had to wait till it started getting cool out again, didn't know I could spray at night, I will try that✌️

[@truthteller8274]

@@tammyrenee64 Under 50 degrees they can't fly very well. Frost kills them all but the queen (unless they're inside something to keep the temp up for them). Definitely hit them at night or early morning while it's still cool and they're packing the nest still. My fave spray so far is Ortho home defense hornet and wasp killer - foams and it's an instant cover up and take down.

[@tammyrenee64]

@@truthteller8274 ok, thank you✌️

[@MyAviation354]

I have one of those wasp trap and with a paper whasp

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey, I'm glad it worked out for you! They really are great traps and simple to make too. I'm not sure what the paper wasp is tho? Does it help with catching them? Take care :) Take care

[@thomasburton1910]

What's the purpose of the tape?

[@O.N.K]

For this trap beer is the best

[@GeorgiaBoy50DEV]

Hey does this work for those Red Stinging Wasps?

[@momconway7789]

Thank you for the video. Can I set it on the ground or does it have to hang?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Mom Conway, I usually hang them but I'm sure it will do just fine if you put it on the ground. Take Care :)

[@julieshaw6774]

Thanks dog got stung had to go to vet expensive

[@DJLCalgary]

With my traps it took longer to get the wasps with pop and meat. About a week, then they really start coming especially after the the liquid dehydrates. Who knew?

[@ryanroy4440]

Very effective with just honey, water and a dash of soap. Thank you

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Ryan, Glad to hear you're getting good results with that mix. For me they didn't seem to enjoy the honey as much as the Jam. Take Care :)

[@reneewest2995]

I agree, honey, water & a drop of dish soap works the best for me!

[@taniat3412]

Not having any luck catching these wasps. I have a full garden of flowers and veggies and fruit trees they dont want my traps. However, noticed they like standing water so maybe i will collect some of that.

[@MariMashi]

Just made one. instead i put fresh fruit, fruit puree, pomegranate juice, water, and dish soap. Didn't have any jam so just put a bunch of stuff from my fridge in there. Hopefully it works, we got a bad wasp problem

[@edt9697]

Wasps are classy....go with the prime-grade ribeye!

[@sharondwyer4261]

Whats the best thing now this time of year, last weeks of august into September?

[@Tibasu]

It's been raining a lot here but we don't have anything we can hang the trap under to prevent it from filling with rain water. Anything to add to this to help prevent that?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Tibasu, This is something I'd have to think about. Anyone able to help Tibasu please drop a comment on how they've over come this problem. In the mean time I'm going to do some brainstorming to see what I can come up with :) Take Care

[@jenchanning1022]

Cut holes in the side of bottle , dont cut the top off bottle and leave lid on.

[@DreadX10]

Use two bottles to make one trap. One bottleneck is used as trap; the other one is used as umbrella. The umbrella would come from a bigger diameter bottle or you need to give it a extra skirt (using the rest of the second bottle). If you hang the bottle, you can hang the umbrella above it. If it is a standing version, you can make slits in the top part of the body of the trap bottle. The slits have to be wide enough for the wasps to enter and the material between the slits has to be sturdy enough to carry the weight of the umbrella. Adding some sticks to the outside of the trap-bottle to support the umbrella would also work. Hope this helps.

[@noID457]

Try beer. They like it a lot

[@SkootchabitWoodjya]

@Ken Murray some beer should only be used for wasps and other DIY projects.

[@nohwan3713]

Hello .... is it strawberry jam ?

[@user-co8uy5rb2s]

Probably. Or even raspberry.

[@kyleighsmith3495]

How do these keep the wasps and such in like why don’t they just fly right back out the huge hole?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Kyleigh, They actually get caught in the fluid. The soap breaks the surface tension on the fluid so when the wasp touches the surface to drink it pulls them in. Hope that helps :) Take Care

[@rogermitchell6272]

Yes hang a chunk of rancid chicken or hotdogs watch what you get. Only problem with those DIY Traps is when it rains you have to dump and rebait. Amazon 2 traps 15.00

[@sharondwyer4261]

Is the jam good for spring time, and will it work on those paper wasps?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Sharon, Some people on this tread are me saying that raw meat works best in the spring. I've always use the jam and it works very well Take Care :)

[@tammyrenee64]

I'm not a fan of raw meat, I'm sure it will smell awlful 😱😅

[@user-wi4zi9di6q]

Just put a jam mix under a small paper wasp nest to test it. Will report back 🤞

[@Weloveants]

It only caught flys only😢

[@lama6911]

Soda 80% and 20% water. It’s all the sugar they like

[@lindadelcamp6686]

I just tried the one with jam, water and dish soap and didn't get hardly anything! I even cut some slits in funnel to get the aroma of the jelly for them to come. They're going in but not getting caught and just flying out. Does it matter where I hang it? Right now it's just a few feet from the feeder. Should it be a little further away?

[@cool9282]

It depends on the time. Early they look for protein so use meat, later on in the summer they need sugar and look for sweet things

[@tonybove2468]

I've used similar traps in the past, and got best results with boring orange juice. The soap doesn't deter them?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Tony, The soap seems to work ok. You only need the tiniest drop. I should try the orange juice to see how it works Take Care :)

[@minmatenx]

Yeah i dont wanna kill bees

[@renato113]

Would the trap affect the bees as well?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey, So people are commenting about this. Apparently if you add some meat the bees won't come to the trap. That being said, I've never seen bees in my traps but I think there's just a ton of wasps near me and not many bees... Take Care

[@johnvaldes8725]

i don't see a mention of how to keep honey bees from falling into these traps. I have heard that adding a little vinegar to the solution will keep bees out but not wasps and hornets. Can anyone comment, or is there another solution. We certainly don't want to endanger the honey bees. Thank you.

[@laurv8370]

Yes, use meat, and no sugar. See my other comment. Bees won't come, actually, the smell of rotten meat is repulsive to them, they keep their hive very clean by taking out any rotten insects, geckos, mice, etc, and when they can't, they will pack the intruder in wax.

[@JakeInvest]

apple cider vinegar

[@maggs3204]

Apple cider vinegar will keep honey bees out.

[@randybaumery5090]

Wasps love meat and if you have meat covered in sugar water or maple syrup and it starts to ferment and stink, only wasps and yellow jackets will go in. Bees hate it.

[@davevanemburg3056]

How much a.c.vinegar for about 6 ounces of concoction?

[@craigslistrro709]

wsps eat meat and sweets at different times of the season.. generally summer months they go for meat while spring they eat sweets...

[@cmockrocketmail]

What keeps them from flying back out?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey, The soap makes it so the get pulled into the liquid and they get stuck.

[@MRTOMBO]

Sugar, apple juice, and yeast

[@honeybeehelper-1]

Motts apple juice. Done.

[@mams3862]

My dog just got neutered and he loves to be out on the veranda. Since he can't go for walks and adventures the veranda is his best friend. Our other dog also loves it out there and he's only four months old. Unfortunately we found a bunch of wasps hanging out around the veranda. I know there's a nest somewhere but I don't know where. Just set one of these traps, I hope they work. I really don't want my little boy to get stung on top of having surgery yesterday. Thank you for the idea, really hoping this works 🤞

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Mams, I quite sure these will work for your pup. Poor guy, I hope he heals up fast and gets to enjoy the outdoors :)) Let us know how it works out. Some people are saying to try adding some meat in the spring but now that it's August I'm sure these traps will work just fine without the meat. Take Care

[@rollzolo]

Wasp up

[@12fuzzyrats]

Does anyone know if this'll work with paper wasps?

[@truthteller8274]

Haven't had much luck yet having tried jam, sugar water and beer... and I have a severe wasp problem, house on a lake in the woods.

[@jonifejes6815]

How much water did you use

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Joni, Not too much If I we're to guess maybe 1/4 cup. You just don't want the liquid higher than the funnel you create Hope that helps Take Care :)

[@jasonbrownfield8448]

We’re they actually wasps you were catching?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Yes :)

[@shanen457]

I made a cool trap by just leaving my pint jar of Irish cream (half gone) sitting out on the picnic table for a couple of days and caught all kinds of bugs.

[@michellequinn1940]

It also depends on the time of year. They go for protein, assist and alcohol at different times

[@Stopaskingwhyandjustreadit]

@2:25 I'd probably leave too if I stumbled across a Colossal Titan taking a video of a bunch of giant see-through chambers that contained the corpses of my loved ones.

[@territhomas8792]

Does it also trap bees? which would not be a good thing.

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Teri, I've never found any bees in my traps. Some people mention that you could add some meat to the trap if you have lots of bees in your area. Take Care :)

[@theobservingowl1980]

I'm using diluted red wine,. Let's see how it goes !

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Observing Owl, Let's us know if it works :))

[@guppi1]

What kind of jam did you use? Any specific type of jam?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey iamsacti1, I sure any jam would work. I use strawberry because that's what we eat at home :) Take Care

[@qaswedfr1234]

what flavour of jam ?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Bri, I love the question! I used Strawberry. It would be great to get a poll of what others have tried :)) Take Care

[@Ali_Levon]

Can I use jelly?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Ali_Levon, I bet you could use almost any jelly and they would come :) Take Care

[@Ali_Levon]

Thank you!

[@belltreefrog]

And what about when they want protein, not sugar? And what about making a homemade poison they’ll take back to the nest?

[@mttgilmore5]

Ok never mind

[@lamiabanca]

I use cheap beer, Sugar and a Little amount of honey on the Door. Just a touch

[@QueenSavage1030]

HMM

[@katynewt]

"He" didn't leave, "She" did. 😏

[@Laptops1781]

I have 3 traps out, one with the jam mix, the sugar water mix, and one with straight honey. Not a single bee. Not sure what I'm doing wrong

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Mike, I'm not sure why they're not going for them. I've tried all three of your traps and they work. I just find the Jam mix has the best results.

[@truthstands4ever]

Make sure you're not using too much soap. Only a drop or two. Also, try meat instead of what you're using now. Tie it around the bottle neck before inverting it, and fill the water to an inch or two below the meat.

[@Akaneblaze1345]

question does this work on Asian hornet bees

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Otogiri, I haven't seen any of those in my area.. I'm not sure if it will work. I think this sounds like a good thing to test if they're in your area. Let everyone know your results so they can build effective traps :) Take Care

[@jenchanning1022]

Yes

[@Manche-De-Pelle]

I do an "umbrella" with another empty bottle so there's no rain that goes inside... that's the missing part to make a "flawless" trap

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Manche, This is a great idea! Take Care :)

[@Manche-De-Pelle]

@@bobsoddjobs thanks my friend, today, I just made 2 trap with a new design that need less "crafting " skill. I'm trying it and if it works as expected, I'll send you a link for a picture or a video. Still needed 2 bottles but much less expensive then an industrial made that you bought at the store

[@Manche-De-Pelle]

As promis here the newer impproved tested version of the "ultimate wasp trap" . It took 5 minutes maximum to do all the things imgur.com/ouYABfQ.png

[@tammyrenee64]

Bought the 20 buck one 2 weeks ago at Ace hardware, I've caught 2 wasp and the bought trap says I need to buy more solution for it every 14 days at 7.99, wish I knew this before I bought it😱✌️

[@debbiemcgee6822]

I did this and did not catch one bee or wasp🙄 and I made the bottle/ ingredients the very same way. Don’t know why it hasn’t worked for me🤷‍♀️

[@bobsoddjobs]

Sorry to hear.. I've seen a few people say depending on the season they may be more attracted to protein. I haven't tested this myself tho. Take Care

[@user-zo8gc7co9m]

I did this and not one customer. It is June so did jam.

[@facefacts3435]

I usually just use an electric fly swatter until the rest of the squad stings my face

[@mttgilmore5]

Why soap?

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Matt, It breaks the surface tension of the water so the wasp can't stand on top of it. They get pulled into the water instead. Take Care :)

[@levthelion]

Ok those are hornets. Wasps needs a different bait.

[@saturn4301]

That isn't wasps. That was yellow jackets.

[@bobsoddjobs]

Hey Stephen, I pulled this from Google: "Yellow jackets are actually the common name of a particular type of wasp. Wasps from the Vespula and Dolichovespula genera are called yellow jackets in the US. Yellow jacket species are smaller than other wasps but more aggressive. They're more likely to sting than other wasps, but their stings hurt less." Thanks for letting me know :) Take Care

[@Victor-tl4dk]

Does this kill bees? I don't want to kill my bee friends... :-)

[@JessEditsYT]

I've made this and hung it outside. It only attracted ants and no wasps so far.

[@nccrchurchunusual7990]

Dont make it too sweet as honey bees will be attracked. Think- how sweet is honey?

[@jeremy0318]

That looked like a honeybee not a wasp,

[@nester3891]

cigany trap