AS THE weather starts to heat up more and more critters and insects start coming out too.
While we all love the hot weather, we aren’t as much of a fan of the bugs that come with it – especially wasps.
Wasps start becoming active in late April and will begin searching for food and nesting sites.
Attracted to sweet smells and standing water, wasps often try to come into the home on the prowl for a sweet treat.
One useful tip for anyone dealing with these pests is to keep your rubbish sealed shut and empty your sink if you have a window open.
Once in my space, I want the wasps dead
Gardening Pro
But if they’ve already made their way in there is a simple homemade spray made up of natural ingredients which can kill them instantly without using harsh chemicals.
Gardening expert and founder of Kitty and Bean, Robynn, came up with this three-ingredient recipe after dealing with “aggressive” wasps coming into her home and was shocked by the results.
The said: “Once in my space, I want the wasps dead.
“They can live outside (as long as they’re not building a big fat nest in the yard), but coming inside is not okay.
“I also don’t believe in using toxic chemicals in my home, if at all avoidable. So, I went on a hunt and found a wasp-killer recipe that really worked. Shockingly well actually.
Speaking to the Express, she revealed the secret concoction she used.
To make it at home all you need is a spray bottle, 20 to 30 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, 20 to 30 drops of peppermint essential oil and four to eight tablespoons (60ml to 120ml) of dish soap.
Add the ingredients to the spray bottle and then slowly add hot water until the bottle is a third full.
The gardening pro added that you can ‘eyeball’ the ingredients but recommended adding the water slowly so it didn’t bubble up and pour out.
Once you have the mixture in the spray bottle, secure the lid and give it a good shake, you can then spray it on wasps in your home and garden.
Robynn added: “I have found that the more concentrated your solution is, the quicker the wasp dies, However, it’s also more harsh on plants and surfaces, so don’t overdo it!”
Hornets and wasps – hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay.
Moths – acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent.
Flying ants – herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents.
Mosquitoes – plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mossies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
Washing up liquid is highly effective at killing wasps as they have an exoskeleton which helps repel water from their bodies.
When the washing up liquid comes into contact with the wasps, it disrupts the water-repelling properties and drowns the wasp quickly when mixed with water.
Although wasps are highly sensitive to strong smells and the essential oil can confuse them and prevent them from coming into an area – they aren’t essential for the spray.
If you have cats and dogs it is recommended to avoid using essential oils as they can be poisonous.
