Wasps are most noticeable in late summer, when nests are at their largest and the workers start looking for sweet food. You cannot keep every wasp out of the garden, but you can make it much less inviting.
Make your garden less attractive
- Keep bins closed and rinse out drink cans and bottles before putting them in the recycling.
- Cover food and drinks when you eat outside, and clear plates away soon after the meal.
- Pick up fallen fruit from under trees and bushes.
- Use cups with lids for sweet drinks so a wasp cannot crawl inside unseen.
Spot a nest early
Nests are much easier to deal with in late spring, when they are still small. Watch for wasps flying in and out of the same spot again and again, for example under the eaves, in a shed, a wall cavity, a hedge or a hole in the ground.
If you find a nest
- Keep children and pets away from the area.
- Do not block the entrance, hit the nest or spray it with water. Disturbing a nest can make the wasps defensive.
- Note where it is and how big it looks, and call a pest control company to treat or remove it safely.
Remember that bees are important pollinators and are often protected. If you are not sure whether you have wasps or bees, ask before anything is treated.