Why Are Wasps Flying Into Your Langton Green Home? Common Causes and Solutions
Grilled meat, sugary drinks and open salads are a strong draw for wasps, and a few simple habits can keep the party outdoors and the wasps away.
Why barbecues attract wasps
A barbecue combines nearly everything a wasp wants. Meat gives protein for the colony, sauces and drinks supply sugar, and the warm air carries the smell far across a garden. A wasp that finds the table will keep returning, and when guests carry plates into the house, the wasps follow.
In Langton Green, as anywhere, a summer evening with friends can end in a chase around the kitchen. A little planning avoids that.
Children's parties need a word of their own. Juice cartons, jelly, ice lollies and cake are a very strong draw, and young children often drop food or wander off with a drink. Appoint an adult to keep an eye on the food table, to wipe sticky hands and to clear plates as soon as they are empty.
Setting up the garden
Where and how you eat make a big difference:
- Place the table well away from the back door, so food does not pass through.
- Keep drinks in a covered cool box rather than on the table.
- Serve food in covered dishes and uncover each only when needed.
- Use cups with lids or straws, and check before sipping.
- Provide a lidded bin for plates and scraps, set away from the seating area.
- Clear and wipe the table straight after eating.
If you can, set up a separate table with food and drink further down the garden, as a decoy. It will take wasps away from where people are sitting.
A lid is cheap protection. Food covers, mesh domes and tea towels all do the job, and clear plastic tubs with clip lids are easy to stack. Put the drinks in a bucket of ice with a cloth across the top, and the sweet smells stay put.
If you light the barbecue, remember that the smell of cooking meat carries well beyond the garden. Place the grill downwind of the seating if you can, and cook in batches so that food is eaten while it is hot, rather than standing on a table in the sun.
Moving indoors
When the meal ends, bring things in carefully. Scrape plates and bin the scraps outside. Rinse glasses before they come in. Wipe the table, the chairs and any sticky patches on the patio. Shut the back door after each trip.
Check that no wasp has hitched a lift on a plate, in a bowl or on a bag of rubbish. Shake out cloths and napkins before taking them inside.
A bin with a snug lid is worth the investment. If you are expecting a crowd, put out two, so people do not leave plates on the ground. Empty both before the guests go home, since a full bin left in the garden overnight is an invitation for the next morning.
Pets at a barbecue need watching as well. A dog that picks up a dropped sausage may also pick up a wasp. Keep food out of reach and bring bowls inside.
When the party is not the cause
If wasps appear at lunchtime on a day with no barbecue, or keep coming to the house after the food has been cleared, there may be a nest close by. Watch the edges of the garden, the shed, the fence line and the eaves for a steady flow.
Wasps start nests from late April depending on the weather, and a colony may reach from 2,000 to 10,000 or more by August. The more people and food in the garden, the more likely you are to meet foragers. Do not carry on with the party near a visible flight line.
If you can, watch the garden for a few minutes before the party starts. A steady stream of wasps going to a hedge, a wall or the ground is a sign that it is wise to wait. A nest close to the seating area can turn a pleasant afternoon into a hazard.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast too. A warm, still evening is the best time for wasps, and the best time for guests, so the two often coincide. If you can choose, eat a little earlier or later in the day and see how many wasps are about before you serve. A few minutes of watching beforehand can tell you a good deal about the afternoon ahead of you.
If a guest is stung
Wash the sting site, remove the sting if you can see it and hold a cold pack against it. Ring 999 immediately for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. People with known allergies should speak to their GP and should carry any medicine they have been told to.
Ask guests in advance whether anyone has an allergy, so you can plan where to sit and who to alert.
Brief your guests with a short, friendly word. Stay still if a wasp lands, do not swat, and move slowly away. Children tend to copy adults, so showing calm is the best protection.
Arranging a visit
Wasp Exterminator Kent treats a nest for a fixed £120 per nest, with one visit guaranteed, and an extra nest on the same property is £60 each. There is no call-out charge and no extra for location or time of day. The technicians are fully insured and qualified, and they work for homes and businesses, seven days a week. Evening and weekend appointments are available, so you can book before a planned event.
Ring 01622 410 019 or use the online form on the contact page, which also takes emergency requests out of hours. If you have an event coming up, say when, so we can try to fit it in.
Plan ahead if you are hosting a large gathering. A visit booked several days beforehand means the garden is clear for the day, and you can enjoy it without wondering where the wasps are.
Wasps on your property in Langton Green?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.