# Electric fly swatter that works on Wasps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801 "2014-06-02T00:36:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JustOneOfThosePeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustOneOfThosePeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustOneOfThosePeople)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/1 "2014-06-02T00:36:34Z")
Hi, This is my first post, so I hope its in the right section, but here goes: I’m sure many of you have seen those battery powered electric fly swatters that look like small tennis rackets. I have a very large deck near the woods that is infested with a dozen or so yellowjacket wasp nests, and while I wait for the exterminator to come and take care of the situation I want to be able to stop anything that may attack me. They have shown to be very aggressive so far. Does anyone know if any commercial electric fly swatter’s are capable of killing something like a wasp, with its thick exoskeleton? Thank you ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/2 "2014-06-02T00:46:35Z")
let the insect land or crawl on the device. legs or antenna contacting the electric wires will zap it. ---
**Author:** ![JustOneOfThosePeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustOneOfThosePeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustOneOfThosePeople)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/3 "2014-06-02T02:22:32Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > let the insect land or crawl on the device. legs or antenna contacting the electric wires will zap it. Right, I understand how to use it, but I don’t want to waste money on one if it’s charge isn’t capable of killing the Wasp. Flies and Mosquito’s are very “thin” compared to the exoskeleton of an average Wasp. I was wondering if these sort of devices really have the power for this use. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/4 "2014-06-02T02:28:35Z")
Wasps are not normally a problem. In fact I love them. We now have wasps so we don’t have yellow jackets any more. Several years ago my sun lent the snow cone makers his electric fly swatter at a music festable. they killed a lot of bees and yellow jackets with that thing. ---
**Author:** ![JustOneOfThosePeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustOneOfThosePeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustOneOfThosePeople)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/5 "2014-06-02T02:55:43Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > let the insect land or crawl on the device. legs or antenna contacting the electric wires will zap it. Right, I understand how to use it, but I don’t want to waste money on one if it’s charge isn’t capable of killing the Wasp. Flies and Mosquito’s are very “thin” compared to the exoskeleton of an average Wasp. I was wondering if these sort of devices really have the power for this use. ---
**Author:** ![JustOneOfThosePeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustOneOfThosePeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustOneOfThosePeople)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/6 "2014-06-02T02:57:58Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Wasps are not normally a problem. In fact I love them. We now have wasps so we don’t have yellow jackets any more. > > Several years ago my sun lent the snow cone makers his electric fly swatter at a music festable. they killed a lot of bees and yellow jackets with that thing. Yellowjacket’s are a kind of Wasp ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/7 "2014-06-02T03:43:25Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > let the insect land or crawl on the device. legs or antenna contacting the electric wires will zap it. > [@JustOneOfThosePeople](#): > > Right, I understand how to use it, but I don’t want to waste money on one if it’s charge isn’t capable of killing the Wasp. Flies and Mosquito’s are very “thin” compared to the exoskeleton of an average Wasp. I was wondering if these sort of devices really have the power for this use. i have used the device, used for fruit flies, on wasps in the indoors. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/8 "2014-06-02T04:21:56Z")
Can of WD-40 and a grill lighter; be careful not to burn down your house. ---
**Author:** ![JustOneOfThosePeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustOneOfThosePeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustOneOfThosePeople)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/9 "2014-06-02T04:48:01Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Can of WD-40 and a grill lighter; be careful not to burn down your house. I don’t live in the south, lol. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/10 "2014-06-02T05:55:49Z")
> [@JustOneOfThosePeople](#): > > Yellowjacket’s are a kind of Wasp to me they are really different. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/11 "2014-06-02T06:38:49Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > to me they are really different. You’re [wrong](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_jacket). I wonder what type of critter the “wasps” are that have gotten rid of your yellow jackets, though. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/12 "2014-06-02T06:53:28Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > to me they are really different. Facts aren’t subjective. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/13 "2014-06-02T07:09:11Z")
The tennis racket-like bug zapper I have runs on two AAA batteries and I’ve been able to insta-kill bees and wasps with it before (when they come inside our house and charge menacingly at me). It stings like crazy when you accidentally zap yourself, so I’m not surprised. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/14 "2014-06-02T13:27:45Z")
> [@JustOneOfThosePeople](#): > > Yellowjacket’s are a kind of Wasp Yellowjacket’s what are a kind of Wasp? ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/15 "2014-06-02T14:07:52Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Facts aren’t subjective. That is why I say they are really different. Their physical shape are completely different. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/16 "2014-06-02T14:18:10Z")
> [@JustOneOfThosePeople](#): > > Yellowjacket’s are a kind of Wasp > [@ducati](#): > > Yellowjacket’s what are a kind of Wasp? Vespula germanica, Vespula vulgaris, Vespula maculifrons, Vespula pensylvanica are some. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/17 "2014-06-02T20:53:04Z")
Use your vacuum cleaner with the extension wand and the crevice tool. Sucks them righ up. Leave it in the garage for a day or two. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/18 "2014-06-02T21:04:03Z")
> [@PurpleClogs](#): > > Use your vacuum cleaner with the extension wand and the crevice tool. Sucks them righ up. Leave it in the garage for a day or two. many tough bugs, including wasps, can survive the ride. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/19 "2014-06-02T21:30:04Z")
I use an [Executioner Pro](http://www.amazon.com/Executioner-Swat-Mosquito-Swatter-Zapper/dp/B000MU2MJA/ref=pd_sim_lg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1583QCYPKXAHA1X5AXG2)that I bought from Amazon and it will kill wasps and yellow jackets, or at least burn their wings off so you can squish them. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801/20 "2014-06-02T23:34:25Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > That is why I say they are really different. Their physical shape are completely different. I’m very confused. Yellowjackets aren’t just a type of wasp. They’re THE type of wasp. The most recognizable kind, that everyone means when they say “wasp.” Can you post a picture of the type of wasps you’re talking about? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-fly-swatter-that-works-on-wasps/689801.md?page=2)