BRIEF:
Design an indoor or outdoor wasp trap, in order to eliminate the threat that wasps can cause.
Design an indoor or outdoor wasp trap, in order to eliminate the threat that wasps can cause.
Context
Wasps become very common every summer. There exists many kinds of them but only the female has a venomous sting.
Wasps can cause stress and fear. Even worse, each year around 15 people are killed in France after being stung by wasps.
Sweet baits like beer or syrup usually attract wasps as well as bees. Proteinated food like meat or fish attracts wasps exclusively.
PROBLEMS / Opportunities
Season dependent
Wasps are only a temporary problem. They are only active a few weeks during summer. When the season is over, traditionnal wasps traps become useless.
Collateral damages
Lot of traps are inhumane and kill wasps, which are known to still be useful for the ecosystem. Moreover, some kill other insects like bees and even birds.
visual discomfort
Traditionnal wasp traps are either opaque thus not allowing to see inside if wasps were caught, or transparent and one can see dead filthy wasps piling up.
Project goal
how might we introduce a humane solution to deal with the temporary problem that wasps cause during summer ?
When summer's gone
When temperatures decrease and first frost comes, most of the wasps in a colony die. Traps then become useless. This ascertainment was what drove a major part of the project. How can we create a product that can serve other purposes during autumn and winter? Brainstorming managed to draw a few ideas for complementary function like an indoor flower pot or a candle holder. However, a trap turning into a bird feeder seemed to be the most compelling solution and perfectly corresponded to the summer/winter duality.
As easy as pie
Using Vesa is really simple. To capture wasps, just place a bait into the designated location and wait. Two solutions to get rid of the captured insects. You could either fill the product with water to drown the insects or if you accidentally captured bees or are cautious about the ecosystem, unscrew the lid and release them elsewhere. When the threat is gone, turn Vesa upside down, fill it with seeds, hang it outside and let birds enjoy.
