Dining Wary of Wasps: Strategies for Peaceful Meals - A Guide to Unwind at Dining: Easy Strategies for Peaceful Mealtimes
As the warm weather of summer arrives, many of us look forward to enjoying meals outside. However, the presence of common wasps (Vespula vulgaris) and German wasps (Vespula germanica) can sometimes make this a less enjoyable experience. To help you enjoy your outdoor meals safely and comfortably, here are some key strategies to minimize attractants and reduce wasp access to food and drinks.
Firstly, keep food and drinks covered using containers with tight-fitting lids and cups with lids and straws. This prevents wasps from crawling inside and accessing your food [1][5].
Avoid wearing bright clothing, especially yellow and white, as these colours can resemble flowers to wasps [1]. Similarly, avoid using strongly scented body care products as they can attract wasps.
When dining outdoors, remain calm and avoid swatting at wasps. Rapid movements trigger aggression, so it's best to move away slowly or gently brush wasps off without sudden movements [1].
Remove food scraps and fallen fruit promptly from the dining and garden area. This reduces attractants for wasps [4][5]. Keep the dining area clean after use, and seal garbage and compost containers tightly.
Planting or placing pots with wasp-repellent herbs like mint, thyme, or eucalyptus near dining areas can be beneficial, as wasps dislike their smells [2].
Another useful tactic is to distract wasps with a small separate sugary bait like jam or juice placed away from the main eating area. This draws wasps away from your food [2].
If wasps are nesting nearby, avoid disturbing the nest. Instead, contact a professional for safe nest removal to reduce the local wasp population [4].
In addition, avoid using sweet sauces to reduce the attractiveness of the area to wasps. Wiping off sweet sauces can help.
Finally, setting up decoy food, such as an overripe fruit away from the table, can act as a decoy maneuver, but it may not always work and could potentially attract more wasps.
In Baden-Württemberg, there are fewer wasps this year, according to environmentalists. So, during peak wasp season, typically late summer [1][2][4], these steps will help you enjoy safer and more comfortable dining experiences.
Remember, wasps play an important role in our ecosystem, and we should treat them with respect and care. By following these simple tips, you can help ensure a pleasant outdoor dining experience for everyone.
- In accordance with the community policy, remind others to keep food and drinks covered when dining outdoors to minimize wasp access.
- As part of the home-and-garden section in the employment policy, consider planting wasp-repellent herbs like mint, thyme, or eucalyptus near dining areas to deter wasps.
