Summer pulls us all back outdoors. Family gatherings, garden parties, picnics in the park, days at the beach. Then a fly settles on the salad, ants march across the patio, or a wasp decides it wants your ice cream more than you do, and the mood shifts in seconds.
Whether you are firing up the barbecue or having friends round for a garden party, the last thing you want is a few common pests calling the shots. This post is part of our summer pest series, and it focuses on wasps. Have a look at the other posts for our advice on ants and houseflies.
Living with wasps in summer
Wasps do not have many fans. They get written off as angry bees that sting first and ask questions later. They earn their place though: wasps are pollinators, and a number of flowering plants would struggle without them. None of which makes them any less irritating at lunchtime.
The good news is that wasps dislike strong scents, so you can steer them away. Peppermint and citronella both work well. Sprinkle a little peppermint oil around the area, or set citronella candles on the tables and around the garden. It can also help to place something sweet smelling well away from where you are sitting, giving the wasps somewhere to head that is not your plate.
When to leave a nest to the experts
A wasp nest is a different matter entirely, and it is not a job to attempt yourself. A wasp that feels threatened will attack, and while a single sting is painful, thirty or forty stings from a disturbed nest can be genuinely dangerous.
If you have spotted a lot of wasps or a nest in your garden or close to your home, call our wasp nest team. We will remove it safely so you and your family can get back to enjoying the garden.