There are plenty of outdoor critters that we want to stay far, far away from. Some of them can provide minor annoyances while others can actually present a danger to us. Wasps are one of the most prevalent things in the latter list.
It doesn’t take being stung to know just how dangerous a wasp can be and the worst thing in the world is finding a hive somewhere on your property. Instead of being afraid of the constant threat of wasps, there are plenty of things that you can do about it.
Here are more than a few ways to keep wasps away from your garage so that you can come and go peacefully.
1 – Regular Maintenance
Without proper maintenance and regular inspections of your garage, you leave a figurative window open for wasps to make their nest either on or under the garage. You don’t need to do anything thorough; just give the garage a quick inspection once or twice a month.
Make sure that you seal any holes or cracks that you locate since wasps can make their home in some pretty small openings. If your garage roof has a pretty substantial overhang, this can be the most appealing area for wasps to hang out.
You can try installing something such as mesh or wire screening all across the area but checking up on it and using an insect repellent should be enough. The main purpose of this is that you want to eliminate any of the ideal living areas for wasps to build their nests.
It is easier to prevent them from showing up rather than trying to get rid of them, after all.
2 – Clear Out Empty Nests
Here’s a random fact about wasps: they will only use the nest that they build for about a year or so before they abandon it. So there’s a chance that you may have had a wasp problem around your home or garage without even knowing it.
When you do your monthly inspection, you might come across an empty nest. Even though these nests aren’t currently harboring wasps, it’s a good idea to practice getting rid of them.
They won’t use that abandoned nest again but they may get the signal that the area in or around your garage is okay for building future nests.
In a similar vein as doing regular maintenance, this is about dispelling and discouraging wasps from building their nests. If they feel welcome, they will be more persistent and show up in spaces that they feel will make a good home.
3 – Get Rid of Their Food Sources
With any kind of pest, be it an insect or a larger critter such as a raccoon, having access to a consistent source of food is why they may seem so persistent. If you notice that wasps are frequenting your garage — either inside or out — look around for potential food sources.
Wasps tend to be attracted to sugary, sweet things. So if you do your barbecuing near the garage, there’s a chance that your grill is attracting the wasps. Make sure to clean up thoroughly and properly store your grill so that the wasps aren’t attracted to any leftover foodstuffs.
Perhaps the most favorite food of wasps is rotten fruit. If you have trees in your yard, especially close to the garage, keep an eye on any fallen fruit. Pick them up, dispose of them properly, and you should be able to keep the wasps away.
4 – Remove Any Brush Piles
General cleanliness is the best idea for keeping wasps away from your garage. When you have loose piles of logs, brush, and debris around or in your garage, it is a welcome haven for wasps. Not only that, but there are also certain types of wasps that will prefer old, dead wood.
Keep your garage free and clear of these piles and you will take away one more space for the wasps to nest in. There are even some varieties of wasps that will nest in holes in the ground as long as they are deep enough.
When cleaning around your garage, be on the lookout for deep holes. Even if there is a nest in there, you can fill in the hole completely and it will not only kill the wasps in there but deter others from returning to that space.
If you store firewood outside of your garage, make sure that you cover it. There are quite a few critters, wasps included, that make their home in the spaces between the logs.
You don’t want to go out to grab some firewood only to get a nasty surprise.
5 – Remove the Pheromone Trail
Wasps are unique in one certain way. They leave chemical trails known as pheromones that are meant to alert any future wasps that there were wasps previously in the area.
This can tell future wasps whether or not the area is desirable, encouraging them to build their nests somewhere nearby.
So to remove this message, we need to get rid of the pheromone trail. You can do this relatively easily. First, locate the area where the nest is or was. Then, with some hot water and soap, scrub that area thoroughly.
Even if you can’t see the pheromone trail, it doesn’t mean that the trail is not there. But by eliminating both the nest and the pheromone trail, you can be certain that there are no lingering messages to future wasps.
6 – Install a Fake Nest
Wasps are very territorial in nature. Generally speaking, wasps won’t build their nests in close proximity to other nests. This can present you with the perfect opportunity to build a wasp deterrent in or on your garage.
You can purchase fake wasps’ nests online and place them in an obvious area on or around your garage. Even if you don’t want to buy one, you can create one pretty simply using a clear or paper bag.
When you have this decoy nest hanging around, you will have a natural deterrent that should keep wasps from taking up residence in or around your garage.
7 – Use a Repellent Plant
As with just about any pest and insect, wasps do not like overwhelmingly strong scents. So if you’re looking to keep wasps away from your garage, you can plant certain kinds of plants around the garage to naturally keep the wasps away.
Try creating a garden around the exterior of the garage containing a combination of citronella, spearmint, thyme, or eucalyptus. Keeping the wasps away may be the real purpose but they will also look nice around the garage, providing a nice aesthetic that didn’t exist before.
Even better, there are a ton of herbal remedies, repellents, and cooking recipes that you can use these plant varieties in. It is so effective that you’ll wonder why you didn’t decide to plant a garden sooner.
Final Thoughts
Getting rid of wasps is an annoyance. Save yourself the trouble by taking preventative measures that will keep them away for good.
It will save you the hassle of removing them and save you the scare of seeing buzzing wasps around an area that you are trying to get to.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.