How to get rid of wasps without dying in the attempt

The wasps they are little loved, but their role is important. They take care of pollinate and of regulate pests of crops and insects that also affect humans so ending them is not a good idea at all. They are vital, like bees, but we fear them more because of the bad reputation of their poison. However, remember that the main reason wasps sting humans is because theythey feel threatened.

The insects that we most commonly identify as “wasps” are social wasps. Social wasps (called yellow jackets in some places) they live in colonies made up of hundreds or thousands of more or less sterile workers and their mother, the queen who lays eggs, of a much larger size.

You may not know that the handful of species that live in colonies and build nests is only a small fraction of the total diversity of wasps. Most wasps are solitary, some are tiny (some species are practically microscopic), none bothers us, and almost all go unnoticed.

Now, what do we do with those who are too ‘social’ and go where they have not been invited. How do we get rid of the wasps that try to eat from our plate and ruin the family dinner on the terrace? Let’s see it.

What attracts wasps to your home?

Perhaps you wonder why so many wasps go to your house, why this fixation with your family. In reality, it is not with you, of course, but with what your environment offers to this insect that eats everything. During the cold months, female wasps hibernate and they may have done so by a small crack on the outside of your house. In the warmer months they emerge to look for food. The leftovers, sweet food, being able to access a safe shelter, availability of insects and flowers are some of the most attractive elements for wasps.

Tricks to scare away wasps

As with bees, you can use a mixture of repellants and attractants to ward off the wasps.

1. Plants: there are various plants whose smell is very annoying to wasps. It can be plants such as spearmint, thyme, citronella, eucalyptus and wormwood are considered effective natural repellants.

Additionally, you can also use essential oil blends at home to keep wasps away. For example, you can put essential oil of clove, lemongrass, meta or essential oil of geranium in pads on cotton balls distributed in different areas of your house.

2. Wasps do not like at all vinegar. They interpret that it must be rotten food. You can use it to make a trap for the wasps. Mix apple cider vinegar, dish soap and sweetened water in a bowl. Once the wasp falls into the trap, it will no longer be able to get out of the bowl. Now if you just want to keep the wasps away, mix equal parts white vinegar and water and spray on the flying wasps.

3. Returning to essential oils, You can also create a wasp repellent spray with them. In a cup of water, add five drops of the essential oils mentioned above and begin to spray.

4. No uses products with sweet fragrances such as perfumes, scented moisturizers, etc. That attracts wasps like nectar from flowers.

5. Another scent that wasps reject is acidity produced by cucumber. Cut it and spread it in various areas of your house. For best results indoors, place the cucumber in an aluminum pan or plate. When mixed with aluminum, cucumber produces an undesirable chemical reaction for wasps.

However, keep in mind that although cucumber is a good deterrent against wasps, it can attract other insects such as flies and bees, especially when it begins to rot.

6. Like cockroaches, wasps don’t like laurel. For this reason, the dried and ground leaves serve as a repellent. Grind up the bay leaves and spread them over the areas where the wasps tend to be near your house. In addition to grinding the bay leaves, you can spread them all over your area.

7. Another trick to repel wasps is make them believe that there is already another colony of wasps nearby. As territorial insects, they will attack other colonies of wasps that try to invade their territory. And as such, these insects will approach new properties and areas with caution if they notice that there is another nest that is not theirs. You can buy a false nest and be calm because the normal thing is that the wasps do not build another that is less than 60 meters away. To make one you just have to shred some old newspaper into balls, put them in plastic shopping bags and tie them to close them. Tuck the bags into lunch-size paper bags and hang them in corners and other places where wasps can nest in your yard.

8. Water and sugar trap. These traps work by luring the wasps to fly into a container that offers a tempting treat like sugar water, but they are unable to escape once they make their entrance. Cut off the top of a two-liter bottle and invert it at the bottom. Once the wasps get into the bottle they can’t figure out how to get out, so they get trapped and die.

If none of this just worked, you should consider another series of measures and precautions.

1. Keep the yard clean: Prune shrubs, weeds, and other tall plants. Remember that wasps settle in places where they feel safe. Exposing their possible hidden nesting site is an excellent prevention.

2. Covers all debris well. Garbage cans, for example, must have lids.

3. One of the most preventive measures is patch the holes and seal the crackss. Wasps love to build their nests in hidden places, so those holes could serve as their way into your home.

4. It may seem silly, but bees and wasps feel very attracted by the bright colors. Decorating the porch in bright colors is not advisable, especially if there are wasp sightings near your home. Avoid yellow and white flowers and go for red ones, a color that wasps don’t see because they are color blind when they try to perceive the color red.

And one last tip: never hit a wasp. Never. The last thing you want is for a swarm of wasps to head towards you. Even if you hide inside a house, the wasps won’t go away unless they sting you. So don’t hit a wasp because even dead wasps emit pheromones that alert the other wasps in the vicinity. They will go into revenge mode, which will only make things worse for you.