You may be hearing an unnerving buzz flitting around your ear – catching a glimpse of a skinny yellow-and-black body! It can mean only one thing, it’s wasp season. Our phone is buzzzzzing with calls about Wasp Nests – this is the peak season. The wasps will not do you any harm if left alone - these wasps who are actually a great source of gardening help – they’re essential pollinators but if you would like the nest removed, please call a professional as if they are disturbed or sense danger they will sting and they release a chemical alarm that signals to other wasps to attack.

Peter our MD said - Don’t flail your arms around when you see wasps as they are sure to attack you. I remember doing a wasp job many years back for a French chap and he said to me “You Irish are very funny when you see wasp you constantly try to bat them away” I said yes, what do you do in France? He just said “We ignore them” I asked if they do not get stung and he said no. Some months later I was doing. Job for another French man and asked him about what they did in France and he confirmed that they try to ignore them. So to this day I try to ignore them buzzing around and I find it works, each year I would treat loads of wasp nest and I rarely get stung.

Wasps can be bothersome and painful, but they're an important part of the natural ecosystem. For example, wasps pollinate flowers and prey on other insects and pests that damage crops and gardens. They also catch lots of small insects like greenfly’s which is why gardeners love to have them around.

When you see a wasp, do not swat it away. This Swatting movement will put the wasp in defence mode and make it more likely to sting you. If a wasp comes near you, the best thing to do is stay calm and slowly walk away. As Peter said above…it does work.

If there is a lot of Wasp activity in your garden or around your building, we recommend a professional wasp control solution, particularly in the late Summer as the nest will contain thousands of insects. Getting wasp control experts in will not only eliminate the pest in a safe and professional way, it will give you peace of mind that the wasps won't return, if you follow our advice. We will identify the species of wasp you have and use our expertise to rid you of the problem. We will customise our treatment to ensure effective control based on location. And we will tell you what to do to prevent the problem from recurring. Not only will we treat the colony and if possible we may remove the nest for extra safety and peace of mind. The problem with DIY products sold for removing wasp nests is that they rarely get good long-term control as they do not get the queen, which will allow the nest to start again.

SIGNS OF WASP NESTS

There are three major signs of wasp infestation: swarming insects, buzzing sounds and visible structures.

Swarming insects. A major sign of wasp infestation is when you begin to see large numbers of the insect swarming in an area, usually at the start of the season when they are looking for someplace to set up home. Following the flight path of these wasps may lead you to the location of the nest, as wasps need to feed their queen and look after their young.

Buzzing sounds. Often you must rely on sound rather than sight to locate a wasp nest, especially if it is above your roofline or in another out of the way location, some species will have their nest underground, usually at the base of a tree. Wasp nests produce a loud persistent buzzing sound that is unmistakeable. When you hear it, you know you have a problem and that it's time to call in the pest control experts.

Visible structures. You might also discover visible evidence of a wasp nest. Muddy deposits or thin paper-like material are signs of a nest, as they often constitute it. Different species of wasp build different kinds of nest in a variety of places but when you see one it is hard to mistake the evidence. Wasp nests start off small – about the size of a ping-pong ball – but as time goes by and the population increases, they usually grow to the size of a football. The photo is typical of a wasp nest that has started a few weeks back and often they are found in a garden shed on the roof. When you've identified a wasp's nest, it's important not to get too close, in order to avoid a nasty sting. Remember, wasps turn hostile if they feel threatened, so be careful not to disturb the colony in any way.

Tips on How to get rid of wasps naturally

1. Grow strong scented plants
Smells that can be used to discourage wasps include tomato stems, fresh mint, ground coffee and cloves. Pots or beds with fresh mint will help prevent wasps from venturing into your garden. Alternatively, fill a window box with mint not only will the sweet smell waft into your home on a summer’s day, but it’ll be sure to keep the wasps at bay.

2. Avoid bright colours in the garden
If you regularly suffer from a big number of wasps around your house, it might be an idea to not plant bright flowers in the garden close to the house. It might be a tough call to make if you are a huge fan of vibrant marigolds and dahlias, but lack of bright colours should help keep your garden wasp free.

3. Keep food and drinks covered
It’s a good idea to try and keep any sweet drinks, jams and cakes away from the window if possible. Wasps – like most insects – have a real sweet tooth. If you are eating outside, remember to keep all the sweet items like cake covered to avoid attracting the wasps. Don’t forget the food in your Bins - Wasps also love nothing more than a good rummage around your bins. Make sure you empty and wash bins regularly, and keeping bins away from windows to avoid attracting wasps into your home.

4. Scatter peppermint oil
According to a study in the journal of pest management science in 2013, peppermint oil is almost guaranteed to keep wasps away. Add a few drops of oil to tissues or cotton wool balls and place them around the garden in spaces between the decking, porch roofs, sheds and any other gaps where wasps can congregate. You can use this in your home if you find them in your kitchen.

5. Distract them with something sweet
Consider placing a small glass of orange juice in a remote corner of their garden to draw wasps away from an occupied area. This tip works best if you have a large garden space. If you don’t have any orange juice to spare, the tip will also work with overripe fruit, sugar water and banana skins too.

6. Citronella candles
This is a great tip for keeping not just wasps but all other insects away while you have a relaxing meal outside. You can find citronella candles in most supermarkets and hardware stores. They often already come in pretty containers, but you can also buy them as tea lights and use your own candle holders. You could also put a few drops of Citronella oil in a candle or oil burner. Even put it on your wrists and ankles…. If you find the scent is a little too strong to have on the table, why not try popping some of the tea lights in small terracotta plant pots around the dining area, always blow them out before you go inside.

7. Avoid leaving the outside lights on
Try to not leave your outside lights on any longer than necessary. Lights will attract insects and that includes wasps who prey on them.

8. Make a Trap
Place either a solution of sugar and water (or beer) and 1 or 2 drops of something like Fairy liquid this is to break the surface tension and allow them to drowned, inside an open bottle or a better way is to get a large plastic fizzy drinks bottle and cut the top off, about 2-3” down. The top will look like a funnel so put your mix into the bottle and then turn the top upside down and push back onto the bottle, the wasps can get in but not out. The sticky mixture will attract the wasp, who will crawl inside and likely become trapped and die. You can buy a variety of wasps traps that perform this function with more easily removable tops so you could release the wasp after it becomes trapped if you wish. But please remember that the wasp will not be in the best mood if you choose to do this, so please be extremely careful and avoid if you have an allergy to wasp stings.

9. Call in the professionals
If you do have an active nest in your garden in a hard-to-reach place call in the professional to remove it. Dealing with a nest yourself can cause all sorts of dangers. If you attempt to destroy or dislodge the nest yourself the wasps might swarm to defend it’s home. So remember to ditch the fly swatter, and hopefully, with these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy a sweet treat in the garden this summer. If not call Peter on 1800377377

Why people prefer Eastern Pest Control

We take Wasp control seriously and take great pride in delivering a superior service. We only employ the best of the best; our technicians have at least 20 years’ experience in the industry. We promise you:

• On time service
• We leave your home exactly the way we found it
• People, pet and planet friendly

For more information on our WASP Treatment in your property click here or call us on 1800377377