In my area, northern Virginia, the ripening of figs coincides with the really active period of yellow jackets and hornets. Last year showed a marked increase in the presence of those large, imported, yellow and brown hornets. Unfortunately spraying isn't a very good answer, and netting must be at least in 1/4 inch squares to stop the big ones. Even then the yellow jackets and bees will still get through. Jon has the name of a company which sells the smaller mesh netting, but they sell it in large rolls, making it rather expensive. The only thing I know which helps is a good flyswatter, but hit hard, and don't miss.
As a side point, we don't normally think of growing figs as being obnoxious to our neighbors, but I know of one fig grower who was asked by his neighbors to get rid of his fig trees because they were attracting so many stinging insects, and their children had been stung several times.

Herman, I'm thanking you in advance - if this idea works, and I believe it will, this might be the most important piece of advice I have gotten from the Fig Forum!!!

Herman, Thank you for the great yet simple and eco-friendly idea for saving not only figs but the wine grapes too. I can't believe these wasps actually EAT the fruit.
Sue

Hi Guys:It works very wekll for me.
I did use clear plastic botles,and i was putting inside more kinds of sweets,like Coca Cola,Booster siroop,Etc.
They all work.
Wasps have Smell and good Vision.
That is why the liquid inside has to have a little amberbrown color.
I think That Booster siroop worked best because it have a sweet flowery smell.
I am sure it will work for you,for grapes and figs.
I have grapes too.
Honey bees do not ,ever get in there,only wasps and Flies.
It is good to put the traps the sooner you see wasps looking for food,before grapes and Figs are ripe.
It will work wonder.
I have allready used it for about 5 yrs now.
Yes it is my own contraption,and is called poor man ingenuity.
Best Regards

Good solution Herman - I'm going to try it.
I never minded yellow jackets too much; they would take advantage of holes birds pecked in fruit. Mean and a nuisance, but they didn't do a lot of damage. But the big striped English wasps will make their own holes and then hollow out the insides of a fruit. I've actually seen apple "shells" still hanging on the tree with nothing inside - completely hollow! I hope those things are attracted to your trap.

O ,Yes I had a lot of problem,myself ,even got stung,and more than once,by The big Striped with blue Wasp,and also by Yellow Jackets.
That is why I got rid of Florea fig.
Because it had a big eye hole,and the wasps loved it.
I gut stung when i grabbed the fig to take it ,it was on the other side of the fig.
One Person I know from my old Village in Europe,Died,when he drunk one.
He was in a country style restaurant outside and People drink beer right out of the Bottle.
Well he left for a minute came back and drink a mouth a beer,and the wasp.
The wasp bite him in the esofagus,and till the Emergency came ,he sufocated,because,being inflamed it pushed on the Traheea,and
it closed completelly.
Personally i had one in my Mouth,coming in with the soda i was drinking,but i trew it out without any inccident.
So it is very common problem,they are very nosy.
Hope this will help
So Yes it is a nuisance wich has to be taken care of.
Hope this will Help

Yes i will try the bottle trap trick, i seen a guy hang one at work a long time ago and it attracted a lot of the yellow jackets which seem to frequent our area and are a real pain. Last year like i said there were at least a hundred or more spread among my five tree's i started swatting them and ran for my life and luckily did not get stung. Would have made America's funniest video program. But what reaaly helped me get rid of them was the hose and a nice stream of water as they would fall to the ground i would take my best shot,it was a pleasure after what they did to my fruit.Don't get me wrong i don't mind a few here and there but when they swarm like this it was just to much for me to take,they really ate the fruit with maybe 5 or more on just 1 fig the next day would be a little more than the neck of it left. The pussywillow tree i have seems to attract them as well which is about 20 feet away.Seems like over the years there are more and more of them. Oh well will try the bottle and see if that helps but will keep the hose handy also. Reading one of the replies about getting stung when i worked in a factory i was eating a burger outside and bit into it not know one was on it and it felt like a needle going into my tongue. Doc made me keep ice on it all day.
Thanks for the replies and will update later in season and hope to learn how to post pictures as well.
Martin

http://www.dartingtonhive.co.uk/wasptrap.html