Grow plants in your patio planters that wasps don't like, like lemongrass and peppermint. Mix clove, geranium, lemongrass essential oils with water, shake well and spray your patio area. You'll have to spray your patio regularly throughout the summer.
'Citronella oil is a popular choice, as it's known for repelling insects,' recommends Paul Dinham, a wasp expert from Bee Life. He suggests diffusing the oil near your porch or applying it directly to the area. 'Other smells that work include eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil,' he says.
There are several essential oils you can use to safely and effectively repel wasps. Peppermint oil on its own has been shown to act as a natural repellent for wasps and bees, or you can use a combination of clove, geranium, and lemongrass essential oils as a natural pest control method.
Wasps have a strong sense of smell and dislike certain plants like peppermint, spearmint, basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, thyme, citronella, bay leaves, and lemongrass. They are also repelled by vinegar, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and sliced cucumber.
First, you must make sure that you have removed flowers in areas that you like hanging out and replace with green plants to deter wasps. You can also plant wasp deterrents such as eucalyptus, wormwood, spearmint, thyme, and citronella. Grow them, and you will enjoy a wasp free compound.
One long term method is growing plants such as citronella, eucalyptus, mint, and wormwood, which have scents that naturally repel wasps.
Wasps hate the smell of eucalyptus. You can also apply the oil as a deterrent by dropping it onto tissue paper strips or ribbons and securing to your window to blow in the breeze.
Insects like dragonflies, beetles, and centipedes eat wasps. Many wasps fall into the hands of predators like dragonflies, centipedes, hoverflies, beetles, spiders, moths, praying mantis, and robber flies.
Wasps also don't like vinegar. As a wasp deterrent, some people place an equal mix of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. They then spray the wasps to get them away.
Citrus - Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges can help deter wasps around your yard. Peppermint oil - Peppermint oil is one of the most effective essential oils for keeping wasps away. Citronella - Citronella oil is also effective, as it has a strong citrus smell that wasps do not like.
Use WD-40
WD-40 can be use to both kill wasps and stop them from nesting. Wasps are territorial, so will return to the same nesting spot every year. To keep wasps from returning, spray any former wasp next spots with WD-40. Apply it liberally underneath gutters, and anywhere you have spotted wasps congregating.
As it turns out rubbing Vick's Vapor Rub around the feeding flowers effectively repels the bees and wasps away, but doesn't bother the birds because birds don't have a sense of smell, but the wasps and bees do.
Clove-Geranium-Lemongrass Oil Blend
Research published in the Journal of Pest Management Science found that a combination of clove, geranium and lemongrass essential oil successfully repelled wasps.
You can also make wasp repellent at home with a mix of water, dish soap, and white vinegar. Mix this together, then spray the areas around your deck area where you do not want wasps to land on.
Apple cider vinegar, mint, and witch hazel – Together, Apple Cider, mint, and Witch Hazel emit a strong odour that is very repulsive to pests like wasps. Mix them in a spray bottle and apply them to areas infested with wasps.
Citronella: Wasps are repelled by the smell of citronella. You can burn citronella candles or torches to keep wasps away. You can also buy citronella-scented insect repellent.
Make a Natural Wasp Repellent with Citrus
Slice the lemon in half cross-wise and stick a bunch of cloves into the exposed flesh. Then, set the lemon halves on a dish wherever you want to keep wasps and bees away. Goodbye, pests! While wasps might hate the scent of citrus and cloves, it's certainly pleasant for humans.
Once any nests are removed, planting mint, citronella, thyme and some eucalyptus can help to keep wasps away from the area, or spray diluted peppermint oil under eaves or other areas where wasps like to make nests. (Wasps are not big fans of mint.)
Homemade Wasp Killer Spray
Mix 1 cup of water, two cups of sugar, and two cups of apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add ⅓ cup of liquid dish detergent. Lightly mix until blended, then pour into a spray bottle. Use this mixture to kill wasps around your picnic table or patio area.
They normally get angry when they feel threatened. It could be your constant waving of arms when you try to get rid of them. These actions make them feel threatened hence making them angry. Once wasps get angry, their defence mechanism releases pheromones that signal other wasps in the colony.
Cicada-killer wasps are large and have a potentially painful sting. However they are not aggressive and are very unlikely to use their venom on humans unless extremely provoked. The best advice is to leave them alone.
Descriptions of the most painful examples were given, e.g.: "Paraponera clavata stings induced immediate, excruciating pain and numbness to pencil-point pressure, as well as trembling in the form of a totally uncontrollable urge to shake the affected part."
Tea tree oil: Said to be one of the best natural ways to repel bees and wasps, you can dab a bit of tea tree oil on yourself or on any area you would like the bees avoid. Baby powder: While not the most natural of substances, baby powder is better than the chemicals in sprays that are marketed to keep away insects.
Essential oils to repel wasps Citronella, clove oil or tea tree oil are the common essential oils that are said to repel wasps.
Wasps are attracted to sweet-smelling plants like lavender and rosemary, so refrain from planting these too close to your property. If you have the space, opt for an area further away towards the back of your garden instead of near your home.