Hornets and Wasps and Bees...Oh My!!

Hornet

Bee

Wasp

Late summer/early fall is prime time for stinging insect activity. Unfortunately, it's also a popular time for picnics, campouts, backyard barbecues and family reunions. Combine the two types of activity and you've got a recipe for annoyance, pain and discomfort.

According to allergist, Dr. Barry Rhoades, most everyone has some form of allergic reaction to insect stings with reactions ranging from mild swelling to the more serious reaction of anaphylactic shock. Prevention is often the best measure and that's certainly the case with insect stings. When you think of what you need for killing and repelling stinging insects such as hornets, wasps and bees your artillary probably consists of insecticidal sprays, chemical powders to pump in and around nests, and store-bought traps with ingredients that kill the stinging insect once it goes into the trap. The problem with these products, besides the expensive price tag, is that when you use these chemicals to kill and repel stinging insects you're also exposed to the chemicals.

Prevention:  As you sit in your backyard, pack your camp gear, or get ready to go pick up Aunt Martha for the annual family reunion try these green living methods for repelling and killing hornets, wasps and bees:

Trap and kill wasps and bees with this simple eco-friendly trap.

• Use a clean 20-ounce soda bottle for each trap. Throw away the cap and cut off the top part of the bottle where the curve stops.
• Fill the bottom portion of the soda bottle halfway with water, then add 3 or 4 squirts of hand dish washing liquid.

• Turn the top part of the bottle upside down and insert it into the bottom half until the ends meet. Tape the edges together at the top.
• Smear jelly inside one half of the inverted top and peanut butter in the other half.
• Set your eco-friendly wasp and bee trap about 10 to 15 feet away from where you will be.

Since bees and wasps alternately feed on protein-based foods and sugar-based foods, you're trap will be equipped to handle the cravings of any pesty wasps and bees buzzing around. The sugar- and protein-based treats lure the wasps and bees to your trap, then as they fly down into the trap, the dish soap solution coats their wings, causing the insects to drown.


Hornets are more aggressive than wasps and bees and can be identified by the narrow "waist" area on their body. These greedy aggessors are meat eaters, with a fondness for salmon, however in a pinch most any meat will do.

• Cut a 2-inch by 4-inch section out of a clean plastic milk jug, locating the section about 3 inches down from the top.
• Fill the milk jug with water to about 2 inches below the cut-out section, then add 6 to 8 squirts of hand dish washing liquid and stir it just once to mix the soap in, but not make soap suds.
• Wrap a piece of string or thin wire around a frozen piece of salmon or another type of fish or meat.
• Feed the wire with the meat through the cap of the milk jug until it's dangling about an inch above the dish soap water. Screw the cap back on the milk jug to secure the hornet bait.
• Set your hornet trap about 15 to 20 feet away from where you'll be located.

Over the course of a long day outdoors, you're green living hornet trap will catch between 20 and 40 hornets as they're lured in by the smell of the meat, sparing you and yours the painful stings.

In addition to eco-friendly traps for stinging insects, avoid wearing bright colors and using perfumed lotions, shampoos and other products that attract these insects. As tempting as it is, don't wave your hands around to try to swat the insects away. This will likely result in someone getting stung by an angry or frightened wasp, bee or hornet.

Treatment:  Always err on the side of caution if you or someone you're with is stung by a wasp, bee or hornet and excessive swelling, dizziness, nausea, or breathing difficulties occur. Play it safe and go to the doctor's office. If you're in discomfort and pain, but otherwise safe, here are some green living techniques to help soothe the site of the sting:

• If you do not have Benedryl or another antihistimine on hand, a spoonful of instant coffee placed underneath the tongue for a few minutes works as a temporary antihistimine.
• Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water, the consistency of toothpaste and spread it on the site of the sting to soothe the skin, reduce swelling, and stop the spread of venom. Leave the paste on for 20 minutes, then wash off with soap and water.
• Soak a cloth in white vinegar, wrap an ice cube or two inside the vinegar-soaked cloth and use it as a compress on the site of the sting. Hold the compress in place for 15 minute on/15 minutes off, repeating the cycle until the area feels better. Vinegar, an ecoholic's wonder product, helps relieve the stinging and the ice reduces swelling.

By using eco-friendly methods to repel and kill wasps, hornets, and bees you keep yourself, your family and pets safe from being stung, while also sparing yourself and the environment the exposure to harsh chemicals found in commercial pesticides.

Welcome & Why Green Living?

Welcome to Shades of Green; my blog regarding a subject about which I am very passionate: green living. Whether you're an ecoholic or have yet to go beyond the "thinking stage" when it comes to green living, this blog will help you learn about and incorporate green living ideas, tips and techniques that can benefit you, your family, your pets and the environment. To top it off, green living is a fantastic way to save money and, with the current economy, who doesn't want to save money?

When terms like "go green" and "green living" came into vogue my initial reaction was to balk at the idea. I dislike most trends, especially trends that are being mass media-marketed at every street corner and on every TV and radio station. But in my mild rebellion against giving into trend, I was actually being kind of an idiot. One day, in the midst of cleaning my house, I realized I'd been practicing green living for fifteen years prior to media and environmentalists bringing the concept to the forefront of the people's conscience.

Flashback to the early 90s, when as a previously healthy young adult, I'd begun to suffer from repeated  respiratory illnesses. You name it, I got it: colds, bronchitis, repeated sinus infections and respiratory flu. Even on good days, I was sneezing, my head felt like a giant balloon and normal activities were wearing me out. I was young, active and physically fit with no explanation for the sudden and constant bouts of illness. A trip to the doctor, then a referral to an allergist revealed that I had developed asthma and allergies. When I asked the doctor how this happened; how a perfectly normal person who never suffered from these conditions before suddenly develops them, her reply astounded me:

"Nowadays, people are exposed to more allergens and toxins in the air and in their home environments than ever before. The rate at which nornally healthy people are developing allergies and asthma all of a sudden is growing rather quickly. Studies have been done and there's still more to learn but it's hard to refute the connection between exposure to chemical toxins and the development of respiratory illness and conditions."

Armed with information and suggestions from a doctor who clearly was a proponent of green living, I slowly began to change the way I lived. Over the years, I've enjoyed learning hundreds of green living tips that are unique, fun, money-saving and, most of all, reduce chemical exposure. The biggest proof that green living has worked for me is the fact that I no longer regularly use medicine for my asthma...maybe once or twice a year...and I can control allergy symtpoms with over-the-counter medicine, as needed. I am rarely sick and can participate in physical activities without paying for it the rest of the day.

Whatever your considerations, here are a few to ponder regarding the benefits of green living:

• Green living saves money on cleaning products, insect repellents, skin, hair and body care, and pet care to name just a few.
• Involving the family, including the kids, in green living can translate to family bonding time and time spent on enjoyable and beneficial family activities. Children enjoy a great sense of pride and accomplishment when they do things to help others and themselves. Green living is a great way to teach responsibility, care and respect and enjoy family time without having to spend loads of (if any) money on family activities.
• Positively impact your health. According to a study done by the Journal of the American Medical Association, green living reduces your risk of lung cancer. The health benefits of green living are numerous.
• Contribute toward a better environment in your home, backyard, community, country and world by reducing the carbon footprint you leave behind.
• If you want to give back but don't feel you have the time, money or means to do so, practicing one or two green living tips regularly provides a ripple effect that gives back more than you realize.

Most people new to green living think it's difficult, time-consuming and requires the purchase of products and supplies that are far more expensive then their chemical-laden counterparts. In Shades of Green, I hope to dispel those myths for you and show you how simple it is to "go green."