Wasp Population 2018; Why Are There So Many Wasps Around My Mount Laurel, NJ House?

It seems like in recent years, we are dealing with more wasps than ever before. This aggressive stinging insect can be down-right brutal if they have set their sights on you. One of the reasons we have found ourselves dealing with more wasps than normal is the weather. If we don’t have a harsh enough winter, many wasps can survive through the cold season and we find ourselves dealing with even more of these insects than we normally would. Ross Environmental Solutions is here to talk about some natural ways you can try to battle wasps in an effort to keep them off your property this summer.

Plants that Repel Wasps in Your Garden

While wasps are protein hunters, they will also pause to smell the flowers. If you are looking for ways to get rid of them, try cutting back some of the flowers in your landscaping and replace them with more greenery that will not attract wasp activity. Some plants like eucalyptus, wormwood, spearmint and thyme citronella will work to naturally deter wasps so plant them in gardens that are near areas you want to spend time this spring and summer.

Sugar & Water Wasp Traps

Wasps are attracted to sugary foods and drinks. If you have ever left a sugary drink out at a BBQ before, you may remember a wasp having found it and rendering it useless. This is why this next trick works so well. To make your own, you can cut off the top of a 2-liter soda bottle and invert the top of it. Fill the bottle with some sugary water and the wasps won’t be able to resist it. Once they make their way inside the bottle, they aren’t smart enough to figure out how to get back out and will be trapped until they die.

How to Use Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Nest Building Wasps

You will find that wasps don’t actually like any type of mint. Planting any type of mint in your yard is a good way to keep them away, but if you notice there is one place that they particularly like to build their nests, you can use a peppermint oil soaked cotton swab to treat the area and keep wasps from building there. Good places to pay particular attention to include porch roofs, under eaves and any other small openings or ledges that may entice wasps to build their nests.

Wasp Nest Removal

There are a few ways to remove wasp nests from your property that you may read about on the internet etc but Ross Environmental Solutions doesn’t recommend them as there is a serious risk of agitating the wasps and getting stung repeatedly.
Soap & Water- Spraying a mixture of soap and water at aerial nests works to kill wasps. It clogs their airways and works almost immediately but not before they have time to sting you.
Drowning Nests- You can drown nests using a hose. But again, you should know that with this method, there is a high risk of being stung and should be avoided particularly if you are allergic.
Smoke- Filling nests with smoke is another way to get rid of a wasp nest. You can do this by placing a grill under the area where the nest is hanging but it is likely to aggravate the wasps. Removing wasp nests is a dangerous job and should be left to the pest professionals at Ross Environmental Solutions. Call us today for all your pest control needs!