If you have a wasp infestation and have recently had it cleared, the last thing you want is for it to return.
There are a number of ways you can keep a wasps nest from returning, such as spraying, removing food sources, and sealing garbage cans and compost piles. The most efficient way is to remove any empty nests and keep your yard and home clean.
Do Wasps Always Come Back To the Same Spot?
Not necessarily.
In the wild wasps are known to build nests in areas that are already familiar, or there may be a spot that is just perfect for a wasps nest and its first come first served.
Small, warm, and sheltered spaces are favorited places for wasps to build nests. They commonly take up residence in sheds, playgrounds, and the eves of your house because of the sheltering benefits these places offer.
However, if you spray and remove a wasps nest, it is unlikely that the same wasps return. If you notice a new nest in the area it is most probably a new colony.
Why Does a Wasps Nest Keep Coming Back to the Same Spot?
Wasps go back to the same nesting spots for several reasons. Firstly, it’s probably a good spot for sheltering from weather, predators and has easy access to food.
Another reason is that wasp nests let off pheromones that help the resident wasps to find their way back and acts as a signal to foreign wasps that they are entering the nests’ territory.
Even if you remove the nest, the pheromones can still linger and attract more wasps.
What Do Wasps Hate the Most?
Wasps have a strong sense of smell, so you can use this if you wish to keep them away from your home.
Wasps dislike the smell of geranium, clove, cucumber, and bay leaves. Try sprinkling these scents around your home, or grow lemongrass and scented herbs in your garden.
If you wish to keep wasps away from your person, then wear white. Insects like hornets, bees, and wasps are programmed to be attracted to color. The absence of color will likely mean they will ignore you, or be less tempted to follow you at the very least.
Do Dyer Sheets Keep Wasps Away?
There is no evidence that dryer sheets keep wasps away.
There is anecdotal evidence that wasps hate the smell of dryer sheets and popular internet sites have sprung up claiming that if you carry a dryer sheet, wasps will stay away from you.
This phenomenon has never been formally studied, so at present, carrying, dryer sheets is not a safe or recommended way to keep wasps away from you.
Waps can be very dangerous, so being correctly informed about their behavior is essential. There is nothing that repels wasps 100% of the time.
How Does Vinegar Get Rid of Wasps?
Vinegar doesn’t hurt wasps but t can be used to repel them.
Mixtures of vinegar, witch hazel, and mint create an odor that is foul to wasps and it will help to keep them away.
Since the smell isn’t unpleasant to humans so much, you can spray yourself to repel wasps, or you can use the spray inside your home.
The vinegar mixture spray is also natural and does not harm the environment. Although they can be a risk if too many get too close, wasps are an important part of the ecosystem so you should always opt to repel them rather than kill them – and use environmentally friendly methods to do so.
Can I Get Rid of Wasps Myself?
Armed with a roll of newspaper or some kind of spray or repellent, you stand a good chance of getting rid of a wasp or two by yourself.
However, if you have a colony of wasps or a nest you need to be rid of, you should call pest control.
Wasps are generally harmless but become very dangerous when threatened. If you try to take on a colony of wasps by yourself it is likely you will be stung.
Wasps are venomous. One sting won’t do much harm (unless you are allergic) but a whole bunch of stings can lead to complicated health issues.
How Do Wasps Enter Houses?
The most common way that wasps get into houses is through open windows and doors.
This is likely only a singular wasp that has been attracted inside by a smell or general curiosity.
Wasps can squeeze themselves through the tightest of holes, so if you have been careful not to leave your windows open but you’re still seeing wasps in the house, they are probably coming in through a small opening somewhere in your walls.
Why Are Wasps Coming Into My House?
If you constantly see wasps in your house throughout summer, then they are coming inside to look for food or shelter from predators.
If you are seeing wasps in the spring, they could also be looking for a place to nest, or a new nest has been established somewhere in your house or garden.
If you are seeing wasps during late summer or early autumn they are coming in to find a place to hibernate and shelter from the winter cold.
What Does it Mean When a Wasp is Following You?
In some cultures, wasps are considered symbols of order, progress, and evolution. If wasps are attracted to you, it means that they are guiding you towards a goal, and you are making good progress in life, or your life is about to change direction.
In scientific terms, wasps are following you either because you smell like something they like, they see you as a threat, or you just happen to be going in the same direction.
Are Wasps Evil?
No, wasps are not evil. They are driven by the same instincts as all other things in the animal kingdom – the desire to survive and protect their families.
Wasps will largely ignore you because they are usually very busy with a list of priorities that center around providing for the hive and nourishing the next generation of wasps.
However, if they perceive you as a threat, either to themselves or their colony, then they will try to attack you as a defense mechanism.