How To Protect Your Home From Wasps and Hornets
Nothing can ruin an enjoyable outdoor cookout like a plague of insects coming to get in on the feast. But wasps and hornets may not only try to elbow their way to the sweet, sticky drinks, they may also give you a sting if you sip your soda, not realizing the wasp had already crawled inside the can. Protecting your home from wasps and hornets means taking some precautions before your outdoor event so the wasps already know that they are not welcome.
Prevent wasps and hornets from making their nests
There are several ways to keep wasps from buzzing around your home in the first place. A few preventative actions you can take are:
Plant wasp and hornet repelling plants around your patio or porch. Not only will you enjoy the blooms and scents of these plants, you will also enjoy not having wasps buzzing around. Wasps and hornets won’t want to build their nests near fragrant plants such as:
- Basil
- Citronella
- Lavender
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Marigolds
- Geraniums
Keep a good lid on your outdoor trash. Trash cans can be a big magnet for wasps. By making sure that no trash bags are left leaning next to the can and that the lid is always kept secure, wasps won’t have a reason for buzzing around your home.
Purchase and hang a couple wasp nest decoys around the area you want to be wasp-free. Wasps are extremely territorial and if they suspect a well established nest has already claimed your yard, they won’t bother coming around. If you do not like spraying chemical wasp spray every time you see a few wasps start to build a nest, this eco-friendly alternative will be an easy way to keep wasps away, even when you are not around.
Make your own wasp spray with a few things you may already have around the house. If a wasp does buzz around your patio, having an eco-friendly spray to drive the wasp away can be quite handy. A few different DIY sprays you can make are:
- A few drops of dish soap mixed with water
- Essential oils such as eucalyptus, lemongrass, or lavender and water
- White vinegar and water mix
Call a professional pest control service. By keeping a regular pest control appointment throughout the year, your home can be inspected and treated by a professional before wasps can establish a nest.
If you live in Chester County, give ECPC a call today to eliminate any wasps or hornets buzzing around your property. Our technicians are devoted to keeping pests away from you while making sure our environment is not harmed. Without hurting any beneficial insects, our ECPC technicians can get the wasps to move on and leave you alone.