How to Get Rid of Wasps With Homemade Items

Yellow jacket wasps are common in U.S. gardens

Wasps are an unwelcome garden pest for many Americans. The majority of wasp stings are from yellow jacket wasps. They tend to nest in sheltered, dry locations. Areas such as attic nooks, garden trees, or the space under wooden patio decks make ideal homes for wasps--which is why they're often found in the garden. The presence of nests makes wasps more aggressive and the chances of being stung greater. One way to combat wasps in the garden is to build simple homemade traps using a plastic bottle or a milk jug.

Things You'll Need

• 2-liter plastic bottle
• Adhesive tape
• Fishing line
• Soda pop
• Sharp knife
• Milk jug

Instructions

Using a Plastic Bottle

1. Find an empty 2-liter plastic bottle. Cut the bottle top off about a half inch below the point where the body becomes straight. Make the cut line as even as possible. This should create a funnel shape.

2. Put a couple of rocks in the large section of the bottle. This is to help make sure the bottle doesn't blow over.

3. Insert the funnel top-first into the larger bottle section. Fix the funnel firmly in place using adhesive or duct tape. If you want to hang the trap from a tree branch, punch two holes in the bottle close to the top, and run some fishing line through the holes.

4. Pour in a little soda or sugary drink. Make sure it doesn't touch the rim or the sides of the funnel. Drop in a few small pieces of apple or melon rind. Ideal trap placement is close to a nest. Place the trap away from areas frequented by people. The wasps will be attracted to the sugary bait, but when they enter via the funnel, they will get stuck in the trap.

Using a Milk Jug

1. Find an empty quarter-gallon plastic milk jug or orange juice bottle.

2. Pierce the bottle on each side using a sharp knife or metal punch.

3. Run a length of fishing line through the bottle via the two punched holes. Knot the line securely so the bottle can hang from a branch.

4. Pour some orange juice, soda, or sugar water into the bottle and suspend it from a tree branch. Wasps should fall in and be unable to escape.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful when checking the traps. Wasps may be near the traps, or may still be alive when you try to remove them.

References

• University of Maryland: Common Stinging Insects
• Washington State University: Yellow Jacket and Paper Wasps
• Critter Controllers: Wasp Traps