Now that Spring has finally sprung wonderfully in my part of the world this week, I am looking forward to spending more time in the garden with my PowerBook to do some gentle work during the day, then moving to the home office which will be cooler in the evenings. One of the problems that comes with nice weather, for me, is my phobia - wasps. Over the past couple of years there seems to be an increase in these bothersome insects which means my garden time is severely reduced as they chase me into the house.
This week we have bought a new gazebo for the garden which has netting all around it meaning I can sit inside and stick my tongue out at the wasps and work peacefully without having to run indoors every 2 minutes. However, there is sometimes a downside as they can lurk around the entrance near the zip, waiting for me to come out (seriously, this isn’t just me being paranoid, haha). This is where my new purchase will come in. Enter the Waspinator.
One of my Twitter friends pointed me in the direction of it yesterday so I promptly bought one, costing just £9.95. As you can see from these photos, it mimics an enemy nest so they leave the area for somewhere safer. No traps, no poison, just fooling the wasp into thinking enemies are nearby, leaving me in peace to enjoy my day. Last year we bought a portable insect killer (the Wasp Sunbed I liked to call it) which means the insect would be drawn to the blue light and meet a sizzling end. However, I was always quite put off by the fact that you would see the dead insect and worse still have to clean it out. Plus, wasps give off a scent when they’re dying which means other wasps could come and investigate and I’d have a load more to contend with. We don’t want that.
I’m really looking forward to this arriving so I can sit in the garden, outside of the safety of the gazebo netting, get a tan, work on my PowerBook/browse the net without being disturbed. I’ll also be able to hang it beside the window in the bedroom, home office or kitchen so I can let fresh air into the house without worrying that I’m going to come face to face with my fear. I’ll let you know how I get on with it when it arrives and see if it really does do what it says on the box 
Image courtesy of Waspinator
08 May 08
9:07 pm
I saw your tweet this yesterday Sam, and look forward to your reporting back on if it works!
08 May 08
9:21 pm
Wow, your phobia must be pretty severe to buy this!
I really can’t imagine this working to be honest, but then again, I ain’t the expert.
Hey…..Sam…..buzz buzz
08 May 08
9:22 pm
Jon - will do.
Andrew: I’ve read lots of testimonials - seems to do the job.
09 May 08
4:12 am
That’s my phobia too! But, Im from Italy. You know where I can buy it?
09 May 08
11:17 am
Oscar - you could try buying through the official UK and European distributor @ http://www.waspinator.co.uk Or drop them an e-mail to ask where you could buy them locally.
10 May 08
3:13 pm
The Waspinator arrived today which was perfect timing as it was a very warm and sunny day. I hung it from the washing line so it was in clear view from all around, then sat out in the garden. I saw one wasp come from a neighbours direction and then it sort of stopped near the fence and flew back where it came from. It was incredible, as if it had hit an invisible wall. Then the same thing happened later with another wasp (or possibly the same one - hard to tell when they all look the same
). I sat near the flower pots in the garden just at the side of the Waspinator and I didn’t see or hear any buzzing when usually I’d be ducking and diving every two minutes.
11 May 08
7:38 pm
Thanks sam and congrats for your wispinator
wrote them a mail, I’m waiting for the confirm.
21 May 08
2:01 am
Wow this is such a great idea, I really hate wasps too, and bee’s. If i spent more time in the garden I’d defiantly get one.