Wasp nest! Any good solutions out there?

[ian at bluemoon.hplx.net]

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004, Tony Lum wrote:

> My 87.5 Coupe GT was out of commission for while because of a bad fuel pump.
> Well I finally changed it last weekend and the car's driving great with much
> less fuel pump whine (Pierburg rubber encased pump).  The problem I have is
> that I've got a wasp nest embedded under the LF fender just beyond the
> bottom of the A pillar.  I didn't know it was there until I was working
> under the dash on some electrical issues when I heard a buzzing near my ear
> and that's when I saw the nest.  Its a little larger than a golf ball and
> the yellow jackets on it look fairly active.  I don't have a issue driving
> around because the door is completely sealed when closed but opening the
> door is a quick open and shut operation.  Anybody run into this?  I don't
> think I can spray poison into the body seam because I'd be breathing it
> while driving the car.  Or maybe should I poke the nest with a broom handle
> and then run like hell :^0

Typically I have just gotten a can of wasp and hornet death (Ortho or
whatever off brand happens to be available.)  Ortho is a little foamy, but
most will readily spray into the opening between the fender and door
without making a lot of overspray.  The stuff kills quick (like, the
critters take three or four steps and die) but it's best to do it at night
(or at least toward twilight) when they're all hanging out in the nest.
After they're dead, you just open the door, scrape out the nest and
bodies, and rejoice.  The spray doesn't seem to damage the paint.

I've found that Armor All works in a pinch, but that's more difficult to
clean off. :)  (I was working in a fashion very similar to you, noticed
the nest, and very, very rapidly found a spray bottle that a] seemed toxic
enough and b] was close at hand.)

ian Butler / ian at bluemoon.hplx.net
1988 Audi 5000S quattro
1988 VW Scirocco 16v
1977 Mercury Marquis (for sale)

p.s.  The Armor-All has never seen any of my dashboards.  It was just in
my bag-o-chemicals.