Have you served a delicious breakfast on the terrace for your loved ones? And then suddenly you realize that the jam has attracted a lot of wasps buzzing around the plates. However, there are a few effective methods and home remedies against wasps on the terrace so that you can save yourself from the plague.
When the weather is nice, you'll naturally want to spend some time on the patio and get some fresh air. However, it becomes much more difficult when there are wasps around. These little insects are the bane of most of our summers, the uninvited guest at every outdoor event. Although they are valuable pollinators, the notorious insects can sometimes be aggressive and their stings are painful. Knowing how to get rid of wasps on the patio is an important task because this space is often visited by your family, friends and guests.
Although wasps are an important part of the environment, most people don't want to have much to do with them. Especially on hot summer days when you want to relax on the terrace. The pleasant time spent outdoors can be ruined by the buzzing of annoying insects. Luckily, you can keep wasps away from your patio with a few effective tricks.
Fight the insects with lemon and cloves
A very simple trick but very effective for outdoor use is to use a few lemons and a handful of cloves.
Take a lemon and cut it in half. Stick a few cloves into the pulp. Then place the lemon halves on the table and wherever you want to drive away the annoying insects.
Wasps don't like the smell of citrus and cloves, but people actually find it pleasant.
Drive away wasps with water
If you plan to spend time on the patio in summer, keep a spray bottle of water nearby. This clever method involves filling a clean spray bottle with tap water and spraying the insects as needed.
The wasps think it is starting to rain and fly back to the nest. Rinse the spray bottle well before use to remove any cleaning product residue and avoid harming the insects.
Glowing coffee grounds against wasps
A great home remedy for wasps is coffee powder. Put some coffee powder in a fireproof bowl and light it until it glows. Its smoke simply scares away the wasps. You can also use coffee grounds for this. Just remember that it should be well dried so that you can get it to burn.
Although the coffee grounds and grounds do not normally burn with a flame, be aware that they can still become very hot.
Offer food and water
Wasps are constantly looking for food and water. So that they don't disturb your meal outside, it's a good idea to provide them with a food and water source in the garden. Take a small piece of raw meat and place it far away from your patio along with a bowl of water. The idea is that the wasps will find them and be attracted to the location, which is far away from where you are staying.
Keep food and drinks covered
A very simple but very effective measure when sitting on the terrace is to cover the drinks and food. This is especially true for drinks such as fruit juice, lemonade, beer and wine, which are very popular with wasps.
Make sure that you dispose of all leftover food, animal and bird food carefully.
Garbage cans and compost piles can also be a food source for wasps. If you have these near your patio, there is a good chance that the pests will come over.
Seal them tightly and make sure they are not placed in the areas of your garden that you use the most.
Seal cracks and holes
Wasps tend to look for new places to nest, and cracks and crevices on the patio are particularly good places for them to be protected from the elements. They are intended to seal all cracks and holes around the patio and on the outside of the house to prevent wasps from building nests there. Pay particular attention to cracks around the edges of the trim and repair them carefully.
What smells do wasps not like?
Wasps have a keen sense of smell and dislike some smells. Therefore, it is very helpful to use certain essential oils, plants and home remedies to keep them away.
Keep away with essential oils
Use an essential oil spray to effectively keep wasps away from your patio. The smell of peppermint, cloves, lemongrass, geranium, mint and eucalyptus helps drive them away.
Simply mix 10 drops of a few of the above essential oils with water in a spray bottle. Then spray all strategic areas where wasps build nests, holes and crevices. Repeat the process as necessary; this treatment should usually last around four weeks.
Light citronella candles
Citronella candles are an excellent trick for keeping not only wasps away, but other insects as well. While you have a relaxed meal on the terrace, light the scented candles. If the scent at the table is too strong for you, diffuse them in the dining area on the terrace. Be sure to blow them out before going into the house.
Plants against wasps
You don't necessarily have to use essential oils to keep wasps away. Another natural method is to grow the right plants near the patio. Fragrant plants such as lemongrass, thyme, basil, mint, laurel and geraniums are best suited for this, as they make the environment less attractive to the annoying insects.
These plants are relativeeasy to care for and they can be planted both in the garden and in containers.
Get rid of wasps on the terrace with home remedies
White vinegar is also perfect for making a control spray as wasps hate its smell. To do this, use one part white vinegar and one part water and spray the areas where wasps are most common.
To increase the effectiveness of this spray, add a few drops of dish soap. This means the solution sticks to the surfaces and lasts longer.
Dispose of fallen fruit regularly
Wasps like fruit and the smell of fruit juices and fruit residues, and if you have fruit-bearing trees and shrubs in the garden, the fruit will attract the insects. It is best to pick them as soon as they are ripe and dispose of the fallen fruit quickly to ensure that no wasps come nearby. Avoid leaving anything outdoors that may attract insects' attention.
What deters wasps? The paper bag hack
This trick is simply brilliant! All you need is a brown paper bag.
Take the paper bag and fill it with newspaper or try to inflate it so that it takes on an oval shape. Use string to wrap the top of the bag and tie the other end to a patio railing. The wasps mistake it for a competing wasp nest and immediately leave the area to avoid the confrontation.
Hair spray against wasps: does it help?
It's a common misconception that hairspray repels wasps. True, it is much more likely to attract them than to drive them away. Wasps are attracted to scents and perfumes, so using hairspray can also attract but also annoy them. This can happen quicklylead to a sting. And that's the last thing you want!
