Knowing how to keep wasps away can make your yard and home safer for kids and everyone else in the family. Find a wasp nest in the ground is a sure sign that there are going to be additional wasps in the surrounding area.
What attracts wasps to your home?
Wasps can generally nest anywhere, but some things can generally attract them to a property. The presence of insects to feed on, leftover human food like meats, fruits and vegetables, sweet food in general, flowers in the garden, and warm areas where nests can easily be built. These comprise the ideal habitat for wasps, and these insects will naturally be attracted to your yard if you have at least one of these things that truly attract wasps.
The number one reason why wasps are exploring your home is they are looking for a home, too. Wasps can enter a home through the minute crevices, cracks, and areas between planks. Wasps are bugs, so they can fit into the smallest spaces and take refuge within.
Cavities in homes serve as perfect nests for different insects, not just wasps.
During the fall, you will see many wasps scouting for refuge. This is because the male wasps have already fertilized the queen wasps, and the queen is leading the rest of the brood in search for a new home. Wasps colonies can transfer from nest to nest, depending on general environmental conditions. Winter is deadly to them, so they need to find someplace warm if they want to survive winter.
Of particular interest to wasps is weathered wood. Unbeknownst to many, wasps make use of individual threads of wooden fiber to construct their nests. The wood is mixed with wasp saliva, which turns the fibers into moldable pulp. The pulp hardens and becomes the wasp nest.
The queen also leads the colony in building the nest.
It is during the summertime that many people notice the emergence of a larger quantity of wasps. Winter is the time for hibernation. Worker wasps are busiest during the summertime. If you see worker wasps flying about, it’s because they are hunting for food. This is why gardens are common locations for wasps.
Where there is any product, there will be insects, and wasps are natural insect hunters.
Grubs and different kinds of larvae are their focus when hunting. In reality, wasps perform a crucial task in maintaining the ecosystem. However, we understand that you may not want an entire colony of them hanging out in your yard as they can become a nuisance.
How to Repel Wasps? What smell do wasps hate?
Wasps have been reportedly averse to the smell of wormwood, eucalyptus, and mint. The last two are easy to get because there are thousands of personal care products out there that have eucalyptus and mint.
Try burning a mint or eucalyptus candle or oil stand outside to ward them off. Wormwood isn’t common because it is poisonous, but you can probably put some dried wormwood in a wooden bowl to repel them. Mint is particularly popular in the community because it works fast and can even help repel wasps trapped in a car.
When you do find yourself in a situation where there is a wasp in the car, apply the mint or eucalyptus oil, and open the window of the car to let out the bug. Please don’t panic and don’t try to assault the bug because this will only enrage it even further. Wasps are naturally combative, especially if you are in the vicinity of its nest.
What is the best repellent for wasps?
This depends on the situation. The best repellent for wasps for an entire property is what we call dummy nests. There are two kinds of dummy nests in the market: the hornet’s nest and the wasp nest. Wasps will not build a nest that is too close to a hornet’s nest because they may be attacked. The same logic applies to wasp nests. Luckily, companies produce these dummy nests, and they can be purchased only.
Dummy nests can be hung up anywhere in your property. Scout wasps will see the dummy nests and think twice about scouting any further. Wasps like to keep a certain distance from one another. Larger insects like hornets can easily kill them, so a hornet nest in the same property is a terrifying and worrying site indeed.
How to Kill a Wasp? What is a natural way to get rid of wasps?
Some people have reportedly used thick syrups to lure in wasps and kill them. However, this is only effective for random wasps that are probably just looking for food. The best way is still prevention, which we have outlined above: get a few dummy nests and pepper your yard with them. The presence of a rival nest will immediately repel the highly territorial wasps who want nothing to do with other wasps.
What kills wasps instantly?
If you are interested in instantly killing wasps, you can always use bug spray and other insecticides. Sometimes this is the only recourse, especially when there are too many of them. A high number of wasps in your property might mean the insects have already built a nest in your property, or there is a nest nearby.
Conclusion
Wasps can sting, and they can be a danger to pets and small children. However, with the proper preparation, you can ward them away from your property, so things remain peaceful. When they do come to your property, likely, any of the major attracting factors are there.
Removing warm places in the yard like compost and old logs can also help in deterring them. Rotting wood and logs are the natural habitat for insects and wasps eat insects. They’re good in pest control in the garden, but too many of them can be problematic, for obvious reasons.