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Preventive Measures for Wasp Control

Rita Putatunda
Wasps can be uninvited guests who can give humans a hard time because of their stings. Before you go to the extreme point of killing them, you could always try some tips to keep them away. We will guide you through it.

Emergency Information

If you're bitten by a wasp, first wash the area with water as it will clean some of the venom. Then, soak a bandage in acid, like vinegar, and wrap it around the bitten area for at least 15 minutes. If there is no improvement, consult a doctor.
Wasps are actually beneficial as they prey on other insects and also help in pollination. But they can become a nuisance if they nest close to homes or near human habitation.
One of the best ways of preventing disagreeable encounters with wasps is by avoiding them. If you are aware of their presence, it is advisable to stay away from their nests, because wasps can get quite defensive if their nest is disturbed.
While pesticides are quite effective in controlling wasps, especially yellow jackets, they harm the environment. Also, if the user is careless while using pesticides, it can pose a risk to humans too. So, why not keep the use of pesticides as the last option? Hence, before resorting to kill them, here are some preventive measures for wasp control.

Few Tips for Wasp Control

No Entry!

A single wasp buzzing in the house can be a sign of a nest in the surroundings. Hence, prompt attention is advisable. The best way to deal with this is to search and seal off their entry point.
Carry out a thorough inspection of your house for open dampers, cracks around doors and window frames, torn screens, and unsealed vents. A good way to find their entry point is to follow the wasp, particularly early in the morning.

Clear the Food Source

Protein-rich foods attract wasps in the spring as well as early summer. Hence food that is left outdoors, like picnic scraps, pet food, garbage containers left open, or compost piles left uncovered should be either covered or removed.
Wasps tend to imprint sources of food; therefore, even after food has been removed, they will continue to search in the area.
In later summer and early fall, wasps prefer sweet foods. They can get aggressive. Sweet food sources like cans of fruit juice, soda pop, fallen fruit under trees, attract them. Cover the open food and drinks, don't walk barefoot under fruit trees, and remove rotten, fallen fruits.

Desist from Swatting

It is counterproductive to squash or swat wasps. When a wasp is injured, it releases a chemical, known as a pheromone, which attracts as well as incites other wasps that may be nearby. Hence, if you happen to encounter a buzzing wasp, the best thing to do is simply walk away.

Avoid Floral Patterns and Bright-colored Clothes

Floral patterns and bright colors attract wasps in the hunt for nectar. Also, you can avoid using perfumes that have sweet smells. All this will attract these wasps, especially in the latter part of summer.

Use a Wasp Repellent

Wasp repellents or deodorants work because they have ingredients which keep the wasps away. Most of them are effective for 5 - 8 hours, and are resistant to sweat. Choose one that has natural ingredients, which make them safe to be used for all ages.

Wasp-proof the Bird House

It is commonly seen that wasps build nests in bird houses. You can prevent this by lining the under-the-roof area with aluminum foil. A staple gun is usually used to attach it. Another method is to rub bar soap under the roof. Try these methods, and you'll see that a single application will last a whole year of the wasp season.

Using Wasp Traps

The best time to set wasp traps is in early spring, when there are only a few wasps around. The reason being that these insects that are seen in the early part of the season are generally queens, and according to estimates, each queen that is trapped represents many thousand worker wasps that will emerge in the latter part of summer.

Home made traps

Cut off the top portion of a 2-liter plastic bottle at the shoulder. Fill the bottom half with water. Throw away the screw top. Use jam to coat the neck of the bottle, invert and set it back into the bottle. Use tape to hold the inverted half in place. The wasps, attracted by the jam, will go to the neck of the bottle, and will fall in the water and drown.
So, now you can try all these and if they still seem to love your place, you got to take some action by killing them.