Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Hey, it must be insect week on the observatory forums!
So anybody have any ideas with how to keep wasps, both mud-daubers and paper wasps, from nesting in your observatory? Both have discovered mine this year, and I've knocked their nests out a couple of times now, and it's getting tiresome. I am particularly annoyed with the mud-dauber who build a nest on the outside of my OTA!
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roscoe
super member
Reged: 02/04/09
Posts: 192
Loc: Northwestern Mass
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Scott,
I saw something interesting about paper wasps, they are territorial. In a seed catalog, I saw offered a chinese paper lantern-looking replica of a wasp nest that keeps real ones away. Worth a try!! Mud daubers are solitary, so much harder to dissuade. I find their nests in all manner of weird places around here..........
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1965healey
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 3133
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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The simple answer would seem to be to find the gaps they're coming in through. Last year I weather stripped every gap I could see while sitting in the obs with the roof closed on a sunny day and haven't had ANY critters winged or otherwise since.
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
Celestron CPC 800/FT MIcro/APT Wedge
SV NHNG 80mm #0261/CG5-GT
Celestron Omni 150 XLT
Losmandy rails/rings
Starizona CWeight system
Celestron Neximage
Sony a100 DSLR/ZigView S2
Meade DS60's w/Autostar (2)
Meade LPI/Meade DSI-C/DSI ProII
750cc Honda Shadow Spirit (Thanks Dad!)
1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40155
Loc: montana
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Same here, Karen, I sealed every possible place I could see any light. No critters creeped in. Not to mention, absolutely no moisture. A little more work, but well worth it.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Yeah, I've been thinking about that Karen. Where they come in is between the shutter and the door. There's a 1-2" gap they can fly right under. What I need is to construct some sort of a soffit, attached to the door, but that still allows me to open the door (which opens outward), and that doesn't interfere with the shutter, which will have to pass right over it.
I'm thinking of something maybe involving window screening.
Part of the problem is this is all curved. The other part of the problem is that lots of the obvious places to attach something either move or have hardware in the way. (Or both.)
I'd just go cut something out of wood, but I don't actually own any woodworking tools. (Unless you count a pocket knife / multi-tool & a caulk gun.)
I'll take some pictures tomorrow.
In the meanwhile, maybe Styrofoam or duct tape is the answer...
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1965healey
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 3133
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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Pix would be good.
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
Celestron CPC 800/FT MIcro/APT Wedge
SV NHNG 80mm #0261/CG5-GT
Celestron Omni 150 XLT
Losmandy rails/rings
Starizona CWeight system
Celestron Neximage
Sony a100 DSLR/ZigView S2
Meade DS60's w/Autostar (2)
Meade LPI/Meade DSI-C/DSI ProII
750cc Honda Shadow Spirit (Thanks Dad!)
1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Will do Karen. Sorry, it was dark by the time I had cleaned up enough inside the dome to think about photos. I looked through my collection of photos, and don't seem to have one that shows the problem area. I'll fix that right up tomorrow!
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RichardC
journeyman
Reged: 01/27/09
Posts: 9
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Dear Scott
You could try hanging compact discs around the outside of the observatory. You need to hang them from something like fishing line so they turn in the breeze, one every yard or so. Wasps and other insects cannot stand the sudden flashes of light as they revolve in the sun.
I apologise if this is a well known practice in the US and you have already discarded the idea. But in Greece many people use this technique when doors and balconies are open in the summer - and it seems to work. Of course the observatory might take on a different, more glitzy appearance - but it is only for their nesting season, they can come down in the fall/winter.
Just a thought
Richard
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Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6556
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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LOL.....
I just use a stick and my foot...the stick I use to knock the nest down my foot kicks the nest out the door...
Lady Bugs are what I need to find a solution for...
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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GJJim
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 907
Loc: Western CO
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Quote:
Dear Scott
You could try hanging compact discs around the outside of the observatory. You need to hang them from something like fishing line so they turn in the breeze, one every yard or so. Wasps and other insects cannot stand the sudden flashes of light as they revolve in the sun.
I apologise if this is a well known practice in the US and you have already discarded the idea. But in Greece many people use this technique when doors and balconies are open in the summer - and it seems to work. Of course the observatory might take on a different, more glitzy appearance - but it is only for their nesting season, they can come down in the fall/winter.
Just a thought
Richard
LOL - finally a use for all the billions of CDs that AOL mailed out years ago! 
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RichardC
journeyman
Reged: 01/27/09
Posts: 9
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Do I sense doubt?
Read about the effect of 'shimmering mexican waves' on wasps here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080909204550.htm
Alternatively I could propose Vick's chest rub which has anecdotal evidence as an effective wasp repellant. Just rub it firmly into the observatory eaves. Not so glitzy but it might warm things up.
Cheers
Richard
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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That's very interesting Richard - the article was quite interesting. I might have to give that a try. I am not quite sure where I'd hang the CD's from - the dome doesn't really have a great spot to hang anything from where it could still turn in the breeze.
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1965healey
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 3133
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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Tall bamboo poles, one every six feet or so around the perimeter of the obs strung with fishing line at a height that you won't clothesline yourself on then dangle the CD's from more fishing line. Should make you a real hit with the HOA if you have one!
I vote for some of the adhesive backed foam insulation you use around window AC units on the bottom of the shutter and a bit on the door as well to form a nice seal. Cheap, tidy looking and effective.
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
Celestron CPC 800/FT MIcro/APT Wedge
SV NHNG 80mm #0261/CG5-GT
Celestron Omni 150 XLT
Losmandy rails/rings
Starizona CWeight system
Celestron Neximage
Sony a100 DSLR/ZigView S2
Meade DS60's w/Autostar (2)
Meade LPI/Meade DSI-C/DSI ProII
750cc Honda Shadow Spirit (Thanks Dad!)
1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII
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GJJim
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 907
Loc: Western CO
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Quote:
Do I sense doubt?
No, I believe you. The post struck me as funny because my wife has a box with hundreds of those AOL CDs in it. Whenever I threaten to toss them out, she tells me no, they are going to be used in some future project. This has been going on for ten years!
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Quote:
I vote for some of the adhesive backed foam insulation you use around window AC units on the bottom of the shutter and a bit on the door as well to form a nice seal. Cheap, tidy looking and effective.
That might be tricky. The gap is wide on the left and right (4") and narrow in the middle (1.25").
Some photos:
Outside, with everything closed:
Outside, slot partially open:
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Here's a view from the inside, with the slot closed:
Now the left side: (as you face out, hinge side of the door)
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Now the center:
Finally the right side: (as you face out - by the door latch and hasp)
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Scott K
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 1407
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Some observations:
1. Anything attached to the shutter has to clear the cables, and honestly, can't really cover the entire area anyway, because it will interfere with the movement of the shutter up and down.
2. The door itself swings out, a flange on the right side of the door fits into a groove on the dome support ring. Anything you add can't interfere with this, or you can't open the door.
3. That outer ring where it looks like it would be nice to attach something? It rotates. Do not assume the dome is perfectly round (it's not) and that if something fits when the slot and door are lined up, that it will fit when the slot is facing 180 degrees.
4. Anything you attach to the non-moving parts of the dome have to be able to deal with the rear of the dome when the dome is open. You would think that everything would be uniform and level at all times. But no - when the dome is open, the dome is actually unbalanced signifigantly. The entire weight of the shutter rests at the back of the dome, and when that part rotates towards the door, it has to clear any and all hardware attached to the non-rotating parts of the structure. Notice the two small L-shaped brackets on the door. I had to grind those down - a LOT to keep the rear of the dome from scraping on them when the dome rotated due south.
Edited by Scott K (06/21/09 01:09 AM)
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1965healey
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 3133
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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I see your point about how things are all "different" in alignment depending on where in it's rotation the dome is. A question then....
1. Do you always shut down the dome with the shutter directly over the door? If so then try this.
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
Celestron CPC 800/FT MIcro/APT Wedge
SV NHNG 80mm #0261/CG5-GT
Celestron Omni 150 XLT
Losmandy rails/rings
Starizona CWeight system
Celestron Neximage
Sony a100 DSLR/ZigView S2
Meade DS60's w/Autostar (2)
Meade LPI/Meade DSI-C/DSI ProII
750cc Honda Shadow Spirit (Thanks Dad!)
1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3844
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Scott, what you might try are wall paper hanging brushes. What I envisage is two or three (whatever it takes to span the distance) mounted on a board. The board is not permantely mounted just velcro or similar-put in place when you leave, and removed when you are in the obs.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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