How to Repel Wasps

A critical part of wasp control and management is repelling and preventing wasps from settling on your property in the first place. Understanding how to repel wasps can significantly reduce the chances of dealing with an established wasp nest later in the summer when their populations peak and become more aggressive. By implementing effective repellent strategies early on, you can minimize the risk of painful stings and the potential danger wasps pose to your home and family. These proactive measures are essential for maintaining a safe and comfortable environment that is free from the threat of these territorial stinging insects.

What Repels Wasps

There are several DIY strategies you can implement to help reduce the likelihood of wasps settling on your property to establish a nest. Utilizing natural repellents and preventive measures can effectively deter these stinging insects.

Grow Garden Variety Wasp Repelling Plants

Wasps have a keen sense of smell, which they use to locate food sources. It is possible to use this enhanced olfactory sense against them. Certain herbs and plants act as natural repellents including lemongrass, spearmint, thyme, eucalyptus, wormwood, basil, citronella, and cloves. Additionally, flowers like marigolds, geraniums, and pennyroyals are also effective in deterring wasps. Planting these varieties around your property near windows and doors can help keep wasps at bay and reduce the chances of them establishing nests in places like eaves, gutters, and overhangs.

Use Essential Oils That Repel Wasps

In addition to using natural plants, you can use extracted essential oil blends from certain plants to help deter wasps. Studies indicate that essential oils can help repel yellow jackets and paper wasps.



The essential oils that can be used to deter wasps include:

• Cloves
• Lemongrass
• Spearmint
• Peppermint
• Wintergreen
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Patchouli
• Citronella
• Ylang Ylang
• Pennyroyal
• Geranium
• Roman chamomile
• Thyme
• Fennel seed
• Anise

One of the most effective combinations involves mixing clove, lemongrass, and geranium essential oils diluted with water. These oils contain compounds like eugenol, P/I menthone, pulegone, l-carvone, E/Z citral, citronellal, methyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, methyl salicylate, and 3-octanol, which have strong repelling effects on wasps. This method has to be repeated regularly, but it can be used to treat areas where wasps are most likely to build nests to deter their activity.

Create an Effective Homemade Wasp Repellent Spray

To create an effective homemade wasp repellent spray, you will need the following items:

• Large spray bottle
• Peppermint oil
• Lemongrass oil
• Geranium oil
• Dish soap
• Water

How to make the wasp repellent spray:

• Fill a spray bottle with plain water.
• Add 10 – 20 drops of each of the essential oils (lemongrass, peppermint, and geranium) per liter of water.
• Introduce a small amount of dish soap to the water.
• Agitate the bottle thoroughly before each use.
• Spray the mixture in areas where wasp activity has been identified.

What Doesn’t Repel Wasps?

With all the effective wasp repellents available, it's important to know that some proposed methods, like fake wasp nests, are often ineffective at deterring wasps. Misconceptions about these methods can lead to persistent wasp problems if relied upon exclusively.

Fake Wasp Nests are Not an Effective Wasp Repellent

A popular wasp repellent strategy that has been gaining notoriety recently is the use of decoy wasp nests. This strategy is based on the assumption that because wasps are territorial, they won’t establish a competing nest nearby. However, this assumption has proven to be flawed, and decoy wasp nests are not effective in deterring wasps. Studies do not support this method, and entomologists suggest several reasons for its ineffectiveness. One critical reason is that while wasps are territorial, these decoy nests do not contain any wasps to defend the surrounding territory. As a result, wandering wasps assume the decoy is just an empty or dead nest that contains no active wasps. Additionally, the decoy nests lack the correct chemical and olfactory signals that wasps use to navigate their environment. Without these cues to indicate that the decoy is an active nest, any wasps that encounter a decoy won’t perceive it as such.

How to Prevent Wasps

Preventing wasps by removing attractants and sealing access points is crucial for keeping their populations under control. This involves eliminating food sources, securing garbage cans, and closing potential nesting sites.

Get Rid of Unwanted Foods

Wasps are often attracted to outdoor gatherings where food is present, especially picnics, BBQs, and parties. They seek high energy foods that contain proteins, sugars, and carbohydrates to sustain their metabolism and feed their larvae. Wasps are likely to be drawn to protein rich foods around grills and BBQs and sweet drinks at these events. To minimize their presence, it's crucial to clean up food scraps promptly, cover dishes when not in use, and thoroughly clean grills and BBQ areas after use. By managing food sources effectively, you can reduce the likelihood of attracting wasps to your outdoor events.

Keep Drinks Covered

Wasps have a natural affinity for nectar but have evolved to seek out sugary beverages like soft drinks and other sweet refreshments. This attraction can pose a risk when wasps enter bottles or cans as this can potentially lead to stings when someone tries to take a drink. To avoid this, it is recommended that all drinks are sealed or covered when outdoors. Using lids or straws with covers can help prevent wasps from getting into your beverages and reduce the risk of accidental stings.

Seal Trash Cans

Trash cans often contain food remnants that attract wasps scavenging for their next meal. To minimize wasp activity around your property, it's important to keep trash cans tightly sealed. This practice not only prevents wasps from accessing discarded food but also reduces the likelihood of them establishing nests nearby. Compost bins should also be kept sealed, as the decomposition of fruits and other organic matter can similarly draw in wasps. Consistent maintenance and proper sealing of garbage and compost containers can effectively deter wasps from frequenting your area.

Cover or Fill Holes in the Ground

Certain species of wasps, like yellow jackets often build their nests underground. They can create new nests or utilize abandoned rodent burrows. In the spring, fertile female wasps search for these empty nests to establish their colonies. To prevent yellow jackets from repurposing these spaces, it's important to cover or fill any holes in the ground around your property. By doing so, you can significantly reduce the risk of an underground wasp infestation which ensures a safer environment for outdoor activities.

Use Soap and Water on Smaller Nests

For tackling smaller wasp nests, a simple solution of dish soap and water can be effective when used cautiously and correctly. The soap works by blocking the wasps' breathing pores which causes them to suffocate. To prepare the solution, mix 2 tablespoons of dish soap with water in a spray bottle. Thoroughly saturate the nest and the wasps with the solution. Ensure you wear protective clothing to minimize the risk of being stung while performing this task.

Clean Up Under Fruit Trees and Bushes

Wasps are naturally attracted to the sweet juices found in various fruits, which makes fruit trees and bushes prime locations for wasp activity. If there are fruit producing plants or trees on your property, fallen fruit can provide wasps with a reliable food source. This source of food encourages wasps to build nests nearby. To mitigate this attraction, promptly harvest ripe fruits and clear away any fallen produce from the ground. By removing this key component of their diet, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of wasps establishing a nest in your vicinity.

Wasp Exclusion 

It is crucial to seal any openings or cracks around your patio, deck, siding, or under the eaves of your roof to prevent wasps from finding a place to create a nest. These small gaps can offer a protected environment that is ideal for a fertile female wasp to establish her nest. Regularly inspect your home's exterior for potential entry points and use caulking or other sealing materials to close them off. This proactive approach can significantly reduce the chances of wasps settling around your home, ensuring a safer and more comfortable environment.

Close Any Open Entry Ways into Your Home

Wasps will often find their way inside if they detect strong scents of cooked meats, baked goods, ripening fruits, or sugary drinks. Wasps typically infiltrate homes through unsealed openings such as open windows, doors, damaged window screens, vents, and other small entry points. To keep wasps out of your home, it is essential to keep doors and windows closed and repair any tears in window screens. By doing so, you can prevent wasps from being attracted to and invading your indoor spaces.

Get Rid of Wasps Using Wasp Traps

Wasp traps are an effective strategy that homeowners can use to manage wasp populations before seeking professional help. These traps work by luring wasps into a container with a sweet liquid bait, where they become trapped and eventually drown in the liquid at the bottom. Wasp traps are simple to make using common household items and can significantly reduce the number of wasps around your property. They provide a practical and cost-effective solution to control wasp activity and prevent them from becoming a more significant problem.

How to Make a Homemade Wasp Trap

Essential items for constructing an efficient wasp trap:



• Empty 2L bottle
• Regular one-sided tape
• Scissors or razor
• Sugar
• Dish soap
• Jam

How to make the trap:

1. Take a 2-liter bottle and use scissors or a razor to cut the bottle right where it starts to taper inwards.
2. Fill the bottom half of the 2L bottle with water, sugar, and dish soap, and give it a good stir to mix the solution together. Ensure the liquid level in the bottom half remains below the bottle's neck.
3. Remove the bottle cap and apply a thin layer of jam around the opening.
4. Invert the top half of the bottle so it hangs from the opening in the bottom half, and tape the two sections together to secure them.
5. Leave the wasp trap somewhere close to where wasps are active.

The jam and sugar water mix should attract wasps through the mouthpiece, and the structure of the trap should keep the wasps inside until they land on the surface of the water. The soap-infused water helps submerge the wasps resulting in their demise. While this trap is effective at capturing individual wasps, it will not address a larger wasp infestation. To eliminate an entire wasp nest, professional help will be needed.

Contact EcoForce Pest Management if You Are Dealing with Wasps

If you are dealing with a wasp problem, don't let it compromise your safety and comfort. EcoForce Pest Management offers professional and effective solutions to manage and eliminate wasp infestations. Our experienced team uses safe and reliable methods to ensure your home and yard are wasp free. Contact EcoForce Pest Management today to schedule an inspection and take the first step towards a wasp free environment. We prioritize your wellbeing and safety above all else.

Wasp Repellent FAQs