Wasp. The word even sounds vicious. According to encyclopedia.com the etymology of the noun lies in the old Germanic languages, so it seems big strong hairy men were squealing and flapping about batting wasps away from the mead hall well over a thousand years ago and getting stung. Wasps are still about, gatecrashing picnics countless generations later, so it makes sense to get used to the fact and learn to live with them.
Wasps are members of the Hymenoptera family of insects, which means that like bees and flying ants they have membranous wings. It’s the number of times they flap these wings per second that produces the buzzing sound. A wasp only sounds angry because the buzz is at a louder pitch than that of bees which in addition have a furry covering to muffle the sound.
Why does the wasp have such a bad reputation? Unless someone has a severe allergy to stings and is likely to end up with anaphylactic shock, in which case they will be carrying an Epi-Pen around, wasps are less dangerous than many biting spiders and they only attack and sting if they’re provoked.
How to Deter Wasps
In general, wasps will not sting. When people bat them away, the wasps will retaliate, and when they do sting the venom will release pheromones which will attract other wasps in the immediate vicinity.
There are some useful and practical things that can be done to reduce the risk of a wasp sting, particularly in the late summer months when the wasp grubs have been fed and have hatched, the hive is disbanding and there is little else for wasps to do but feed..
Ecologically Friendly Wasp Deterrents
- Avoid wearing flowery or sweet perfumes outdoors
- Wipe faces clean of all sticky, sugary spills and avoid sweet drinks whilst outside.
- Clear up rotting fruit and windfalls in the garden. Put a small bowl of jelly or windfall apple out of range of the table.
- Light some torches or a fire – if slightly damp the smoke will keep them away, but this needs to be checked with the neighbours first.
- Buy or make a false nest – a balloon-sized paper bag blown up and tied, painted the same earthy colours as a wasp nest, and hung near the table. Wasps will not go near what looks like a foreign wasp colony as they are very territorial.
- Trap the wasp under a glass, then slip a piece of card underneath. Carry away and release, preferably some distance from the table.
Wasp-unfriendly Deterrents
Obtain a 2-litre plastic bottle with a screwtop and slice off the top quarter of the bottle. Pour some orange juice, jam, sugar solution or anything else sweet and sugary into the bottle. Remove the screw cap and invert the top so that it sits upside down in the bottle, and fix with tape or staples. Wasps will crawl down through the funnel in search of the sweetness, and will not be able to find their way out again.
Insect spray. Care should be taken when using a spray as this can affect anyone with breathing problems or allergies. Additionally this should not be sprayed over or near food.
Fly swat. This is an effective method of killing wasps but other wasps in the area are likely to be attracted. If a wasp is swatted then it should be removed to place further away from where people have congregated.
Spray the wasp with liquid soap and water in a plastic spray bottle. This will disorientate and deter the wasp and the advantage of this kind of spray is that it is not harmful to other animals or to humans.
When accidentally cutting a wasp nest open when using a power tool such as a hedgetrimmer, and being at risk from swarming wasps, leave it running so that it continues buzzing noisily and emitting heat. The wasps will focus on the hedgetrimmer giving the gardener a short space of time to back away and contact an expert to help destroy the nest.
Overcome Fear of Wasps
Phobias need professional help to overcome, but those who simply have a dislike for wasps and do not want to be stung need to change their own behaviour by not reacting when a wasp is in the immediate vicinity. Wasps are part of the great ecological chain and keep the garden's insects at manageable levels as well as being part in the whole pollination process. Wasps do not spread disease as do flies and if they can be perceived as of benefit to gardens then gradually they will lose their reputation of being aggressive and a nuisance in the autumn.
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