To keep yellow jackets away effectively, follow these key strategies:
Eliminate Food and Attractive Scents
- Keep outdoor trash cans tightly sealed and clean to avoid attracting yellow jackets with food scraps or odors.
- Clean up spilled drinks, food crumbs, and pet food promptly.
- Avoid using floral or sweet-smelling beauty products outdoors, as these attract yellow jackets.
- Cover food and drinks during outdoor activities to prevent attracting them
Use Natural Repellents and Plants
- Spray a mixture of peppermint oil and water around your home and outdoor areas; yellow jackets dislike the smell of peppermint.
- Other essential oils that repel yellow jackets include clove, pennyroyal, lemongrass, spearmint, and lavender.
- Plant natural repellents like mint (spearmint or peppermint), eucalyptus, thyme, marigold, or basil around your yard or patio
Maintain Outdoor Areas
- Regularly clean your outdoor spaces with soapy water to remove residues that attract yellow jackets.
- Fix leaks and avoid overwatering plants to reduce moisture that draws them.
- Mow the lawn and trim shrubs to reduce hiding and nesting spots.
- Seal cracks and openings around your home’s exterior to prevent yellow jackets from entering or nesting
Additional Methods
- Use DIY yellow jacket traps with sweet baits like fruit juice or sugary water placed away from high-traffic areas to reduce their numbers.
- Consider placing decoy yellow jacket nests to discourage real colonies from settling nearby.
- Avoid wearing bright colors or floral prints outdoors, as these attract yellow jackets
Safety and Professional Help
- If you find an active nest, it’s safest to contact a pest control professional for removal.
- When dealing with yellow jackets yourself, wear protective clothing and work during low-activity times like dawn or dusk to minimize stings
Combining these approaches will help keep yellow jackets away from your yard and outdoor living spaces effectively.
