[wxqc] Req for suggestions - wasps and rain gauges

[Mark Wyman]

I glued fine screen around all openings in the bottom using RTV. Lets the
water out, but keeps the bugs out. Last year I went to check for a plug,
opened the thing, and there was probably a good 60 wasps all crammed inside
of it with no nest (Davis rain bucket). They must have gotten chased out of
their original location by a predator and took up residence. Needless to say
it is a good reason to not have your rain gauge up too high so when you need
to sprint, you don't have to dive from a ladder first! 

I am hoping my screen will work this year, but I have yet to see. So far so
good. The other problem I had was spiders making little hiding webs that
stuck the tipping bucket into position.

-LS


-----Original Message-----
From: wxqc-bounces at lists.gladstonefamily.net
[mailto:wxqc-bounces at lists.gladstonefamily.net] On Behalf Of Patrick R.
Sklenar
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 7:55 AM
To: Discussion of weather data quality issues
Subject: [wxqc] Req for suggestions - wasps and rain gauges

Got up this morning to discover I've had no rain in the past 24 hours 
... interesting considering the pop-up t-storms of yesterday afternoon 
and the arrival of the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry over night.  
0.00" rain seemed a tad ... unlikely.  especially considering how wet 
everything is and the fact that I could see rain hitting the surfaces. 
:(  grabbed a stool, went out, got up on the stool, removed the funnel 
... wasps!  argh!!  three small nests.  two up in the outter edges of 
the funnel ... no impact to anything.  but the third one ... was built 
on the base and was actually blocking the tipping bucket. <sigh>

the nests are gone.  the tipping bucket is now working.  but has anyone 
found anything that really does repel the wasps?  anything i could put 
in, under or around the bucket that won't prevent proper functioning?

Thanks,
pat----
N1PRS-9
(AR651)
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