Australia is home to a diverse range of wasp species. You have probably experienced some of these unwanted visitors at an outdoor picnic, or while enjoying your garden. For many, wasps can be more than just an annoyance though, they can be dangerous. If you are allergic to wasps, the sight of a nest at your home can be incredibly scary. Therefore, knowing what can attract wasps is extremely useful in preventing them from choosing your home to establish their nests.
Here we have outlined some of the things that wasps are looking for in a home. As a result, you can take steps to avoid wasps sharing your outdoor living space.
Shelter
Much like humans, wasps need shelter from the environment. Luckily for them, humans have built excellent dwellings full of warm cavities, hidden cracks, and overhanging eaves.
Heading into the colder months, wasps will seek a haven for their colony. Staying inside the walls of your house, or underneath your eaves is a very attractive prospect for wasps. Put simply, it enables them to hibernate in comfort knowing they are safe and warm during winter. Furthermore, wasps are enticed to areas around your home where there is easy access to weathered wood. This is a popular material used by wasps to build their nests.
So, to reduce the likelihood of wasps finding safe shelter at your home, ensure your house is well maintained, and repair any cracks or potential entry points. Additionally, you should ensure that you remove any wooden debris from around your home.
Insects
Wasps need to eat. Insects provide a great food source for wasps – it’s actually one good quality of a wasp, they help control the bug population. However, if a wasp decides that your home is an ideal nesting location, this probably means that food is in constant supply. This can be a sign that you may have an insect problem.
Therefore, dealing with any insect problems may make your home less appealing to wasps.
Food & water
During spring and summer, wasps are on the hunt for food in preparation for winter. Any food scraps left in the open will provide wasps with easy access to food, and therefore provide an attractive place to nest. To help prevent this, you need to ensure your rubbish is bagged securely and, if possible, stored in a concealed container, for example, a garbage bin, when outside.
Similarly, wasps also need water to survive. If you have any outdoor water sources or standing water around your house, you should remove them to avoid attracting wasps.
Flowers
We all love a flowering garden. But keep in mind that wasps also enjoy a sweet scent. Flowers provide nectar and emit a fragrance that attracts wasps. Therefore, if your garden has an abundance of blooms, you are more likely to find wasps around your home.
So, be on the lookout for holes or burrows in your garden where a wasp may decide to build its nest.
Control them before they control you
If you are experiencing difficulties with wasps at your home, call in professionals to help. Total Termite & Pest Control are the experts in eradicating pest problems and protecting your family against reinfestation. Contact us today for a free consultation and quote.
