Warm summer evenings on the terrace, a picnic in the garden or a leisurely coffee on the balcony – these are some of the most pleasant summer moments. However, they are often damaged by uninvited guests – wasps. As soon as lemonade, fruit or dessert appear on the table, they seem to appear out of nowhere.
Although many look for the first solution in sprays or chemicals, experts say that it is often more effective to start with a much simpler step – eliminating what attracts wasps.
As pest control specialists and gardening experts explain on “The Old Farmer’s Almanac”wasps are primarily looking for food and sweet drinks, so one of the most effective ways to reduce their interest in your table is to not leave food and drinks exposed for longer than necessary.
Why do wasps become so intrusive?
Interestingly, wasps become particularly active in the second half of summer. In spring and early summer, they mainly take care of feeding the larvae, but later the situation changes.
When the number of larvae in colonies decreases, adult wasps begin to search more intensively for food containing sugar. That is why in August and September they are much more interested in ice cream, lemonade, fruit, jam and other sweet treats.
What scents and herbs can help repel wasps?
Although there is no product that repels wasps 100 percent, experts say that some scents are not to their liking. You can grow mint, lemon mint, basil or lavender on the terrace or balcony. You can also use clove, peppermint or citronella essential oils by putting a few drops on a piece of cloth or placing scented candles.
Uses a fake socket
Wasps are territorial insects and usually do not build nests in close proximity to another colony. Special fake nests are available in gardening stores that can be hung on a patio or pergola to help reduce the interest of new wasps in the area.
Choose the right dishes and drinks
Experts recommend using glasses with lids or straws at summer events, as wasps are especially prone to flying into sweet drinks. Likewise, it is advisable to immediately remove empty plates and sweets packages after a meal.
A fan is placed on the terrace
This is one of the lesser known tricks. Wasps are relatively light insects and do not like strong air currents. A small fan at an outdoor table will not only help in hot weather, but can also significantly reduce the activity of flying insects.
What to do if the wasp does land on the food?
Many instinctively try to scare away the insect with rapid movements, but experts recommend doing the opposite. Keep calm, back away slowly or allow the wasp to explore the food for a few seconds. Most often, it will fly away by itself if it does not feel threatened.
A mistake many make
Experts warn that one of the most common mistakes is killing a wasp at the table. A crushed insect can release alarm pheromones that attract other wasps to the nearby area, so a calm response is often more effective than trying to kill the insect.
A little challenge for your next picnic
Next time you eat out, try an experiment. Cover all sugary foods and drinks as soon as they are not used and compare how many wasps appear compared to previous times.
Many experts believe that this simple change of behavior is the most effective way to reduce wasps’ interest in human company.
Completely avoid wasps impossible in nature, but a few small changes can make summer evenings much more peaceful. And the good news is that it often doesn’t require any chemistry, just a slightly smarter approach.
