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If you love sitting in your garden during the warmer months, then the last thing you want to find is that the local wasps have set up a nest again. It’s said that wasps will never re-use an old nest and this is usually true. But that does leave you wondering why the wasps return to your home year after year!
The simple fact is that wasps are looking for a safe place to nest, and this often means away from other wasps and in a relatively secluded spot. However, the exact location will depend on the type of wasp you’re dealing with. For example, yellow jackets prefer to create nests in the ground, while most other wasps create nests higher up.
This makes your eaves, porch, and even the tree in your garden a good choice for these wasps. Those spots are generally high enough to avoid being disturbed unnecessarily. In fact, if the nest is high enough and they don’t disturb you, it is best to simply leave them to it and remove the nests in the winter.
If the nest is in a spot that you pass regularly, then you’re increasing the chances of a wasp attack. In this case, the sensible thing to do is get your local pest control firm to remove the nest.
You can click here to find out more about your local pest control firm.
Food
As well as the convenience and relative safety of your eaves or other spot, wasps like to create nests where there is a good food supply. At the beginning of the season, wasps feed predominantly on meat, and you may be surprised at how good they are at capturing and killing other insects. In fact, that actually makes them a blessing for your garden, although it also means you have plenty of insects.
It’s worth noting that later in the season, they develop a sweet tooth, making decaying fruit fallen from trees particularly attractive. You need to collect the fruit to reduce the risk.
Rubbish
More than likely, you’ll find that much of your food waste is rich in protein, and this also attracts wasps. To reduce the attraction, simply don’t leave rubbish lying around. Place everything in bags and keep it as far away from your house as possible.
Despite what you may have heard, wasps are not attracted to your garden because you have beautiful flowers. The reason is that they are not attracted to sweet food until toward the end of the season. They will make note of bright floral colors, but these are more likely to be in your décor than the flowers, especially at the beginning of the season.
Hanging Nests
One technique that appears to be effective is hanging fake nests. In general, wasps prefer to build nests in isolation, away from other wasps. Hanging fake paper nests tells the wasps there are others present, encouraging them to try elsewhere.
However, one paper nest will not suffice. You need to hang several along the line of your eaves, and you must hang them early. Once wasps start creating nests, they are very reluctant to move.
