Wasp Insect Control: Wasp Traps and Repellent

Wasps are actually insects that are beneficial. They mostly prey on other insects. As a matter fact, they avoid contact with humans as much as possible. They only become a nuisance if they nest close to homes or near areas where there is high traffic.

One of the best ways of preventing disagreeable encounters with wasps is by avoiding them. If you are aware of where they are, it is advisable to stay away from their nests, because wasps can get quite defensive if their nest is disturbed.

While pesticides are quite effective in order to control wasps, especially yellowjackets, however, they cause harm to the environment. Plus, if the user is careless while using pesticides, it can be risky to the person. Hence, before resorting to pesticides, here are safer ways to control wasps.

Using Preventive Measures for Wasp Control

Sealing the Wasp’s Points of Entry: A single wasp buzzing about in the house can be a real nuisance. If they do appear daily inside the home it could be indicative of a nest built inside, hence prompt attention may be advisable. The best way to deal with this is to search for and seal off their entry point. Carry out a thorough inspection of your house for open dampers, cracks around door and window frames, torn screens, and unsealed vents. A good way to find their entry point is to observe the wasp’s flight path, particularly early in the morning.

Removing Sources of Food that Attract Wasps: Protein food attracts wasps in the spring as well as early summer. Hence, food that is left outdoors, like picnic scraps, pet food, garbage containers left open, or compost piles left uncovered should be either covered or removed. Wasps tend to imprint sources of food, therefore, even after food has been removed, they will continue to search in the area.

In the latter part of summer and early part of fall, wasps prefer sweet foods, and they also become more aggressive. Hence, sweet food sources such as open cans of fruit juice, soda pop, fallen fruit under trees, and so on draw wasps. Cover containers of open food and drinks, don’t walk barefoot under fruit trees, and remove rotting fallen fruit.

Desist from Swatting Wasps: It is counterproductive to squash or swat wasps. When a wasp is injured, it releases a chemical, known as a pheromone, which attracts as well as incites other wasps that may be nearby. Hence, if you should encounter a buzzing wasp, the best thing to do is simply walk away.

Don’t Wear Floral Patterns and Bright Colors: Floral patterns and bright colors attract wasps in the hunt for nectar. Also, avoid using perfumes, since sweet smells attract wasps, especially in the latter part of summer.

Use a Wasp Repellent: Wasp repellents or deodorants work by having ingredients that prevent wasps by repelling them. Most of them are effective for 5-8 hours, and are resistant to sweat. Choose one that uses natural ingredients, which make them safe to be used for all ages.

Wasp Proof the Bird House: If you find wasps using your bird house to build their nests in, which is a fairly common problem, it can be prevented by using an aluminum foil to line the area under the roof. A staple gun can be used to attach it. Another method is to rub bar soap under the roof. A single application will last a whole wasp season.

Using Wasp Traps: The best time set out wasp traps is in the early spring, when there are only a few wasps in evidence. The reason being that these wasps that are seen in the early part of the season are generally queens, and according to estimations, each queen that is trapped represent many thousand worker wasps that will emerge in the latter part of summer. You can either purchase wasp traps or make one of your own.

Making a Water Wasp Trap - Cut off the top portion of a 2-liter plastic bottle at the shoulder. Fill the bottom half of the cut bottle with water. Throw away the screw top. Use jam to coat the neck of the bottle, and inverting it set it back into the bottle. Use tape to hold the inverted half in place. The wasps, attracted by the jam, will go down the neck of the bottle, and will fall into the water and drown.