What scares wasps away?

This past summer in Poland, wasps were everywhere. Here’s how to deal with them and avoid getting stung.

(AI)

People are usually scared of bees, wasps, hornets, and horseflies. But bees, unlike wasps, aren’t aggressive and only sting when they feel threatened. Plus, bees are super important to the ecosystem—and they make honey! Wasps, on the other hand, are way more likely to attack and can sting over and over without dying. Lots of people are scared of them because of the nasty stings and allergic reactions. Luckily, just like with flies and mosquitoes, you can keep wasps away! Here are some tips to deal with them for the long term.

Are Wasps Actually Useful?

Every creature on Earth has a role to play. Wasps may be annoying and aggressive, but they do help keep pests like ticks, aphids, and caterpillars in check, and they even pollinate flowers. The bad rep they have comes from their temperament—they get mad easily in hot temperatures or with loud sounds. They can sting multiple times without leaving a stinger, unlike bees. So before you go on a wasp-squashing spree, try these methods to keep them away without killing them.

What Attracts Wasps (and What Doesn’t)

To keep wasps away, you first need to know what draws them in. Wasps love sugary things, so any sweets are a huge wasp magnet. They’re also drawn to floral scents, so wearing perfumes, creams, or sprays that smell like flowers? Not a great idea if you’re trying to avoid them. Wasps also love alcohol (like beer or wine) and ripe fruit, especially in early summer.

Smells That Repel Wasps

Just like there are specific traps for fruit flies, there are strong smells that keep wasps away. They hate scents like: Clove oil, Vinegar, Lemon, Basil, Mint, Marjoram, Thyme, Wormwood, Garlic, Eucalyptus, Tea tree oil.

To use these scents, you could wash outdoor furniture with water mixed with clove oil or vinegar. You could also hang up a lemon spiked with cloves or place pots of basil and mint around. Another natural method? Coffee! People love the smell, but wasps can’t stand it. Try using coffee-scented candles or putting coffee grounds in a heat-safe dish and lighting a few candles underneath to warm it up. Wasps also avoid some flowers, so plant pansies, lemon thyme, lemon balm, lavender, or certain geraniums to keep them at bay.

Fake Nests to Keep Wasps Away

If strong smells aren’t for you, there’s another option that works pretty well. Wasps tend to avoid places where they think there’s already a nest. You can buy a fake wasp nest, or make one yourself by stuffing a brown paper bag with paper and hanging it up. This makes wasps think another colony has already taken over that area, so they’re likely to stay away.