Before you buy a wasp trap this summer …
Eating outside is one of the great joys of summer. Here are few tips to manage these stripy, yet beneficial menaces that threaten to spoil your picnic or BBQ:
While honeybees mind their own business collecting pollen, wasps are in search of protein and take it where they find it, including from your plate. Experiencing a sting or two makes it hard to love them but it’s worth taking a closer look at wasps as a beneficial species before you put up traps to kill them.
Just like bees, wasps are among the most ecologically important organisms for humanity: they pollinate our flowers and food crops. Beyond bees, wasps also regulate populations of crop pests such as caterpillars and whiteflies, contributing to global food security. Despite being disliked and even despised, wasps bring huge ecological benefits to our planet.
Wasps are a health police; they eat other sick animals and help maintain a healthy balance in the ecosystem. A small wasp colony eats up to 3,000 flies, mosquitos and spiders each day, and kills insects that carry human diseases. Despite these incredible benefits, the yellow-black insects are under threat.
Try these 3 tips to improve your picnic or backyard BBQ experience instead of a trap:
2. Put out sliced cucumbers. This vegetable has an acid property that wasps don’t like. Cut up a few slices and leave them around your picnic or BBQ area. They stay away and you can enjoy your outdoor activities without fear of getting stung.
3. Open a can of cat food and place it 5-10 meters away from your BBQ area, a couple of hours before your event. The wasps will find it and report back to the hive of the great protein find and it will keep them busy for hours while you enjoy your outdoor dining.
Comments:
Post Your Comment: