No one ever wants to deal with a wasp problem. While sometimes a wasp problem may be inevitable, other times it is possible to avoid one from developing. When trying to prevent wasps from invading your property, it is important to know what attracts wasps to your property in the first place. After you have a better understanding of why wasps are coming into your yard or home, it is then easier to remove those attractants to prevent a wasp infestation. Prevention is truly the best form of Olympia wasp control.
What Attracts Wasps to Homes?
Wasps are insects and like all insects, they need a few basic necessities to survive. If your home or yard contains these items that are attractive to wasps, they will find them and build a nest nearby. The biggest elements that attract wasps to homes are as follows:
- Safety: Wasps may seem like some of the most harmful insects, but they also have their own predators they need shelter from. Dragonflies, praying mantis, and birds are just some of the predator’s wasps face. To avoid danger, wasps will create a nest in the top of chimneys, the undersides of bushes, under your eavestroughs, and any other place that provides safe shelter.
- Food sources: Spilled sugary drinks, overflowing garbage cans, and protein-rich foods that are left out will all attract wasps to your yard and home. Even flowers, anthills, and hummingbird feeders can all provide a food source for wasps.
- Building materials: Wasps need a significant amount of building materials to create their nests. Old wooden fences, rotting tree bark, landscaping plants, and damaged siding are just a few of the items wasps will use to build their nests.