wasp nest

How To Deal With A Wasp Problem

With summer just over the horizon, we can all start to look forward to those long hot days lazing in the garden, BBQs, idle Sundays, and of course, wasps!

This guide offers plenty of tips on how to prevent wasps from spoiling our summer fun. It also considers the best courses of action if you are unlucky enough to have wasps take up residence on your property.

Wasp Prevention Advice

Before we look at some wasp prevention tips, it is important to remember one thing when dealing with wasps – they can be dangerous. This is especially true if you are allergic to wasp and bee stings.

If you think you may have a wasp nest on your property, then it is always best to seek professional help. Wasps, particularly in late summer, are extremely defensive if they feel their nest is threatened. If you are in any doubt, then call Complete Pest Control. We can safely and quickly remove any wasp threat.

Here are our top tips for enjoying the summer without the blight of wasps.

1. Try to avoid swatting wasps

As counterintuitive as this may sound, it is best to avoid swatting wasps. This is because wasps that feel threatened release a “pheromone distress signal” that communicates to other members of the nest that there is danger afoot!

In extreme cases, swatting a single wasp can trigger a defensive swarm to truly upset your quiet afternoon in the garden.

2. Prevention is best

Wasp nests are easier to treat if they are caught early. From spring onwards, keep an eye on likely locations. Wasp nests will be quite small at this stage, usually around walnut or golf ball sized and will have a grey and papery appearance.

Likely spots include:

  • Lofts
  • Under eaves
  • Garages or sheds
  • Cavity walls

3. Keep bins secured

Wasps love bins!

Keeping your bin secured with a tight lid and as clean as possible will keep the temptation to a minimum. Where possible, it is good practice to keep your bins as far from areas where you are likely to congregate and from doors and windows.

4. Clothing and perfumes

Floral patterns and brightly coloured clothes are a magnet for wasps. Put simply, try not to look like a flower! This will arouse the curiosity of wasps, who may consider you a potential source of nectar.

Similarly, strong perfumes and deodorants can attract wasps. This is especially true towards the end of the summer when wasps are more attracted by sweeter scents.

5. Food sources

Once again, this is down to removing temptation. Wasps have seasonal preferences when it comes to what foods they prefer. At the start of spring and into the early summer, they prefer protein-rich foods. Later in the summer, they are more attracted to sweeter foods.

It is also worth remembering that wasps will tend to return to “happy hunting” areas. If they find a good source of food in a particular area, it is more likely that they will repeatedly return there.

6. Safety first

The most important tip is always to put the safety of you and your loved ones first. If you have found a nest on your property, then make sure that kids and pets are kept away from it until the threat has been removed.

In Conclusion

Following a few simple guidelines are all that most of us will need to do to keep this summer’s wasp problem to a minimum. But there is a sting in the tail!

If wasps have established a nest on your property, then regardless of the steps you take, they can really spoil a summer!

Don’t take any risks. If you think you may have a wasp infestation, then our Pest Control specialists can quickly and safely eradicate the problem and let you get on with enjoying the summer.