How to Prevent Wasps (and Their Nests) in Your Yard

Wasps are a common nuisance for Louisiana homeowners, especially in the humid months between July and September. They build nests and swarm in your yard, threatening your family and pets. The best way to prevent wasps and their nests is to remove anything that’s attracting them, and call in professional exterminators for treatment.

To avoid a painful encounter with a wasp this summer, the experts at Ja-Roy Pest Control are sharing what you need to know about avoiding them during the warm season. 

Tips to Prevent Wasps 

So, what can you do to deter them from building nests near your home? Use these tips to keep stinging insects away from your space:

• Keep your trash cans tightly closed and away from your house. 
• Dispose of garbage regularly and do not leave food scraps outside.
• Remove any standing water from your yard, such as birdbaths, buckets, or puddles. 
• Seal any cracks or gaps around your house that stinging insects can use to enter or nest. Use caulk, mesh, or steel wool to block them.
• Trim back any overgrown vegetation from your yard, including grass, weeds, bushes, or vines. 
• Avoid planting flowers that attract stinging insects, such as lavender, mint, or sunflowers. 
• Instead plant lemongrass or eucalyptus to repel wasps.
• Call in wasp extermination professionals. Pest control experts can remove wasp nests safely and apply treatments to discourage future infestations.

Why Are There Wasps in My Louisiana Yard?

Your yard likely has everything a stinging insect could want: food, water, shelter, and nectar from plants and flowers. They often find these abundant food sources in uncovered trash bins, gardens with flowering plants, and areas where insects thrive. 

Standing water from ponds, birdbaths, or clogged gutters can offer wasps a hydration point, while sheds, eaves, and hollow trees make perfect spots for building their nests.

Types of Wasps in Your Yard

Many types of stinging insects can invade your yard. Knowing which type you have can help you create an effective strategy for preventing or eliminating an infestation. Here in Louisiana, the most common types of stinging insects you’ll see include:

• Cicada killer wasp: This large wasp has a black and yellow pattern on its body and orange wings. It can grow up to two inches long and has a mild sting. It digs burrows in the ground to lay eggs on cicadas.
• Mud dauber: This slender wasp has a black or metallic blue body and yellow markings. It can grow up to one inch long and has a mild sting. It builds mud nests on walls, ceilings, or eaves.
• Paper wasp: This medium-sized wasp has a brown or black body and yellow markings. It can grow up to nearly an inch long and has a moderate sting. It builds paper nests under eaves, ledges, or branches.
• Yellowjacket: This tiny wasp has a black and yellow pattern on its body. It can grow up to half an inch long and has a painful sting. It builds paper nests in the ground, under logs, or in wall cavities. One yellow jacket prevention method is to seal any cracks or holes in your walls or roof that could provide them with a nesting site.

How to Identify Which Nest You Have

Many people confuse bees for wasps and wasps for hornets, which is dangerous, considering some pose more of a threat than others. Wasps often nest in structures like raised Acadian-style porches, boat sheds, or outdoor kitchens.

The best way to identify the differences between these insects is by learning what their nests look like:

• Paper wasp nests: Paper wasps construct open, exposed nests that most often resemble upside-down umbrellas.
• Yellowjacket nests: Yellowjackets build nests that are covered in a papery substance and are often found within wall voids or cavities in the ground.
• Bald-faced hornets: This species also builds papery-covered nests that can be located in natural cavities like tree stumps or cavities within buildings.

Should I Remove the Nest Myself?

When it comes to bees, wasps, and hornets, there’s always a risk of the insect stinging or being aggressive toward you. For that reason alone, it’s important not to attempt to control bee or wasp problems yourself. 

Even during the cooler months when nests appear abandoned, they still aren’t completely safe to approach. Trying to handle a bee problem with DIY methods is simply out of the question, especially if you or someone nearby is allergic to bee stings.