To me there are few critters that are commonly encountered that I dislike more than wasps.
They seem to really enjoy nesting in any crack or crevice at my camp trailer.
I have tried a few insecticides but none seem to have much staying power (more than a week or so).
Anyone have a favorite chemical that works.

I was having a problem with wasps getting inside the deer spin feeder mechanisms, and someone suggested Moth Balls, and I have been doing that the last two years and have had no problems.

The naptha in moth balls repels insects as well as mice + rats.

I have heard that cattle ear tags would work but you have to buy a whole bag of them.

The naptha sounds like it may be a good solution. I don't know anything about cattle ear tags, thought they were just plastic.

Some ear tags are made with insecticide for fly control.

Moth Balls are cheap and take up basically no room in a feeder mechanism and it is a lot more fun filling feeders and setting timers when you aren't being swarmed by wasps.

I have honestly had to back off and wait for over 5 minutes for all the wasps to get out of the mechanism housing. Have had no problems since I started using the moth balls.

I'll definitely second the mothballs. Especially for mice.

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Those ear tags really work. You can get them at the feed store. When I was still in the A.C. business a large amount of our service calls were related to fire ants getting into the contacts + frying the run/start cap. We installed a goat/cow tag + that fixed the problem;works in your main panel as well. While kinda on the subject on preventive maintenance on your A.C. system;you know to change your filter every month but at the same time you should pour a cup of bleach down your primary drain. 90% of our calls were do to a frozen coil that could have been prevented by just doing those 2 things.Lecture over.

Get a horse sprayer bottle and fill it with gasoline. Kills 'em dead.

I've even used dish washing detergent,that works as well,just not as satisfying as hosing them w/gas.

Just don't ever do what I did in my youth with a paper hornets' nest about half the size of a football. Thought it would be a good idea to shoot it with a 12 gauge. It wasn't.

Experience comes with age because age comes from experience.

Detergent works as it interferes with the breathing mechanisms. It has been used commercially for insect control.

I too am a wasp hater... I'd much rather kill them than repel them so I make traps... you can make them from water or soda bottles basically for free and they work.. when they are full of dead wasps, just change them out.. or you can get store-bought ones at Tractor Supply or other farm stores..

I've fought wasps for years here. Just
can't seem to get rid of them for long.
Most summers I buy a case of Kill 'em Dead
spray can's.

Used to be getting stung was just a pain for a
few minutes. About 3-4 years ago I started having serious reactions to their stings.

Hand swells up 4" thick, whole arm bigger than
my thigh. Nearly can't breathe. A couple times
I've been hit 5-6 times at once, so quick it's
done before I even know they're around.
Those multi times are when the reactions get
bad.

Now I shut things down and head to the ER. by
the time I get there after a call I'm on the way, they have a vial ready and shoot me as I
come in almost. Wait an hour and come home.

I see them flying and watch where they go. then go out after dark and soak the nest, then smash it til nothing is left.

In a few days, there's more someplace. This has been going on 30+ years now. I don't know the trick. too many places I can't get to now.
I've found when I don't make any quick moves they just fly off and don't bother me.

those trap bottles don't seem to draw many around my place. I've had over a dozen at times and only a couple ever had wasps in it.

Last summer in the kitchen I had a black hornet bigger than I dreamed they ever got. Body at least 3/8"dia and 2 1/2" long. I sprayed it and fell into the sink, just turned the water and disposer on. wish I'd taken a picture of it but, I sure didn't want to get stung by that brute. I did once by a huge bumble bee that flew in the window and hit me on the collar bone. YIKES!

George

Around here, coming of fall weather generally solves the problem.

Grizz

I had a nest building into the brickwork of my house. Nothing could clean them out completely.

One day, at a garden centre, I saw a fake wasp nest. Apparently, wasps won’t build near another nest. I hung it about 10’ away from the existing nest and they all disappeared. Been good for 4 years now (with replacement fake nest).