(Daily360.com) – Once again experts are warning people not to take part in a recent TikTok trend. It seems almost weekly that we’re hearing about and seeing videos going viral on TikTok only to have experts come out and warn people not to partake. This tim it’s all about wasps.
Thankfully, this trend is not resulting in the deaths of the people attempting it, but it is killing entire hives of wasps. The TikTok trend involves people who have an open-ended liquid container—typically a drinking glass or something similar—filled about one third or more with gasoline. They slowly approach the hive, raise the glass, cover it, and in a matter of moments the fumes from the gasoline stun the buzzing wasps which then fall into the fluid and die after which the homeowner removes the now empty nest. The initial video showing a man do this has received nearly five million views on the social media app.
Although the videos make the process look simple and relatively easy experts are saying it’s a bad idea. They note gasoline is a dangerous and hazardous fluid. It can melt right through certain materials such as No. 6 plastic, polystyrene which is the component used to make Styrofoam as well as the red Solo cups so many people have on hand for summer barbecues and parties. Once it burns its way through the cup the homeowner will have a now toxic spill on their property and possibly their person.
Another key aspect is once the hive is removed, disposing of the container and the gas will prove difficult. Gasoline cannot be poured down a storm drainage system, nor should it ever be placed in the garbage or near the soil. Professionals recommend approved wasp sprays which they maintain present far fewer deleterious issues. They also note that should people rather use a ‘more natural’ approach Dawn or similar dish soap combined with water may serve that purpose. Many others say if the hive is not affecting them, people should probably leave it alone as wasps prey on other pests.
Copyright 2023, Daily360.com
