How to Make a Soda Bottle Wasp Catcher

Keep wasps away from you with your wasp catcher and protect yourself from stings.

Wasps make their presence known during the warmer months and particularly when inviting foods, perfumes or drinks are available. While the best way to be rid of wasps is to remove the nest itself, this may not always be a possibility. Whether you're in your own yard, on a picnic or other outdoor excursion, you can keep wasps away from your area with a homemade soda bottle wasp catcher.

Things You'll Need

• Empty soda bottle
• Box cutter knife
• Ruler
• Sugar-sweetened soda
• Dishwashing liquid
• Duct tape
• Jelly
• Peanut butter

Instructions

1. 

   An empty soda bottle makes the foundation of your wasp catcher.

   Cut an empty soda bottle—of any size from 20 ounces to 2 liters—with a box cutting knife one inch below the top curve of the bottle. Dispose of the bottle cap and set the top part of the soda bottle to the side.

2. Fill the bottom part of the soda bottle with water. Use a sugar-sweetened soda or a mixture of soda and water if you also want to trap and kill other bees, including yellowjackets. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the water or soda, then swirl the solution around to mix it.

3. Turn the top part of the soda bottle upside down and slide it into the opening of the bottom part of the soda bottle until the edges meet. Tape the two parts together with small pieces of duct tape.

4. 

   Wasps seek protein-based and sugar-based foods.

   Smear jelly inside one half of the soda bottle neck and peanut butter on the other half of the bottle neck. Because wasps alternate looking for protein-based foods and sugar-based foods, depending upon the time of year or weather, you will be prepared either way with peanut butter and jelly.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix a few pinches of boric acid in with the peanut butter or jelly and kill ants, too.

• Never swat at wasps as that will make them angry and prone to attack.

References

• Earth Easy: Natural Non-Toxic Wasp Control

Resources

• University of Idaho: Yellowjackets, Hornets and Wasps