How To Deter Ground Wasps

Ground wasps are perfect examples of the cliche phrase “small but terrible.” They may be tiny, but their stings can be painful and cause serious skin issues.

We know ground wasps often nest and thrive in trees or bushes. But if you’re unfortunate, you might also find them lurking in your attic or your home’s darkest corners.

Moreover, when wasps invade the ground near your property, you can expect a wasp infestation to commence in your garden or front yard.

This guide explores effective methods to get rid of ground wasps while keeping you safe.

Keep on reading to learn more!

What Exactly Are Ground Wasps?

Ground wasps collectively refer to a group of species, including the following:

• Yellowjackets
• Digger wasps
• Scoliid wasps
• Spider wasps
• Sand wasps
• Cicada killer wasps

These frightful pests are small creatures with bodies only as long as 0.6 to 2 inches.

The colorful striped patterns on their bodies make them look unique, ranging from black to brown, yellow, and red.

Ground wasps are either in social or solitary groups.

When a female wasp is solitary, she is responsible for building her own nest, where she will get her food source and lay her eggs. Female ground wasps have stings behind their abdomen with poisonous glands.

On the other hand, wasps living in social groups consist of more than 500 insects. Plus, they worship a single queen wasp who leads the entire group.

Why Do Ground Wasps Appear in My Front Yard?

Like other pests, ground wasps fly toward your garden because they can see potential food sources from your plants.

If you regularly plant fruit plants like berries, expect to see more wasps waiting to suck all those fruit juices.

Fruit juices are one thing, but flowering plants are another.

Wasps are attracted to beautifully-colored flowers, and likely approach them to sip nectar.

Plus, most flowers have fragrant scents that ground wasps particularly love.

Aside from food, ground wasps travel because they need a place to thrive.

When you see them in your front yard or garden, they have found a safe place, like cracks, insulated walls, and crevices.

These areas are some of the best locations for ground wasps to stay away from their predators.

5 Effective Ways To Deter Ground Wasps

Now that you understand what ground wasps are and why they approach your gardens, it’s time to learn to outsmart them.

Here are basic yet effective measures to keep them out of your yards:

1. Maintain Your Lawn

Ground wasps prefer sandy and loose soil when building their nests. When they locate this soil type in your garden, they quickly fly toward the area and start nesting.

This is why maintaining your lawn is essential. It’s as simple as ensuring the entire area is covered in grass. Plus, watering the lush landscape can also help.

Properly soaked and thick grass makes it difficult for ground wasps to dig and create their nests. And when they think it’s too impossible, they will start to escape.

Moreover, remember that ground wasps prefer sunny locations to build their nest. Use this to your advantage and make your gardens or front lawns shaded.

2. Make Your Yard Look Less Appealing

One way to make your yard look less attractive to these vermin wasps is to eliminate all potential food sources.

You can cover them up or clear away your yard, especially sweet fruits, and lean meats. Ground wasps are also attracted to dirt and filth, so ensure your trash cans and bins have secured lids.

Also, avoid using air fresheners with floral scents because ground wasps love them. If you have birds as pets, we recommend getting rid of their food and hummingbird nectar, especially in your yard.

If there’s any exposed wood in your yard, seal or paint them. Holes and cracks can become potential living spaces for ground wasps as well. So, make sure to caulk or seal them using putty or sealants.

3. Use Essential Oils To Drive Them Away

Essential oils have been proven effective against most pests like roaches, squirrels, and mosquitoes. And they can also be effective against ground wasps.

You can even combine various kinds to make your homemade wasp repellent. Although you must understand that the repellent won’t kill the wasps, they are only effective enough to drive them away.

To make a DIY wasp repellent, you will need the following:

• A cup of water
• Five drops each of thyme, spearmint, lemongrass, and peppermint essential oils

Simply mix all ingredients in your spray bottle. Please give them a good shake, and spray in areas where wasps can invade.

You can also use the mixture to spray on your kids’ clothes or skin.

Repeat every few hours to deter wasps and prevent them from stinging your precious little ones.

4. Try Diatomaceous Earth

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is composed of fine white powder substances with tiny fossils.

Research has proven it’s effective in killing various insects, including ground wasps, by slicing their bodies.

You can use diatomaceous earth and sprinkle a handful around the wasps’ nest.

These pests won’t know you’ve filled their nest with the poison and will travel carrying the powder with them.

When it rains, you can add more DE powder. The rain and powder mixture makes a great solution to kill ground wasps effectively.

5. Use White Vinegar

Wasps have a keen sense of smell and dislike substances with intense or strong odors.

The white vinegar can help deter these pests, insects, flies, and mosquitoes.

You can mix equal water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it around your garden.

It also helps spray the mixture around wasps’ nests, so they can escape and look for new areas to thrive.

Take Care of Your Yard

Seeing ground wasps around your garden is indeed frustrating.

You don’t want these pests to invade your space and eat fruit plants and flowers.

Following the abovementioned suggestions, you can look at a clean lawn or garden with zero pests in no time.