How to get rid of wasps in the garden

Wasps love the gardens and your backyard. More often than not, many people don’t think it is necessary to get rid of wasps. This is because it helps to get rid of other predatory insects. However, an important point to remember is when there is too much of a wasp infestation, it can eat away the quality of the soil and plants. If you are thinking of how to get rid of wasps in the garden, keep reading to know more about some things you should know of in this area.

Types of wasps and their common habitats

To get rid of wasps, you must be well-aware of the type of wasp you are dealing. You should know where their nests are so that you can do something to get rid of them safely. The three most common types of wasps that build nests in your garden are the following:

Yellow Jackets – These are quite deceitful in their approach, as they build their nests underground. They cause the most damage in home gardens because it is difficult to spot their nests. Apart from underground, their nests are also found on trees, beneath the leaves and cracks in building walls.

Hornets – They are less dangerous than yellow jackets. Mostly, their nests are found on treetops and crevices of old buildings.

Paper Wasps – They are not aggressive at all. These insects build their nests beneath any surface that is horizontal. Trees, crevices, branches, old buildings, etc. are some places where you can see their nests.

Top tips to get rid of these wasps

• Food particles scattered around the garden, uncovered water containers and fruits & seeds strewn across your yard are the most important wasp-triggers. If you want to get rid of wasps in your garden, you should keep your garden clean & well-maintained at all times. Never keep the garbage cans open, as this, too, can attract wasps.
• It is highly recommended to get rid of wasps during the spring season because that’s when they aren’t active. Once you have identified the nests of the wasps and their type, you can decide what to do next. You should call a pest control professional to get rid of the nests of aggressive wasps such as yellow jackets and hornets. This is because, they would have caused a lot of damage, even before you have identified their location. For the less-aggressive type such as the paper wasp, you can use a wasp-deterrent spray.
• For nests that are located aerially, here is a remedy you can try at home. Once you spot the nest on a tree, cover it with a trash bag and close it tightly. Now, remove the nest from the tree (by cutting it) and leave the bag in the sun for the next day, so that the heat kills the wasps inside. You can also freeze the bag for a day to kill the wasps.
• For the nests that are located on the ground, the first thing you need to do is to find the entrance and exit points. Then pour a mixture of hot water & soap on the nest before the closing the entry & exit points with a big rock or dirt. The soapy solution will cause suffocation to the wasps because of which they die eventually.