Do wasps and hornets prevent you from enjoying meals outdoors with the family? If so, then it is about time that you learn how to keep them away. Though it is highly recommended that you remove the hornet or wasp nest, there are times when new ones will return and start another infestation.
Aside from getting rid of the nest, there are still other things you can do to minimize your interaction with these stinging insects. You can use traps and natural repellents that will keep these insects away from you. It requires dedication and patience as you will notice results slowly.
Ways to Keep Wasps and Hornets from Coming
The following are some of the things you can do to keep wasps and hornets from coming back:
1. Cover trashcans and throw unwanted food right away
The first thing that you should do is to get rid of the things that hornets and wasps are attracted to. Throw away leftovers and even pet food. Seal your trashcans tightly to prevent the smell from escaping.
If possible, get rid of bird food near your home. Sweet smelling lotions and perfumes also attract them. So, minimize the use of these items as well. Your aim is to get rid of their possible food sources around the area.
2. Repair and maintain home structures and fixture
Make it a habit to walk around your house and look for any spot needing repair. Common areas where these insects build nests are gaps in soffits, broken siding and panels and other small spaces.
See to it that the doors, windows, and screens are perfectly installed and are working to prevent these insects from getting in. A yard check is also advisable to find potential burrowing areas for wasps. If you find holes and are not occupied, fill them with debris or dirt.
3. Install wasp decoys
Wasps are territorial, especially paper wasps. They avoid building their nest near other nests. You can install wasp decoys in common areas where they create nests for them to see it easily. Make sure you install a couple of these decoys around the house to make it more effective.
4. Use wasp traps
You can buy ready-made traps or try some DIYs. Try using a duct or masking tape, a 2-litre bottle and any sweet liquid.
Cut about ¼ of the top part of the bottle and flip it over. Set the top part within the bottom part to create a pathway with a small opening down the bottom. Pour about an inch of the liquid and place it near an area where these insects are active.
5. Make a spray with soap and water
You can do a simple homemade spray with water and soap. Get a spray bottle and add a tablespoon or two of dish soap and fill it with water.
Use this mixture for spraying small hanging nests around your home. The soap will clog the breathing pores of the insects. It can kill the insects almost instantly.
6. Use peppermint oil
One way to repel wasps and hornets is to create another all-natural spray with peppermint oil, water, and soap. Use it to spray your target nests.
You can also use mint-based commercial sprays or hornet and wasp killer. This is advisable if you don’t have any mint oil in your home.
7. Blend of lemongrass, geranium and clove oils
Essential oils such as lemongrass, geranium, and clove are effective in deterring wasps and hornets. Same with creating the mixture above, just add a few drops of these oils to the bottle with water and soap.
Spray it to areas where these insects will likely build their nests. Another easy way to know where to spray is by targeting the areas where old nests were found.
8. Lemon slice with pieces of cloves
If you don’t have oils at home, you can grab some lemon slices and cloves. Wasps will stay away from your home when they start smelling lemon slices that are packed with cloves.
You can also use this when planning to have a picnic or eating outdoors.
9. Limit water resources
In case you’ve initially repelled wasps and hornets in other places of your home and found them gathering near your decks, you should limit or remove water sources in such areas. This is one way to prevent them from coming back or even staying in the spot.
10. Make sure you use the right pest control products
Not all pest control products will work. You don’t want to deal with aggressive wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets after spraying insecticides. So, look for products meant for killing these insects.
You can choose from liquid concentrates or dust. Liquids can be used for hanging nests while dust is for burrowed nests.
If you’re also dealing with bees, you can also do the same tips above as they are attracted to almost the same sources.
