Marigolds planted around a garden will deter deer and rabbits from munching your plants. Deer like hostas. Does anyone know of any natural insect repellent for wasps?
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I've heard that dryer softening sheets (ie. Bounce) will repel wasps. My sister in law stuffs them into small vases at picnics and it seems to work.
The suggestion to breathe on a bee to repel it, is a bad idea. Discovery had a documentary on killer bees, where they were attempting to determine what it was that caused them to go swarm and attack. Low and behold, it was the human breath that triggered the nasty assault.
Gotta love the Discovery Channel and History. Could watch it all day.
I found that plain baby powder works better than any bug spray and stays around for months or until it rains. Harmless to humans, great deterrent to buggy bugs of all forms. Ants, fleas, termites, all bugs, will not cross over it, if placed on the floor, near door entries, ant holes, fences, walls, invisible to the eye, but no more bugs, spiders, bees, wasps.
I started growing onions in my garden and noticed ants disappearing also I put coffee grounds on my plants to deter ants.
Except for now they have proved that baby powder causes cancer
I have spent a fortune on Wasp and hornet spray. I had a BAD infestation. I have a garden shed with a Cupola on top. The wasps return every spring and thousands inhabit that Cupola. It is a giant nest. I have tried sealing the cracks between the roof and Cupola but they bore through. I just got a twin pack of BeeFREE. They are big fake paper wasp nests that look like Chinese Lanterns but colored and shaped like beige wasp nests.
Hanging these imitation wasp nests, have done nothing for me. I have gone off in an ambulance twice, from being attacked in my face. I am terrified to go outside right now. We have too many acres to have an exterminator come out. I'm desparate for any suggestions..
Hanging these imitation wasp nests, have done nothing for me. I have gone off in an ambulance twice, from being attacked in my face. I am terrified to go outside right now.
You can buy the fake wasp nests online from Amazon and ebay too. they are called Waspinators. Please dont drown, trap or poison the wasps, they are really important for polination of fruit, flowers and crops and they eat insrects like aphids which damage garden plants. You can scare wasps away with a wasp repellent like a waspinator waspinator.co.uk make them but they are cheaper on Amazon
I have done this also, for the last 2 years and no more wasps. Thank you to whoever designed these.
Victor Poison Free Wasp & Hornet Killer or Soap water in a sprayer works.
SL
Use Malathion & Sevin. These are minimally toxic & work great.
Noticed a wasp building a nest in the corner of my front doorframe, and I used the Clorox spray bottle approach while he was out collecting materials.
It is working like a charm so far. He came back with a new glob to add on, could obviously smell it (his little antenna were going furiously), flew off hoping when he came back it'd be different, no banana, repeated this about 10 more times, and then left permanently. The Clorox was like a force field. Really neat to watch.
It's a weird mud-like nest he's building. Doesn't look like the papery stuff I'm used to. Not sure what kind of duder he is, but he has a long, super darn skinny bit attaching his abdomen to his head.
Dave; I think you may have "dirt dobbers" cause they build mud like nests.
We have them all over the south. They don't sting and are harmless.
Powerful super soaker water gun. Pump and blast-away the nest, then they will return for more. Give them more. And more and more, to let them know this will not stop till there is a shortage of water and your time!
I am super uber phobic about wasps. I once got stung 9 times by 1 wasp that got down my top when I was a child and I was rather ill, vomiting etc but not allergic (I think) perhaps it was just the amount of venom I had that time. I have since been stung with no major symptoms. I go to pieces when they fly by me and feel the colour drain from my body, my heart pumps fast and I feel faint. I think this is just my adrenaline. Everybody thinks I am a big baby but I can not help myself.
I saturated our window with wasp killer (this was accidental over-kill for one particual wasp) I noticed that upto 2 weeks later any wasp (and some flies) that land there seem to fit and promptly die. So I got two more cans and did all windows.
Today its slightly warmer and there are more wasps than ever indoors and out. With one flying round and landing on me every two minutes or less. My three YO had them on his face but I can not do anything to help. Luckily my partner is not normally phased by them and helps. She also thinks I am a baby but today even she said there are hundreds and are a right pain.
Here is that wasp allergy website for the UK www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/
I need some good solutions and fast as I am staying indoors until winter! Please report back once you try something.
P.S. I tried Vinegar and the wasps seemed to like it rather than repel them it attracted more. They were not bothered and even landed in it.
Low and behold within 30 mins of writing my last post my 3 YO son got stung by a wasp. He seems fine just swelling and puncture hole. Chemist said antihistomine should help.
I'm on the third floor of my college dormitory and there are rather large wasps that try to get in through the side of the screen. There is a small space between the screen and the back pane of the window (the glass doesn't go all the way up because of rust), that they can get through. It gets very hot in the room and my only defense is closing the window which makes things uncomfortable.
Any suggestions how to keep these guys away? I don't know if there is a nest near the window, as the area around my dorm is wood-sy in the first place, so I can't hunt-and-kill. There is also no sill outside the window, so I can't put out any set-ups like bowls. Help, please!
We have a pool outback and as you probably know it needs a lot of attention. I am scared by wasps (which we have plenty of) and they are always flying by me near me ear so I freak out and run inside. I really need to keep the pool in good condition but the wasp are keeping ME from that. We have set up EVERYTHING from bowls to the ones you hang to the fake GIANT wasp nest (it works because if a wasp sees that there is already a nest, it won't built one). And the GIANT nest worked for about 1 or two months-- but it has now been a year or so. PLease help with anything-- I really do enjoy my pool but it's so hard to with them around. Please and thank you.
How about keeping the bees off the hummingbird feeders?
All I can say is buy a can of starting fluid for cars. This will kill any nest or bee, it drops them as soon as they are hit.
I don't know about repellents but a good way to kill them with cheap household products is with regular laundry bleach. It doesn't drop them right away unless you get a good blast on them and soak them with it but it does kill them within a few minutes.
I have loads of wasps around my house this year and dare not even open my patio door as they keep flying into it. When its open i can get as many as 6 in my living room at the same time - with a baby and young daughter I just cant risk it. I'm scared to even go and peg my washing out because of them. However, I have been told that 'nippon' works a treat (used to kill ants) it is sweet and they take it back to the nest and kills them all - hooray! It is in liquid form so you just squirt some on a small plastic tray and leave it.
I just read one persons suggestion to use household bleach as a means of killing wasps. I was stung 3 different times this summer while cleaning my composite deck with bleach water. I was not spraying them, just cleaning the deck. Obviously, they don't like the smell of the bleach water, but in my case, the wasps got angry enough sting. I'm not sure I would recommend this method.
This sounds awful, but I am so relieved to read stories of folks like me who are terrified of wasps. I thought that I was the biggest baby in the world (my husband adds to this emotion!) because I too am afraid to even step outside at times, and working in my gardens can be a nightmare! I usually work on them early in the morning or while it is raining, because then the evil little beasts are not active. I came here to see if the fake wasps nests actually work, and have read over and over that yes they do. I am willing to try anything!
I am learning to "live with" the red wasps up to a point, and the mud dabbers don't bother me as much once I found out that they do not sting. But the hornets and yellow jackets - especially the yellow jackets because you don't know where their nests are until you disturb them, and then you'd better be able to outrun them! I hate them! And even though I may end up on PETA's most wanted list, if I knew of a way to kill every yellow jacket and hornet within a 10-mile radius, you can bet I'd do it! Anyway, just wanted to say "thanks all!" because it's nice to know that I am not the only one who is frightened.
Totally hate them too and if you do ever find a way to kill em off I am all in.
Thanks for your honesty! I, too, hate the yellow jackets. Last summer I was stung 3 times just trying to get rid of them. I'm going to try the fake nest thing this year. I really don't like spraying the insecticide because of all my pets, but I'd rather those pests be gone!
I tried that didn't do much. I actually got rid of hundreds using sticky insect paper
Plants which repel wasps:
Mint* (especially Peppermint; very common 'Herb' plant)
Lemongrass (culinary uses; check 'Herbs' at garden store)
Wormwood (decorative: silvery, thin, moss-like foliage)
*All types of Mint plants, once established, grow very aggressively. Consider planting Mint in containers instead of directly in the ground, to keep it from overwhelming other plants.
Plants which help repel wasps:
Rosemary (culinary herb; plant outside, or hang sprigs)
Lavender (plant outside; sprinkle outside; hang sprigs)
Natural ingredients* which help repel wasps:
Peppermint extract (dilute ~10 drops in 1q water; spray)
Chili powder (sprinkle a barrier; avoid getting on plants)
Cinnamon (sprinkle outside Regularly & Frequently)
Cloves (some place them in lemon slices in patio areas)
*Natural ingredients which repel wasps tend to have particularly strong scents. Apply incrementally, and allow to settle for a minute before applying more, to avoid creating a 'cloud' of extremely strong scent. These ingredients are, by nature, irritants - and their irritating properties are the reasons why wasps do not like them. Use with caution, avoiding contact with eyes, nose, and mouth. If an ingredient makes skin contact, wash it off right after applying it - and make sure to avoid touching one's face immediately after handling these ingredients.
Temporary natural ingredients that repel wasps:
Slices of cucumbers, spread liberally around patio areas
Addendum: Using Citronella as Insect Repellent
While Citronella products utilize a natural ingredient, more or less, to repel insects, such as mosquitoes, it is prudent to bear in mind the following:
The property of Citronella which deters mosquitoes is not actually its scent; its the natural toxicity of Citronella - and Citronella is a toxin to humans and pets, just as it is toxic to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are not only repelled, but also killed, by the poisonous fumes emitted from Citronella products.
The most common type of Citronella insect repellant product, is Citronella oil with a wick inserted, which is burned just like a candle outdoors (Citronella oil is also the ingredient in 'Tiki Torch' style insect-repelling 'candles,' often used staked into the ground along pathways).
The fumes from burning Citronella are more toxic than fumes emitted from Citronella oil warmers; in turn, Citronella oil warmer fumes are more toxic than unlit Citronella oil diffusers. Citronella-infused products (such as disposable plastic, stretchy bracelets) are often lowest in fume toxicity, but also the least useful as a result.
Humans and most pets are Extremely Unlikely to inhale enough concentrated Citronella fumes to become dangerously poisoned; it is, however, essential that Citronella products be kept out of reach of children and pets, and only used in Well-Ventilated Areas. Pets should be kept at a distance from Citronella products to avoid unnecessary inhalation, possible ingestion, and, of course, always kept away from any open flame.
Citronella, unfortunately, contrary to popular belief, is Not A Non-Toxic Repellant.
''Natural," must never be mistaken as meaning, "Safe." Companies often mislead consumers to believe that products made with 'all-natural ingredients' are somehow, automatically synonymous with 'all non-toxic ingredients.' However, natural ingredients, especially when concentrated, can definitely be toxic (after all, Rattlesnake venom is "all-natural," too).
Many people misperceive Citronella products as a 'safe' alternative to DEET (a commonly-found active ingredient in personal, spray-on insect repellant; notably effective for repelling AND killing many types of insects, BUT also notable as being a concentrated poison).
Consequently, many people do not hesitate to line their yards and pathways with Citronella Tiki Torches, place Citronella 'votive candles' on all outdoor tables, hang several Citronella-oil burning lanterns near seating areas, and use Citronella oil warmers and/or diffusers throughout sheltered outdoor spaces. Hopefully, it is clear by now, that surrounding oneself and one's family and friends in an invisible fog of Citronella fumes, is Not at all a good idea - no matter how effectively mosquitoes are repelled.
Yes, mosquitoes may carry scary-sounding diseases - but in reality, due to their short life span, most mosquitoes in North America don't live long enough to contract a nasty disease from one mammal or bird, and then infect oneself or one's family via mosquito bite. Besides, an animal with a nasty disease isn't likely to live very long, either, and so is less likely to be bitten by very many mosquitoes.
Furthermore, the vast majority of people infected by scary-sounding diseases by mosquitoes, never even know they were ever infected. In North America, most mosquito-carried diseases (even the scary-sounding ones) are swiftly killed by the human immune system upon entering the bloodstream. Of course, special care to avoid mosquitoes must be taken to protect infants, elderly persons, & people with preexisting conditions which compromise their immune systems.
For most people, mosquito bites are most likely to just be really annoying, not dangerous.
That said, excessive use of Citronella repellant products Always leads to exposure to toxic fumes.
This is Not to say that Citronella products must be avoided entirely! Rather, it means that the risk posed by prevention methods should be realistically weighed against the potential risks posed by mosquito bites.
Citronella candles and oils can be utilized safely, if used wisely:
Place in well-ventilated areas only (which one probably already does, as such repellants are only used outdoors)
Keep out of reach of children and pets, by a generous margin
Use sparingly, rather than creating a toxic-fume-zone with dozens of Citronella products
Ensure contamination of food and beverages with Citronella oil is virtually impossible (use basic common sense)
Always avoid directly inhaling fumes emitted by Citronella - Especially Burning Citronella
There's no absolute answer to whether or not Citronella should be used, nor is it easy to tell how much exposure one receives - nor is it easily determinable exactly how much is 'too much.'
Don't get worried or hung up on the matter because the real answer, is the same answer, all the time:
Use knowledgeably, with care, in moderation.
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