If you have just built a new deck, then you’ll obviously want to sit out on it during the summer seasons.
However, there’s one thing that the summer also brings: wasps. But how can you keep the creatures off your precious decking?
Well, luckily there are some tried and tested techniques that you can use. The first step is to make sure that you remove all of the old wood and any other debris that may be lying around.
This will help to prevent them from nesting in the area.
Next, you need to ensure that you seal up any holes or cracks that could allow for entry into the house.
You don’t want to leave these areas open because they’re great places for wasps to enter your home. However, this is just one method of many.
Why Do Wasps Nest Around Decks?
Wasps nest in under and around decks because it provides them with a safe place to live.
They like to nest in warm environments, so if you’ve got an outdoor space that gets direct sunlight, then you should expect to see them living there.
What you love about your deck area, wasps love to.
However, you shouldn’t let this deter you from using your deck. There are plenty of ways to reduce their presence. So, what do you need to know about keeping wasps away from your decks?
How To Keep Wasps Away From Your Deck
Luckily, there are many methods of keeping wasp away from your outdoor living space.
These can range from easy methods to something that will actually take some crafting and really test your knowledge of minor DIY. So, here goes:
Decoy Wasps Nests
This is probably the easiest way to keep wasps away. All you need to do is create a decoy nest by placing a few pieces of paper inside a plastic bag.
Then, tie the top of the bag closed and place it somewhere where you think that they might find it.
You can even go as far as creating a fake wasp nest by cutting out a piece of cardboard and putting it inside a plastic bag.
Once again, put the top of the bag tightly shut and place it somewhere where wasps might find it.
You’ll notice that when wasps come across the decoy nests, they won’t bother to investigate further. Instead, they’ll simply fly back to the original nest.
As such, you can rest assured knowing that they won’t return to your real nest.
This is because wasps are very territorial by nature and won’t want to go near a rival nest. Therefore, once they’ve found a suitable spot for their own nest, they’ll stay there until they die.
You should try doing this during the springtime, when the wasps are not awaking from their wintertime slumber.
Ultrasonic Pest Repellents
If you want to get more creative, then you can opt for ultrasonic pest repellents. These devices emit sound waves at extremely high frequencies.
When these waves hit an insect, they cause vibrations that eventually kill them.
Ensure that you purchase one that emits sound waves between 3KHz and 10KHz. A range to high for humans to hear but powerful against wasp and many other backyard pests.
This device will also get rid of many other insects from your decking. For example, you may find that spiders and ants are repelled by the sound waves.
This is a great non-toxic method of getting rid of these creatures. However, one of the downsides is that it can also affect some of pets. Such as dogs who’s hearing is far supior to ours.
But if you don’t have pets around, its simple plug and play makes it very appealing.
Wasp Plates
This is when you place plates of food around your deck, away from any food that you have prepared. This can be great for when you are barbecueing. Keeping wasps away from your barbecue.
The idea behind using these plates is simple. Wasps love to eat sweet foods like honey. So, if you leave a plate of honey nearby, they’ll naturally gravitate towards it.
After placing the plate down, you should remove it after about 30 minutes. You can always cover it up with some aluminum foil, which will prevent the wasps from coming into your area.
You can also attract more wasps by placing a joint of beef away from the decking and your guest’s food.
Wasps are attracted to anything that smells good. So, you should ensure that you clean your plates regularly. Otherwise, you may find that they start attracting flies as well.
Water
One method of getting rid of wasps is by adding a water source nearby. The idea here is that the wasps will come over to drink. They might even drown if they spend too long around the water, or they accidentally fall in.
You can do this by installing a sprinkler system. Turning the water on whenever you go out onto your deck.
A simpler way is set a small bowl of water out away from your deck. Attracting the wasps to the water for a drink away from your deck.
A more perment alternative watering hole for the wasp would be a birdbath or water feature out in your garden. But be warned, watering the wasp will attract more wasp to the area. the wasp may not be on your deck but with a permeantent source of water may become very comfortable in your garden.
Covering Your Pool
Another option for getting rid of wasps would be to cover your pool. This is because they’re attracted to warm temperatures. So, if you put a lid on your pool, they won’t be able to access it.
However, you must remember that it’s important to check the weather forecast before doing this. It’s possible that there could be heavy rain or snowfall during the summer months. In such cases, you shouldn’t attempt to cover your pool.
You should make sure that your pool cover is quite weighted, otherwise, the wasps will crawl in any available gaps that they will find. If you are also experiencing adverse weather conditions, then this might also be something that will uncover your pool cover.
Wasp Traps
These traps work by making the wasp think that it has found a suitable nest. Once it has done so, it will enter the trap and die. There are two different types of wasp traps:
1) A sticky trap
2) An electric trap
A sticky trap works by luring the wasp into a container filled with glue. When the insect enters the container, it sticks itself to the walls and dies.
Electric traps work by emitting a high voltage current. This causes the wasp to become electrocuted. As soon as it touches the wires, it becomes stuck to them.
There are many different types of wasp traps available on the market today. Some of the most popular ones include:
• Sticky Trap – These are very simple to use. All you need to do is place one of these on top of your decking. Then, when you see a wasp flying overhead, simply shake the trap. The wasp will land on the trap and stick itself to it.
• Electric Wasps – These are similar to sticky traps. However, instead of using glue, they use electricity to kill the wasp.
The best thing about these traps is that they don’t require much maintenance. You just need to replace the batteries every few weeks.
You can also make your own wasp traps using a 2-liter bottle. This method will cost you much less and be easier to dispose of when you have used it.
However, you can buy professional traps from hardware stores.
However, if you can save some cash cash, then we would recommend that you make your own.
DIY Repellent Spray
This spray is made out of citronella oil. Citronella oil is known to repel insects, especially mosquitoes. You can buy this spray at your local store.
All you need to do is mix 1 part citronella oil with 3 parts water. Then, spray this mixture on your decking.
If you are worried about the smell of citronella oil, then you can always add some essential oils to the mixture.
Once you’ve sprayed the repellent onto your decking, you’ll need to wait for it to have an affect. Making it lest affect for sudden swarming of wasp when out enjoying your deck.
You can also make your own repellent with white vinegar and dish soap. Mix these ingredients together until you get a thick water spray.
Then, apply this mixture to your deck. The toxic chemicals in this spray will help you get rid of your wasps for good.
It’s recommended that you leave this mixture on your deck for 7 days. After that time period has passed, you can clean off the repellent with a damp cloth.
If you want to go even further, you can try spraying the mixture around your home. If you live near a wooded area, then you should consider doing this.
But do apply caution, both vinegar and dish soap can be harmful for plants and beneficial insects. Wasps and honeybees are closely related.
You can also use substances like cloves, geraniums and olive oil if you want a non-toxic method of getting rid of your flying pests. This will be a little harder to squeeze from the bottle, so you’ll want to make sure that you give it a good shake before spraying it.
Wasp-Repellant Plants
One of the easiest ways to keep wasps away is by planting plants that are known to repel them. Some examples include:
• Lavender – Lavender is known to repel bees and wasps.
• Catnip – Catnip is known to repel ants and flies.
• Mint – Mint is known to repel aphids and mites.
• Rosemary – Rosemary is known to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitos.
• Basil – Basil is known to repel cockroaches, ants and spiders.
• Sage – Sage is known to repel mice and rats.
• Peppermint – Peppermint is known to repel moths and beetles.
• Thyme – Thyme is known to repel silverfish and termites.
If you spread this around across your yard, then you can be certain that these pests will go nowhere near your decking. You can even place them in pots immediately surrounding your deck.
Getting Rid Of Fruit Bearing Plants
Fruit-bearing plants are known to attract fruit-eating insects such as wasps. To prevent this, you can plant flowers or herbs instead.
Some examples of plants that are known to attract wasp larvae include:
• Marigolds – These are known to repel both adult wasps and their offspring.
• Lilies – These are known to attract honeybees.
• Gerbera daisies – These are known to draw in bumblebees.
• Morning glory – These are known to lure butterflies.
• Nasturtiums – These are known to entice hoverflies.
• Dandelions – These are known to be attractive to yellow jackets.
Wasps love fruits, so once you have gotten rid of your fruit-bearing plants, then you’ll definitely reduce the risk of them buzzing around the area that you want.
Get Rid Of Your Hummingbird Feeders
Hummingbird feeders might not only attract hummingbirds but they will also attract wasps too.
This will ensure that no sugary substance remains which could attract wasps.
Another option is to relocate the hummingbird feeders moving the sugary treated out into the yard awy from the deck.
Remove Pet food From Your Decking
One method of getting rid of wasps from your decking is by taking away as many food sources as possible, and this includes dog and cat food.
If you tend to leave bowls out for your insects, then you might want to remove them and keep them in the house.
Your dog or cat can be quite avaricious when it comes to their food, so removing their bowls will ensure that there are no scraps that a wasp can feed on.
Do Not Kill Wasps On Your Decking
It’s important to remember that killing wasps isn’t going to help you at all. Instead, you should try to get rid of the nests first and then deal with the adults later on.
This is because when you kill wasps, they can release pheromones that will attract more wasps. It’s best to wait until the nest has been removed before dealing with the adults.
The best way to do this is to spray some insecticide into the hole where the nest used to be. Once the nest has been dealt with, then you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck up any remaining wasps.
You can also use a broom to sweep up any dead bodies. This will ensure that you don’t accidentally step on any wasps while walking around your property.
Close Up All Decking Holes
If you notice that wasps are starting to build nests inside your decking, then you need to close up all holes that they might be using. This means that you need to seal off all gaps between the boards.
To do this, you can use wood filler or even caulking. You can also use caulk to fill cracks between the boards.
Once you’ve done this, then you won’t have to worry about wasps building nests inside your decking anymore.
Remove Garbage Cans from Around your Deck
Another thing that you can do to prevent wasps from nesting under your decking is to remove garbage cans away from the area. This will mean that the wasps cannot access the rubbish easily.
It is not only food waste that is attractive to wasps.
For example, paper wasps like to eat paper products such as newspapers and magazines. So, if you’re worried about these types of wasps, you will need to remove paper also from on your deck.
Conclusion
Wasps can be one of the most annoying pests that you can experience in your garden. However, you can still enjoy your outdoor space without having to put up with them.
By following the tips above, you’ll be able to stop wasps from building nests underneath your decking and hopefully enjoy the rest of your summer.