When summer is around the corner, we start making outdoor plans. However, these plans can be dampened by the presence of wasps and ground hornets which become active at the first sign of spring. You need to implement methods to get rid of wasps.
There are two main types of wasps – yellow jackets and paper wasps. You can differentiate them by color. As the name suggests, yellow jackets have a yellow pattern on their body and paper wasps are brownish-black in color.
Why Wasps are Attracted to Your House
There are a few reasons why wasps can be attracted to your house and build a wasp colony. The following are the three main reasons:
- To Be Safe from Predators: If the wasps find a safe place around your home like the top of the chimney or a bush, they will build wasp nests. This helps them stay safe from predators.
- For Food: Wasps and hornets feed on human food. So, if you have food lying around in open trash cans, there will be wasps around. Wasps are also be attracted to insect hotspots and flowers.
- Presence of Building Materials: Wasps are attracted to rotting tree bark, landscaping plants, or even old wooden fence to build a wasp nest in the ground.
In short, if wasps find food or a safe place around your house, they will build a wasp hive there.
6 Tips to Prevent Wasps from Encroaching Your Property
- Wasp-Proof your Home
Close off all the areas that wasps can get into. These include old fences or decks, and damage sidings. Wasps can build a nest in unkempt bushes so trim them regularly. Make sure to consider pest control service every few months.
- Cover Trashcans
Wasps are attracted to food, so remove anything that might catch their eye. These include food leftovers in trash cans, pet food, or any kind of rotting food. In fact, bird food and nectar also attract wasps, so remove them as well. Wasps like sweet things which include lotions and perfumes, so dispose of them carefully. Maintenance of trash is also a good wasp prevention technique.
- Take Preemptive Measures
Every fall, the queen wasp goes into hibernation whereas all the worker wasps die due to the cold. When she awakens in the summer, she builds a new nest from scratch. Some of the common locations for wasp nests include hollow tree trunks, overhangs, or railings. Watch out for these areas around the house and take steps before the queen wasp builds a new wasp nest in the tree.
You have the time in the early summer to get rid of wasp nests. Be proactive about taking preventive measures as soon as summer starts. You can also use natural wasp repellents such as dish soap or peppermint oil.
- Maintain your Yard
The first step is to prevent a wasp colony from being formed on your property. The next step is to ensure that the wasps from the neighboring yards don’t come into yours. You can achieve this by maintaining your yard and making it inhospitable for wasps.
Prune the shrubs and trees, rake off the dry leaves, trim the grass, and remove standing water. Avoid keeping sugary drinks and foods outside in the yard.
When you keep the trash out, make sure that its lid is tightly secured. Keep the trash can clean by hosing it off regularly.
- RepairHome Structure
You can have wasps in the attic or wasps in the house. To ensure that wasps don’t encroach your house, check the home fixtures and house structure. Repair if you see anything broken.
Wasps find broken panels and crevices to build their nests. So, make sure that all the doors, screens, and windows are not damaged or broken.
- UseWasp Traps
Wasp traps are a great wasp removal tool. You can either make a DIY-trap or buy one from the market. You can make one by cutting one-fourth of a two-liter bottle from the top and flipping it over. Pour an inch of sweet liquid into it as wasps are attracted to sweet. Set this trap in a place where you know there will be a lot of wasp activity.
In Conclusion
Do not try to get rid of wasps on your own. You need to bring in professional help who has the experience of handling a wasp hive. They will be familiar with the type of wasps that are predominantly present in your area and eliminate them in the right way.
Author Bio:
When people find their homes and offices infested with pests, it is not uncommon for them to panic. Raymond Web has taken the task to educate people on pest prevention and control strategies helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe, and pest-free. Being the digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, a top-rated pest control service in Tracy, CA, he has an in-depth understanding of people and their pain points due to pests, which he uses in his content to educate.