Simple steps to stop these late summer pests
Increasingly hot summers and sparse rainfall are creating the perfect storm for wasps to breed – here’s how to keep them out of your home.
The team at WeThrift have put together steps and precautions that you can take to rid your home of wasps in summer and early autumn.
Cover food and clean up spillages
Wasps feed on food and drink left lying around, making picnics and barbeques the perfect opportunity for them. When dining outdoors, keep your food wrapped or covered wherever possible. Wasps love sweet and sugary drinks, so clean up any drink spillages promptly.
How to keep wasps out of your home – Tightly seal your bins
The same applies to food waste. Keeping your indoor bins tightly sealed with a lid helps to prevent wasps from searching for food. This also applies to outdoor rubbish bins. If they’re too full to close, they’re likely to attract unwanted visitors. Make a trip to your local tip, or weigh the lid down with a brick.
Seal cracks in the house’s exterior
If wasps are indoors when doors and windows are closed, they’re probably entering through small gaps, or where windows and doors are not sealed properly. Check for any gaps or cracks and get them sealed up.
How to keep wasps out of your home – How to spot a wasps’ nest
Although wasp nesting time is typically in spring, a late summer surge can lead to nesting wasps around the house and garden. Look for an influx around one area or continuous loud buzzing.
Nests have a paper-like texture, grey or brown, and resemble the shape of an inflated balloon. Wasps like wall cavities, eaves, garages, attics, or sheds.
Remedies for repelling wasps
Eco-friendly alternatives to shop-bought insect repellent sprays can be used and are cheaper. They avoid killing wasps and upsetting nature’s natural balance (wasps are pollinators too). They will also save you, your family, or pets from accidentally ingesting harmful fumes from insect-killing sprays.
Peppermint oil repels wasps, due to them disliking the strong scent. Mix peppermint oil with everyday dish soap in a water solution. Spray around the house to keep the wasps away and will leave your home smelling minty fresh.
Clove, geranium and lemongrass: Research by the Journal of Pest Management Science found that a combination of these three essential oils repels wasps. Mix the three oils together and dab over cracks and crevices around the home using cotton wool. For larger surfaces, mix them in a spray bottle with a little water to spray affected areas.
WD40: This household lubricant/anti-rust product is renowned for keeping wasps away due to its potent smell. Spray overhanging areas, such as the roof and guttering, sheds and garages to prevent nesting.
For dealing with a moth infestation, click here. Read about treating bee and wasp stings here.
