Suffering from wasps on the patio?

You may have noticed but this summer there are more wasps due to the mild winter. They are looking for food in large numbers in our gardens, and therefore regularly bother us while eating.

Is there a wasp flying towards you? Then stay calm, and do not beat around the bush because that only angers them. Let the wasp go her way, and after some exploring she will fly away again on her own. Do not kill them either, because then her venom will be released, which contains pheromones and makes the surrounding wasps even more aggressive. Although they cause us a lot of annoyance, wasps are useful animals. They catch a lot of flies and ants to feed their larvae, or to eat them themselves.

We give you some tips to keep the wasps at bay so you can relax and enjoy your garden.

🐝 Delicious aromatics

First, we can use some aromatics that the wasps do not appreciate.

The smell of coffee may make our morning ritual a lot more pleasant, but wasps are no fans of the brown stuff. So don't throw away your coffee grounds but save them in a jar, and place on the dining table.
Lemon may smell nice and fresh, but the wasps hate it. Decorate your patio or balcony with some citronella candles. These not only smell nice but also add to the coziness at nightfall! Also plant some lemon verbena or lemon balm in the borders, or in some pots on the terrace. The more, the better!
Cloves & vinegar are also a real torment for the winged ones. Push a few cloves into a lemon, and you'll be putting double the heat on!

🐝 Entrapment

There are a lot of wasp traps on the market. They are often filled with a special lure that is irresistible to the wasps. The little pests fly off at the sweet scent but then can't get out of the trap. This is an easy & efficient way to control wasps but this also kills them, preventing them from ridding your garden of other small pests.

🐝 A false wasp nest

Wasps do not settle in an area where another wasp nest is already present. They do not want to enter the territory of another colony for fear of being attacked, and quickly seek out other nearby gardens. You can go ahead and cobble together a wasp nest with a bag yourself or purchase it ready-made.

🐝 Foam Party

Are you spotting a wasp nest? Then you can use a special foam spray. Attention: always make sure you are covered, and preferably also your head is protected, when you approach the nest. Always work in the evening because that is when the wasps retreat into their nest. Do not be a hero, and get a professional in time or notify the fire department in case of dangerous situations.

Have you been stung by a wasp? If so, put ice on it immediately. It is normal for the area around the bite to swell but does the swelling become very large or do you feel unwell? Then go and see the doctor.