Guide
Collecting wildflowers seeds is this easy – and free
by Anna Sandner
Wasp alert – how to keep these greedy insects away
21.8.2024
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
It’s that time of year when wasps whizz about, stressing out unsuspecting diners in restaurants and gardens. Here’s why wasps are so numerous right now and what you can do to banish them.
Lovely! I’m sitting at a patio bar with a cold Coke and a juicy saltimbocca, looking forward to an enjoyable evening. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one with that idea. As I take my first bite, I’m joined by uninvited guests: wasps.
The gall! There they sit, right in the middle of the piece of meat on my fork, and refuse to budge. The waiter tells me that someone’s been getting stung almost on the daily lately, «even in the mouth». I can’t say I’m surprised. Wasps are particularly intrusive in late summer. So, it’s high time for a few tips for dealing with the pesky buggers that you can also use at home.
Tip 2: fragrant herbs
Plants such as lavender, mint and lemon balm are also beautiful and functional table decorations. Herbs with a strong scent, such as basil or oregano, also act as a wasp deterrent. Surprisingly, the same goes for the tomato plant. It exudes such an intense odour that is even said to repel mosquitoes.
Are poison and traps the solution?
Of course, you could go for the straightforward solution: pesticides. But this is best left to the professionals. Nests in particular can quickly become dangerous for us laypeople. Traps are also only recommended to a limited extent, as they usually only attract older wasps and will hardly decimate the active population.
Natural deterrents are preferable, except in extreme cases. As much as you may not like to hear it, wasps are, in fact, useful. They eat flies, mosquitoes, spiders, caterpillars, aphids and numerous other pests. And they themselves are food for birds and various mammals. They also recycle dead animal material and pollinate plants in search of sugar.
Tips for behaviour and emergencies
Here are some tips for how to coexist as peacefully as possible and avoid getting stung.
If you do get stung by a wasp regardless, it’s important to act quickly – especially if you were stung in the mouth or throat area, which can swell up and hinder breathing. Suck an ice cube, wrap your throat in a cool compress and consult a doctor to be on the safe side. In the event of an allergic reaction, grab an adrenaline pen and call an emergency doctor stat.
Do you have any tried-and-tested methods for deterring wasps? Share them in the comments!
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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