If you’ve noticed wasps hanging out in your yard, you might be attracting them without realizing it. These six things could attract them to your yard, and making small changes could make a big difference!
Six Things Attracting Wasps
Your Garbage Can
While wasps typically enjoy a tasty diet of nectar and pollen, all kinds of leftover foods can attract them, especially sugary and sweet like candy, baked goods, and empty soda cans. That’s why wasps love visiting overflowing garbage cans, so ensure your garbage can is adequately sealed, emptied regularly, and cleaned occasionally. No one likes cleaning out trash cans, but it’s vital to take time to do this, especially if you suspect pests are visiting your garbage. Once empty, move the can to an area where it can quickly drain. Rinse it out, sprinkle baking soda inside, give the interior a good scrub, rinse, and dry!
Meat & Other Proteins
It’s not always about the sweet and tasty foods and drinks. Some wasp species feast on meat, as it contains much-needed protein to feed their larvae. If you’re grilling fresh meat outside, cover the precious protein or bring it indoors until you’re ready to grill! Additionally, dog food can also attract wasps since it is filled with protein, so keep food containers sealed.
Flowers
It’s a nasty Catch-22 if you’re a bee buff but hate wasps since they both love flowers. Wasps also search for nectar and pollen, and vibrant flowers attract wasps, primarily white, blue, purple, and yellow. While it’s challenging to create a garden while keeping wasps at bay, there are certain plants you can plant to keep them away:
- Wormwood
- Lemongrass
- Eucalyptus
- Citronella
- Lavender
- Mint Varieties
Untreated Wood
Something you probably didn’t expect to be on this list is untreated wood. Wasps use wood as a source of pulp for building nests, meaning your unpainted deck or swing set could attract wasps. You may even notice signs of strip-like damage in places where the wasps ripped up. Ensure any outside wood is painted or sealed properly to prevent wasps from tearing apart your deck.
Water
Wasps drink and even collect water to take back to their colony for various reasons, including constructing new nests and cooling down their current ones. If you have an outdoor pool, keep it covered when not in use. Ensure any places with standing water are taken care of, such as bringing in full watering cans or preventing water from puddling under your downspout.
Fruit Trees & Plants
Again, it comes down to wasps’ obsession with sugar! Once ripe, the fruit is sweet and full of sugar, so wasps gather to feast, especially once the fruit ferments. Pick up any fallen fruit, especially rotting ones, and harvest ripe ones from the branches as soon as possible. The same goes for fruit that grows on bushes, such as strawberries and blackberries. You can use a mesh net to protect smaller plants from wasps and other pests.
Wasp Removal in Las Vegas
While we love our work with bees, we also specialize in removing wasps and their nests. We also remove wasps and repair any damage they may have done to your home. Call Bee Master of Las Vegas today for a FREE quote!