Mainly hunt in Central Texas. We have a healthy bee and wasp population and always have. These jokers always manage to get into my stands. Normally I seal everything with silicone after season, but they can still manage to take up residence by finding the smallest of holes.

I have had to remove entire hives by means of extermination from my stand. Last year my father and I manged to get into some "Africanized Bees" (sent off to Texas A and M and had tested), while pushing brush. They tore us up, and is now a considerable concern. I have always prided myself as being a tough guy and generally just lived with these critters while I hunted.

This year I want to start taking my 3 year old along with me. I would like to make it more kid friendly in these terms. Anyone have a suggestion for bee and wasp prevention in deer blinds?

Because you can not seal everything as tight and a 1/4 gap anywhere Bees, Wasps, and Hornets can get in.

I suggest at least a month before you season - visit your blind and insert a Raid Fumigator or Raid Concentrated Total Release Fogger. 1 can is all you need.

HOWEVER

Read directions on can before use.

Or talk to your local county extention entomologist as there is a wettable powders that can be put in a B&G garden sprayer and you can treat the outside surface area which any insect upon contact with the surface - it will kill them. It is a sirface residual treatment.

Now it is not a good idea to do this a week or days before season. it does have an odor but it will not spook game IMO.

My past profession was insecticidal consumer products.

JW

Or you can use a spray burst - about a second or two of any House Hold House and Garden aresol spray through a window or door and then shut the door or window.

Give it a day - air it out - all should be good.

JW

I moved this to the Deer Hunting section because it's the more appropriate place and I also took care of that double post for ya.

Personally one thing I would not want to do is treat the inside on a confined space with poison chemicals and then sit in there even if it has "aired out" - especially with a kid.

Don't know if you even saw the guy on TV pushing 1,001 natural remedies for bugs but one thing he swears drives flying insects away is basil. Said to hang it in cheesecloth. Might want to research this a little more but I don't think basil is very harmful to humans.
Sliced cucumbers
One of the more unusual wasp repellents is cucumber. This vegetable has an acid property that wasps don't like. Cut up a few slices and leave around your picnic or BBQ area. They stay away and you can enjoy your outdoor activities without fear of getting stung.

Hang a crumpled brown paper bag
A third natural wasp repellent to use is by preying on the fact that wasps are territorial so they will not make a nest where one already exists. To give the illusion of a wasp nest, crumple up a small brown grocery bag, attach a string, and hang near your doors. They cannot tell if it's truly a nest, but they seem to trust what they see. Their instincts will kick in and they will go away.


A couple other things I found:

Sliced cucumbers. One of the more unusual wasp repellents is cucumber. This vegetable has an acid property that wasps don't like. Cut up a few slices and leave around your picnic or BBQ area. They stay away and you can enjoy your outdoor activities without fear of getting stung.

Hang a crumpled brown paper bag. A third natural wasp repellent to use is by preying on the fact that wasps are territorial so they will not make a nest where one already exists. To give the illusion of a wasp nest, crumple up a small brown grocery bag, attach a string, and hang near your doors. They cannot tell if it's truly a nest, but they seem to trust what they see. Their instincts will kick in and they will go away.

(Maybe a combination of a few of these?)

Another thing that might warrant some consideration are natural predators. How about putting a few praying mantis' in there?

smoke them out. they won't come back. I heard this works somewhere so don't feel like this is 100% affective. lol
BigBuck95

place bee traps around your blind.....they work.......I used one last year with sugar water and a small chunk of raw pork and the trap was full to the top with dead bees in 2 days.....I can only guess there were several hundred of them in the trap.

use a thermacell

I've not had much luck with "homeowner" type remedies such as ones listed above. I've also never seen a Thermacell do squat on Hymenoptera. There are several sprays that will easily kill the intruders and not be a human health hazard. Most labeled products will be of low toxicity with LD50 ratings comparable to two aspirin tablets. Consult the local Extension Center or check the state land grant University for printed recommendations. You could also try dusting the area with DE (Diatomaceous earth) like is often used in pool filters. It's a dessicant and works on many insects.

You can try putting in some moth balls inside the building.
Once the building is opened up and properly ventilated it should not be too bad for hunting in it.