While wasps have a role in nature, their aggressive behavior and painful stings can put a damper on any outside party. Let’s learn how to keep wasps away so you can enjoy your time outside again!
What Attracts Wasps to Your Yard?
In order to learn how to deter wasps from calling your space home, you have to learn what attracts them to your yard in the first place. Removing these common attractants will help to cut down on the wasp population trying to invade your space.
Known for their unfriendly stingers, wasps are most attracted to sugary substances like fallen fruit, nectar, or spilled beverages. That’s why you’ll often find them around gardens and outdoor dining areas.They also get their protein from leftover food scraps or pet food. Once they’ve eaten, wasps will search for a place to build a nest. This is why you often see wasp nests in places like sheltered eaves on roofs, bushes, backyard decks, and play structures, providing a space for them to rest and procreate.
Eco-friendly Ways to Deter Wasps
If you want to avoid finding wasps during your home pest inspections, you can easily learn about how to deter wasps in an eco-friendly way using certain essential oils. While humans may love the smell of peppermint and clove, wasps don’t!
Keeping up with your regular outdoor maintenance will also help deter wasps from settling in your space. Be sure to regularly clean outdoor spaces, particularly outdoor dining spaces. Make sure you dispose of old food and waste properly.
Properly sealing your trash cans and garbage bags will also help keep them away from those storage spaces. Rinsing out your outdoor trash cans with warm water and soap a few times a month will also help to reduce the likelihood of dirt and debris accumulating in the bottom of the cans and attracting wasps. Don’t forget to seal up pet food, too!
How to Prevent Wasps from Building Nests
The best way to control the wasp population in your yard is to prevent them from building nests there in the first place. After taking steps to deter them from your space, make it a point to regularly inspect your yard for signs of nests. Surefire signs of wasp nests include:
- Increased wasp activity, including aggressive behavior
- Buzzing sounds coming from walls or ceilings
- Visible signs of a paper-like material in spots like eves, playground equipment, and other areas
- Damage to wooden structures or nearby plant stems
The sooner you spot a wasp nest, the better. While there are many dangers of DIY wasp nest removal, if you do decide to remove it yourself, follow these steps:
- Pick a time when wasps are less active, such as in the evening or late at night
- Wear protective clothing to help shield yourself from stings
- Use a spray specifically formulated for wasps
- Remove the nest completely after you are sure the wasps have died
If you don’t want to take on this dangerous task, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of professional stinging insect control services or wasp exterminator services.
Maintaining a Wasp-Free Yard
Wasps can be mean, and their stings are painful, but that doesn’t mean you have to share your space with them. The following tips can help you keep wasps at bay:
- Avoid using strong perfumes or floral patterns, as both of those scents can attract wasps.
- Stay up-to-date on yard maintenance, including regularly checking your outdoor furniture, and keep it clean to help prevent wasps.
- Remove nests quickly as soon as you notice one forming, or contact a professional.
- Seal cracks in walls, eaves, and other crevices to get rid of any potential nesting sites.
Enjoy Your Outdoor Space Wasp-Free
Don’t let wasps keep you from enjoying all of your favorite outdoor activities! Following the steps above will help you reclaim your yard and get back to having fun.
If you need some help keeping wasps away from your favorite spaces, call your local pest control specialist! Our Mosquito Joe® services are designed to protect your family and pets and help keep your yard bite-free.
Our friendly and knowledgeable service professionals can develop a wasp prevention plan to check all your pest control boxes. We’re so sure that you’ll love working with us that we back all of our services with the Neighborly Done Right Promise® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee. Double the protection to ensure a job well done!
Stay goodbye to unsightly wasps' nests and painful stings. Call your local Mosquito Joe for pest prevention services you can trust. Request a free estimate today!
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
