The presence of wasps can be extremely burdensome, especially for gardeners and homeowners. Fortunately, there are highly efficient ways to deter wasps and finally shove them away from your home and garden.
With the help of this article, you can finally learn how to repel wasps and hopefully, ensure that they won’t come back.
In This Article
Reasons to Repel Wasps from your Home or Garden
Learning how to repel wasps is crucial in ensuring that your home or garden will be free from these unwanted and pesky insects. Note that these wasps are kind of harmful for you. The reason is that even without actively provoking them, they may still sting you.
Here are the top reasons why deterring pests from your home or garden should be on top of your priorities once you detect their presence.
They pose danger
Just like hornets, honey bees, and yellow jackets, wasps are among those stinging insects and pests that have really harmful stingers. Wasps are also more particularly harmful compared to the other pests as they are capable of stinging you repeatedly.
What’s even worse is that they have this tendency of stinging you even during those instances when you do not do anything, maybe when you are just trying to relax outside your home or in your garden. This means they can get pretty aggressive even without being provoked.
Most of these wasps are territorial, too. In other words, if they built a nest close to your house or garden and they sensed your presence, there is a high chance that they will perceive you as a threat. This may result in them attacking you.
A wasp sting can also cause harm as they contain venom, causing your body to develop allergic reactions in the form of swelling, pain, or itchiness. In rare cases, though, the allergic reaction could be severe.
This happens when you experience a medical emergency like anaphylaxis. You need to seek the help of a doctor in this case, especially once you experience severe swelling in your throat or tongue or breathing difficulties after being exposed to wasp stings.
An active wasp nest can lead to structural damage
Another major wasp problem is if they nest close to your home or directly in it. There is a high chance that they will build a nest beneath your patio, eave, or deck, as well as in your walls’ cracks and crevices.
Other places where they can build their nest are near mailboxes and sources of light as well as in trees and bushes close to your home. Their nesting can cause a problem especially if your home has wooden parts or areas.
Expect the annoying pests to cause structural damage in such a case. It is highly likely for them to chew on the wooden material and use it in building their nest. You have to eliminate wasps from your home right away so they can’t cause any huge structural damage.
Types of Wasps to Watch Out For
You can actually find several other wasp species. However, you only have to watch out for these three primary types of wasps that pose a threat to humans and their properties:
Paper Wasps
This refers to a brown wasp species that feature distinctively long legs. They have the ability to create hanging or elevated nests. Note, though, that they are not as aggressive as other common wasp species.
However, you can’t still prevent the paper wasps from attacking in case you accidentally disturbed their nest. Also, they are recognized for being predators of various species of pests and insects, like bugs and Japanese beetles.
Yellow Jackets
They can be classified as yellow and black bugs that have the same look as bees due to their colors. Yellow jackets tend to build nests near the ground. You can also expect them to sting you and become more aggressive if you bother wasp’s nest.
Hornets
Despite not being particularly aggressive, hornets are still flying stingers that you can commonly find at home. Even with their low-key trait, they still have this annoying and unforgettable sting that could create a huge wasp problem for you and your home.
What Attracts Wasps to Your Home or Garden?
The negative effects of wasp invasion in your home, including the possibility of stinging you and causing damage to your property, are enough reasons to repel them immediately. You should also avoid inviting them by knowing exactly what may attract wasps to your property, including the following:
Trash
Just like other pests and insects, the stinging wasps like the scent of trash. They can easily and quickly access any rotten food waste. To avoid wasps, ensure that you adequately cover your waste bins and compost piles all the time.
Cozy area for sleeping
Bees and wasps will be on the lookout for a spot where they can hibernate during the winter season. Some areas around and inside residential structures are actually very appealing to insects that are on their way to hibernate, like wasps.
Sweets
Sweets also tend to attract various pests and insects, like ants and wasps. Regardless of what kind of sweet it is, whether it is sugar water, rotten fruit, or a fruit juice with a sweet scent, expect all the wasps to come near it right away.
Meat
If you have a lot of traces of meat in and around your home, there is a high chance for wasps to visit all of a sudden. This is especially true if they sense meat during the early summer. The reason is that they just went through hibernation the entire winter, causing them to look for high-protein foods, such as meat, after that season.
Flowers
If you have a garden, particularly one filled with flowers, then it is also greatly possible to see wasps visiting it. It is because they tend to feed on the flowers’ nectar every now and then. In other words, having plenty of flowers in your yard or garden will encourage them to visit it.
By learning exactly what wasps love to eat and are attracted to, you will know exactly what to hide from them. As much as possible, make it difficult for them to access those things, so they won’t thrive in your home and garden.
How to Repel Wasps from Your Yard or Garden?
If the existing wasps are in your yard or garden, then here are a few ways to deal with and completely eliminate them:
Use wasp traps
Wasp traps are among the most effective and common ways of to get rid of wasps from your garden or yard. All you have to do is hang them in the area.
What these wasp traps can do is they will attract insects and pests through the liquid that they feature. When that happens, the wasps will crawl to the traps, causing them to become stuck and eventually drown.
A reminder, though. Despite being effective in repelling or deterring wasps, a wasp trap can be quite unattractive especially if they start accumulating a lot of dead wasps.
This makes it necessary to replace them frequently. Another tip is to hang the wasp trap far from your living areas outdoors.
Use a wasp nest spray
Have you detected a wasp nest close to your property or home? Then buy a wasp nest spray so you can have such a nest sprayed. Do not forget to wear protective clothing when doing this tip to prevent harming yourself.
It would also be best for you to spray it late at night since they are dormant at this time. It also helps to buy a wasp spray that features a nozzle. This specific feature will let you spray the nest even if you are a bit far from it.
If necessary, spray it repeatedly to the nest. Do this for a few days to increase your chances of completely eliminating the wasps from your yard or garden.
Spray wasp nests with a mixture of water and soap
You can also create your own wasp spray that you can use for the wasp. All you have to do is get a spray bottle and fill it up with water. Add a couple of tablespoons of dish soap then mix well.
Once you have created the dish soap and water solution, use it as a spray for the wasp nests. This specific mixture is ideal for use on wasps as it tends to clog the pores that they use for breathing. In other words, this wasp-deterrent solution can kill wasps in an instant.,
Treat certain areas that they may use for nesting in the future
You should not just spray a wasp nest that is already existing. It is also advisable to find some areas that they may use for nesting in the future so you can begin treating them beforehand.
One thing that you have to do is buy residual liquid insecticides. You can find them in hardware or local home stores. Spray these insecticides in parts of your yard or home where there is a high chance for the wasp to create even just small wasp nests.
Some examples are the deck, wooden fence, patio, and pool. Doing this can discourage them from building a nest anytime soon.
Natural Scents that can Deter Wasps
There are also certain scents that you can use to repel wasps. Here are natural remedies with scents that wasps really hate, which means that using these wasp-deterrent solutions will surely drive the insects away.
Peppermint Oil
This oil is a natural wasp repellent considering the fact that the insect hates the scent of peppermint. What you should do is to put some drops of the oil in a spray bottle then add some dish soap.
After that, add water to the bottle then shake the solution well. Spray this peppermint oil solution in all places where you find some wasps. You can also spray this homemade wasp repellent on established and existing nests.
Vinegar
Another effective household item that you can use to fight wasps is vinegar. It has a strong sour scent that can easily distract the wasp. To use vinegar, mix it with water and spray it around your house.
Aside from being an unwanted scent for the wasp, the vinegar and water solution can also conceal the other scents around your home that the insects are fond of. Just ensure that you go for white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar when making this solution.
Cucumber
The good thing about using cucumber when it comes to deterring and repelling wasps is that it does not require you to create sprays or mixtures from it. You just have to grab one and cut it off.
After that, you have to spread the cut pieces of cucumber in some parts of your home, backyard, or garden. You can also put the cucumber pieces in an aluminum dish or pan. The reason is that mixing cucumber with aluminum can create an unwanted chemical reaction for wasps.
It is also one of the best solutions for wasps in the garden. Just be extra careful when using cucumber as it may also invite other insects like bees and flies once it starts rotting.
Wasp-repelling Plants
Some plants also have scents that wasps hate. Among them are edible plants and vegetables that you can grow in your own garden, like basil, mint, and the cucumber we mentioned a while ago.
Bees and wasps are not fond of the bitter taste of cucumbers. They do not also like the scent of mint and basil, so expect these plants to be of help in repelling the pests and insects.
You can also grow ornamental plants capable of repelling pests and insects including wasps. Among the ornamental plants that you can use in getting rid of unwanted insects are marigolds, wormwood, eucalyptus, citronella, pitcher plants, pennyroyal, and geranium flowers.
By planting the edible and ornamental plants we mentioned earlier, you can improve the look of your space and repel wasps at the same time. You can grow these wasp-repellent plants in your outdoor space, like your patio or front porch to prevent the pests and insects from bugging you every time you are outside.
Essential Oils
You can also mix some essential oils to give off a scent that wasps are not fond of. It is actually possible to repel wasps naturally by combining several drops of geranium, lemongrass, and clove oils.
Pour this mixture of essential oil into a spray bottle. After that, add some dish soap and water. Shake well.
Once you have made the solution, spray it on all established nests of wasp. Check out all areas where they will most possibly thrive, like beneath porch roofs, ledges, and eaves.
Spraying the solution in all spots where you found some nests before is also a wise tip. The reason is that several wasps are fond of making new nests in a similar place, so spraying that same area will be an effective defense.
Spearmint
Spearmint can produce a strong minty vapor hated by wasps. This means that having this plant in any part of your home or garden can drive them away. Putting a few pots of spearmint in your home and around your backyard can cover your entire place.
Aside from keeping the pests away, you will always have easy access to spearmint that you can use as a great ingredient for desserts and drinks.
Thyme
You can also grow and cultivate the aromatic thyme in your garden. It gives off a robust and sharp scent that tends to become even stronger when bruised or touched.
Thyme is also capable of releasing more of its essential oils from the inside, so it will definitely be a plant that can cause hazards to wasps. With that, you can expect wasps to avoid thyme.
One more advantage of this aromatic herb is that you can easily grow it. It is resilient, undemanding, and can easily adapt to any environment.
Preventive Measures
It would also be much better if you can just prevent wasps from invading your property or coming near your garden. The following are just some of the simple things you can do to prevent them from building a nest around your space.
Hang fake wasp nests
Note that these insects are kind of territorial. This means that hanging a fake wasp nest around your area will make them believe that there is already an existing nest. This means that they will avoid staying in your place with the aid of the fake nest.
Get rid of unwanted foods
Remember how wasps love sweets and protein. With that said, ensure that all the foods you prepare have proper cover. The goal here is to prevent them from detecting the presence of sweets, like fruit juices, and other protein-based foods.
Wash and clean dishes properly to ensure that you do not leave any food scraps or crumbs behind. Your kitchen, together with its utensils and appliances, should stay clean after each use. You have an assurance that wasps will not come near your house or garden if there is no scent or trace of the foods they love.
Seal trash cans properly
Remember that wasps like trash because it becomes a source of food leftovers. Trash cans filled with discarded food items, therefore, serve as the ideal spots for the pests to build nests.
This makes it necessary to seal all trash and garbage cans around your home properly. You also have to cover composting and recycling ones. Clean garbage bins often and ensure that they are not too close to your home.
Seal every window and door
It also helps to install screens. Make sure to use caulk in filling small crevices and gaps to stop wasps from invading your property.
If you already have screens installed in your doors and windows, check them every now and then to ensure that they are still in excellent condition. The reason is that the pests are capable of fitting their bodies even through tiny holes.
It is also advisable to treat or cover holes that you can find in grass or cement no matter how small or large they are. Fill up the holes right after detecting them. This is to prevent solitary wasps from finding open cavities that they can immediately turn into their homes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What will keep wasps away?
There are a few ways to keep wasps away from your home and garden. You can use a simple solution of water and soap and spray it. It is also possible to drive them away through scents that they hate, like those from aromatic plants and herbs and some essential oils.
What smell do wasps hate?
One of the scents that wasps hate is that of peppermint oil. This is the reason why peppermint is a great solution if you want to get rid of wasps from your home. They do not also like the scent of aromatic herbs and plants, like those from spearmint, thyme, cucumber, citronella, and eucalyptus.
What stops wasps from coming near you?
One thing that you can do is to make your own natural wasp repellent, like the ones mentioned earlier in this article. You can even create a solution from lemongrass, geranium, and clove essential oils. Just put them in a bottle, fill it with water, and shake the mixture to create a spray that can drive the wasps.
Grow wasp-repellent herbs and plants, too, like citronella, mint, and thyme. In case you detected a nest, dousing it with a water and dish soap solution can help. These are highly effective pest control solutions that you can do and make on your own to get rid of new and old nests.
Do dryer sheets really repel wasps?
Yes. Dryer sheets have that strong smell and texture that wasps and bees hate. Just spread several sheets of it around your patio or anywhere there is a wasp. You can also spread the sheets anytime you have a get-together, especially if you are doing it in your outdoor space, so you can keep the area completely pest-free.
Conclusion
Having wasps or other pests and insects swarming and thriving around your home and garden can be extremely frustrating and annoying. They may even put you and your property in danger.
Fortunately, there are ways to repel them and finally keep your entire space pest-free. Note, though, that in case you discovered that the nest is too huge for you to handle, it would still be better to contact a pest control expert.
You will have peace of mind as they are pest control professionals who have proper knowledge, equipment, and experience in removing the nest and driving wasps away safely.
