Remedies against wasps – what really helps?

As uncomfortable as their presence is felt, wasps make a valuable contribution to the ecological balance of nature. They destroy numerous insect pests such as aphids, codling moths and mosquitoes. In addition, wasps are diligently involved in pollination and serve as food for various species of birds. For this reason, most of the wasp species are protected, such as the German wasp. The environmentally conscious gardener will therefore endeavor to drive away the wasps instead of killing the beneficial ones. The following rules of conduct will help ensure that the wasps are not attracted in the first place:

• Cover sweet drinks and food.
• Do not leave beverage cans standing around open.
• Do not wear colorful clothes.
• Above all, avoid the colors red, yellow and blue.
• Avoid sweet perfume or deodorant.
• Use scented sun protection cream.
• Do not treat garden furniture with wood preservatives or polish.
• Provide the window with an insect screen.
• Do not switch on the lights in the evening until all windows are closed.

Even if the beverage cans are immediately covered or closed, they should only be drunk outdoors with a straw. When it comes to many foods, it is not easy to suspect that wasps might be of interest to them. Seemingly hearty sauces that are available when grilling contain sugar, which is a magical attraction for wasps. Once they discover this easily plundered source of food, they are perfectly capable of memorizing this place. The result is that they appear more and more frequently and in ever increasing numbers to refresh themselves. It is therefore of great importance not to take the protective measures until the wasps have already emerged.

So that the garden is as uninviting as possible to flying wasps, the following tips should be heeded:

• Pick up fruit that has fallen from the tree.
• Harvest ripe fruits.
• Fight aphids.
• Grow tomatoes and basil.
• Do not use water-soluble paints.

In a well-tended garden, there is always something that should be freshly painted. The use of water-soluble paints should be avoided because they usually contain wax, which causes wasps.

In addition, there is an abundance of beautiful garden plants that the wasps do not like and therefore avoid their proximity. Prudent gardeners should therefore prefer to plant the following flowers and plants in the vicinity of the seating area:

• Lemon trees
• Lavenderstraucher
• Tulips
• Pansy
• double dahlias
• Geranien
• Conifers

Basically, wasps seek to be close to all types of flowers that are also popular with harmless bees and bumblebees. Therefore, planting particularly nectar-rich flowers and plants in the back of the garden is a smart idea. The following are excellently suited:

• Wildrose
• elder
• Bird cherry
• Common snowball
• Kornelkirsche
• Liguster
• Acacias
• Fruit trees
• dandelion

This list of excellent bee pastures can go on for much longer. If you take the strategic direction with regard to the wasps into account when creating the planting plan, you will be rewarded with a quiet, undisturbed place to stay in your garden.
The following measures and means are used to purposefully drive wasps away:

• Scatter basil around the seat.
• Place the cloves on the lemon wedges and spread them.
• Wasps hate freshly cut cloves of garlic.
• Incense sticks deter wasps.
• Let the citronella candles burn down.
• Use small bowls with essential oils as table decorations.
• Light the coffee beans in a fire-proof container.
• Lay out cloths dipped in salmiak.

It is also reported that the smell of copper coins rubbed intensely between the palms of the hands and then placed on the table is believed to keep wasps away. When dealing with wasps it is essential to refrain from hitting them, whether with your hand or with a clap. Wasps only sting when they feel threatened or attacked. Wild, panicked waving of the arms only increases aggressiveness. If you keep calm yourself, the wasps will also leave you alone.

Distract wasps

With a targeted diversionary maneuver, wasps can be induced to leave the table on the terrace, balcony or in the garden on the left:

• Place cut grapes at a safe distance.
• Place small bowls with jam, fruit or juice.
• A slice of cooked ham is good bait for wasps.

A very popular home remedy to keep wasps off your neck is to put a mixture of a glass of beer, a dose of sweet syrup and a few drops of dish soap in the garden about 10 meters from where you are.

Build a wasp trap yourself

So that the hobby gardener can enjoy his limited free time in peace in his garden without being bothered by wasps, it is easily possible to build a wasp trap yourself. The insects are caught with the sharp stinger without there being any way out for them. The following materials are required:

• empty plastic beverage bottle
• water
• Zucker
• jam
• box cutter
• Masking tape
• adhesive

The upper third of the plastic bottle is cut off with a box knife. The cut is carried out accurately if the cutting tape is wrapped beforehand with the masking tape. Then it is removed again and the entrance for the wasp trap is created. The upper part of the beverage bottle now looks very much like a funnel. The cap is twisted off and the thread smeared with jam. Alternatively, it is moistened and dipped in sugar. The lower half of the bottle is filled 2/3 with water, to which a few drops of washing-up liquid are added. The wasps will not be able to escape this slippery environment later. To complete the self-made wasp trap, the funnel is reversed into the lower half of the bottle and attached with the adhesive. Placed outdoors, the wasps will try to to get to the sweet temptation of the bottle thread. They fall into the liquid and never come out. Since this trap is definitely fatal for the wasps, its use should only be considered if all measures to protect wasps are unsuccessful.

Prevent wasp nests

Wasps form a new, well-organized colony each year, led by a queen. The old queen died the previous winter, as did all her people. Only the mated young queen can survive in a frozen state in rotten wood, under bark or in moss. In the spring she first builds 5 to 10 small cells in which she lays her eggs, which she also fertilizes herself. Until the larvae become the first workers, the queen takes care of them alone. Then the new state begins to grow by building new cells that are laid out in honeycomb-like floors. The widespread German Wasp forms colonies with up to 12,000 members, each of which has to fulfill very specific tasks. The wasp nests are preferably freely hanging in trees, Hedges and attics are built in places where it is warm, dry and sheltered. With a little attention, a wasp’s nest can be prevented from building. The following materials are required:

• Kitchen or toilet paper
• Knetmasse
• Filler
• duct tape

As a preventive measure, all holes and cracks that could be suitable as entrances for the wasps are now closed. If there is an increased number of wasps in the house or in the garden, the experienced gardening fan will observe exactly where they are romping about or where they are going to block this access as well. The type of loopholes determines which material is most suitable. With a little luck, the wasp people will move on and look for a new place to settle there. This process is also observed with eagle eyes, because it is not uncommon for the wasps not to leave the property at all, but only to choose a new place to build a nest. If necessary, new countermeasures are necessary. But beware! This self-help only works safely for the gardener, when the nest building is only in the early stages. A wasp’s nest that is well advanced or fully built belongs in the hands of experts such as the fire brigade, experienced beekeepers or exterminators. If wasps feel a threat to their nest and thus to their queen and the offspring, they become dangerously aggressive and attack their attacker mercilessly with stings. Taking the following measures on your own can have fatal consequences:

• Under no circumstances pour alcohol over the wasp’s nest and set it on fire.
• Drowning the nest only increases the aggressiveness of the animals.
• Unauthorized attempts to relocate the nest can be life-threatening.

Better and safer for everyone involved – also for the wasps – is to contact the professionals who develop an optimal strategy for removing the wasp’s nest and are equipped accordingly.

Remove abandoned wasp nests in winter

Those who shy away from the expense and effort of removing an inhabited nest wait until life in it ends at the end of October. It is certain that precisely this nest will not be colonized by a new colony again in the coming year; Nevertheless, it is advisable to remove it completely and thoroughly, thoroughly scrubbing the areas where it was stuck with surfactants. The queens who are looking for a place to build their nest next spring will assume that this place must have its advantages because their predecessor chose it. How Mother Nature regulates this form of communication is so far unknown. Garden friends who do not want to use their attic as a medium for this communication between the wasp queens, therefore remove the abandoned nest in the course of winter.

That helps if it stung once

A wasp can be stung in a flash, even if the intention was not to threaten it. So the hand slides along a banister under which the insect is resting. The finger touches the wasp – and it’s done. Anyone who has already been stung knows how painful it is and how quickly the skin swells. The following remedies immediately provide relief:

• Slice the onion and place on the swelling.
• Let ice cold water run over the wound.
• Put ice compresses on top.
• Drizzle with lemon juice.
• Treat with insect stick.

The pain does not last long because the sting – unlike the bee sting – does not get stuck in the skin.

Conclusion
Wasps are an important part of nature and have to fulfill an important task in ecological equilibrium. If you get into a confrontation with people in the process, it is not malicious on either side. With the right precautions, humans can avoid conflict with wasps. The most important principle when dealing with wasps is to keep calm and use natural means to drive them away instead of killing them.