Yikes! You’re eating outside, and you see another wasp, and another. If you’re being pestered by wasps when you’re eating outdoors and you’re suspicious that there’s a nest nearby, how can you manage the wasps in your yard? Try these wasp-proofing solutions.

Create a Decoy Nest

One of the simplest ways to reduce wasps in your garden is to create a decoy wasp nest. This will deter wasps from staying nearby, as they think that another group of wasps is nesting in your garden. You can purchase decoy nests and hang them in the areas where you’re having trouble with wasps, or you can just add air to a brown paper bag and hang it under your eaves.

Reduce Wasp Habitat

Paper wasps collect fibers from dead wood and plant stems and turn those into the spectacular paper-like structures that they call home. A bit of fall prevention will turn into next year’s wasp cure. Remove leaves and other debris from your gutters, and you remove one of the wasps’ favorite places to nest. Add gutter covers to your gutters, and you’ll prevent this debris from building up in the first place.

Reduce Wasp Attractants

If you already have many wasps around your home, it’s time to take charge and reduce those sticky, sweet, and meaty items that wasps love. Keep your barbecue clean. Avoid storing items such as pet food outside. After a party, make sure that you clean up the glasses and plates quickly so that the wasps don’t come to visit. Being wasp-conscious will help you reduce attractants in your yard.

Add a Wasp Trap

Wasps love the strong, sweet smell of food items such as soft drinks. Use this to your advantage by buying or making a wasp trap. The trap should contain something that the wasps love, such as a sweet drink. They’ll fly into the trap, and they can’t fly out again.

Encourage Predators

If your local birds don’t have much habitat near your house, they won’t hang out in your garden. Add fall and winter bird habitat by adding perennial shrubs or small areas of brush where birds can hide. The local birds will reward your efforts by hiding in your yard and stepping out to eat your local insects such as those pesky wasps.

Get Ready for a New Year

Come fall, your wasp populations are already well-established in your garden, and it’s much more difficult to get rid of them. Plan for a new year by growing a herb garden. In the new year, place mint, rosemary, or citronella oil or hanging herbs in areas where wasps might like to nest, such as under your eaves. Wasps dislike these herbs and will avoid these areas. The bonus: starting your garden indoors means delicious herbs for you to eat all winter long.

When you’re looking for garden help, contact Lednor Home Solutions. We’re gutter specialists, and we can help you keep your home drainage systems free of debris. With our Gutter Helmet gutter covers, you’ll remove one of the prime wasp habitats in your yard. Contact us today for more information about our Gutter Helmet and Helmet Heat products.

Written by Del Thebaud