We find a stray wasp once in awhile through the winter. I think they get in in the fall and look for a place to hibernate. Once it starts to warm up in the spring they start to come out. not sure where they come in at because our place is sealed up tight too. Unfortunately our cats are the first ones to find them and start playing with them.
I just rememberd this from 40 years ago , dang wasps made a nest in the basement block wall. Crack in block or piece of motar missing ( don't remember which) on outside was entrance. so all of a sudden when it got cold out had those darn things flying around in the basement which was finished with paneling including the ceiling. They were coming and going at the sill where the blocks were not sealed up. Took awhile to catch on to this and find them. Ex was less than happy about the situation. Had to pull down the ceiling to find them Tiny house 17x20 or so on the outside two story.
How are the numbers today? Might check and see if the numbers increase with temps in other rooms or outside. ????????just thinking out loud....
Couple yesterday, 3 today so far. I thought with the warmer temps we have been having, that all heck was gonna break loose...but its been slower than it was a few days back. Made a couple discoveries...turns out one of the gable vents has no screen on it! Almost sure it used to...of course I have never actually been in that part of the attic...never had access until I recently cut a hole in the ceiling to get up in there to beef up the insulation...haven't done it yet though. So it turns out they (wasps) have free access to the attic. Also, just this afternoon I found that the fireplace ash dump door was open...it is under the stove now, so its hard to see...I must have bumped it open with the ash rake or shovel a while back...I keep those tools under the stove...and I haven't run the stove since October, so the door has been open all winter. So they would have had access from the bottom of the chimney too...the thing is, I don't believe that the chimney flue actually connects with the ash dump/cleanout/chimney base, (basement cleanout door) does it? The fireplace floor is only about a foot above the ground level, so most of the ash dump/cleanout door is below ground level...and I checked around outside, the brick/mortar is in perfect condition from this level to the ground...so I dunno how they would have got into the ash dump area from outside. We'll see if anything changes from here on out...but still need to get a screen on the attic vent too... Could be part of it...
Have any ventilation piping? Had wasps build a nest in my HRV exhaust pipe one summer. 6" flex. They had it plugged solid for about 3'.
Just the kitchen fan...and it has a flapper on the outside, which I checked...its working/sealing properly.
Well, I guess they weren't coming from the fireplace ash dump door...4 more today Make that 5...just got another as I was typing!
Are they more prevalent in any certain room? It would bug me to no end not knowing where they're coming from. Can you seal off rooms to see if that helps isolate their ingress point??
We have seen the most in the living room...dining room next, but it is kind of an open concept...almost like one big L shaped room. It would be tough to seal off either room unless maybe the wife n kids were gone for a couple days or something. And yes, it is driving me crazy not being able to find where they are coming in...this has been goin on all winter...I thought for sure that we would be able to pin 'em down sooner or later! I can guarantee this...when I do find 'em, its gonna be full on nuclear war on them! My wife and I agree that it seems like they appear out of nowhere...don't see or hear a thing, then bam...there they are in the middle of the room! Its happened time after time again. Also seems like we see them 2-3 at a time...like they send out scout teams or something.
I had wasps living in a cinder block in my foundation a few years back. They never got into the house though. You could hear the cinder block humming there were so many in it. There was a hole drilled in the block presumably for a cable install but it didn't have an exit hole on the inside. They never plugged the hole. I ended up nuking the bastages with spray, then after they were all done, I great stuff foamed the block full. Hopefully you can figure this out. I think you are into something with the thought that they are between the lines and the original clay chimney.
Shoot...don't even need to start the truck really...a nice Sunday afternoon stroll would get me there fast enough!
Did you bring any outside furniture inside? My sister brought a wicker table in for some additional table space once and the little buggers came out once they warmed up.
That's a good point...we did buy a used "lift top" coffee table with drawers that was out in the previous owners garage for a bit...but I have already inspected it and found no wasps...did find a bunch of other stuff in it behind the drawers though...cell phone, Wii controls, brand new utility knife, various manuals, a few kids toys, etc, etc...there was a ton of crap in there...couldn't believe the drawers weren't getting hung up! I would have called the dude but it has been a few years back, no idea his phone number, and honestly don't think I could find his house again...it was way back in a large winding street housing development. This is a lift top coffee table, for anyone not familiar...not the same as ours, but you get the idea...
Had a bad problem with lady bugs one year at a rental. They were coming through the light fixture in the bedroom. Wasn’t sealed well and they found their way into the joist spaces between the first and second floor and then out the light. Could explain the wasps miraculously appearing if they are falling out of a light. I also had a fireplace before the stove. It had a fresh air intake. Had wasps find their way through that too.
I've been meaning to update this for a few days now...we have seen very few wasps since the weather has warmed up some...which is when I figured they'd get bad...since closing the ash dump door on the fireplace we have probably only seen 6-8 total...most days none, once in a while there has been 1 or 2 show up per day...so I'm not sure if they were already in here when I closed the ash dump door, or if that has nothing to do with it and they have not been showing up as much for some other reason...IDK
