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Wasps are attracted to backyard swimming pools as they seek out water sources for building their nests.
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Things such as vibrantly hued garments and shiny materials can also draw wasps close to your swimming pool.
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Experts suggest installing dummy nests, covering pools, operating a fan, and rearranging furniture.
Sadly, wasps enjoy hanging around swimming pools, and they can be tough to eliminate without proper knowledge.
Here, pest management specialists explain the reasons behind wasps being drawn to swimming pools and discuss seven distinct strategies you can use to deter these insects from this area of your property permanently. They also address when it might be necessary to seek assistance from an expert should you have difficulty managing wasp issues during the summertime.
Meet the Experts
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Lee Maddocks
is the proprietor of Richards Pest Control. -
Nicole Carpenter
The president of Black Pest Prevention is him.
Why Wasp Presence Is Common Near Your Swimming Pool
Why are there so many wasps congregating near your swimming pool? As per Lee Maddocks, who owns Richards Pest Control, these insects flock to this part of the yard due to several factors. Firstly, during warm weather, wasps gather water to maintain the nest’s internal temperature, as Maddocks points out. Additionally, wasps are attracted to the smell of pools. Keeping fruits, sweet beverages, or sunscreens close can further entice them, Maddocks notes.
Nicole Carpenter, who serves as the president of Black Pest Prevention, explains, “To a wasp, your poolside arrangement appears to be a combined snack bar, spa, and home improvement store.”
However, that’s not everything—as Maddocks points out, even vibrantly hued garments and shiny surfaces can render the pool zone attractive to wasps.
“What connection exists between reflective water and wasp behavior? The gleaming water surface activates their survival responses,” explains Carpenter.
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Ways to Eliminate Wasps Near Your Swimming Pool
Although wasps are bothersome and certainly not welcome near your swimming pool throughout the summer, you can take comfort knowing that several strategies are available for you to use in order to drive these insects away.
Continue reading to discover more about several typical
techniques for eliminating wasps
.
Keep Things Clean
By maintaining a tidy environment around your pool—specifically, ensuring there’s no food or beverages present to lure wasps—you’re well on your way to success. Clean up spillages promptly and store away items like meat, fruits, and pet food, as recommended by Maddocks.
Use a Pool Cover
Covering your pool when it isn’t in use will keep wasps (and other bugs and debris) out of the water.
Relocate the Water Source
Maddocks points out that wasps are keen to use your pool for hydration. However, you can divert them by placing shallow bowls filled with water and pebbles in another part of the yard, away from the pool zone.
Use Decoy Nests
Place fake nests, referred to as decoy nests, close to your swimming pool to deter wasps from settling nearby. According to Maddocks, wasps typically avoid building their own nest near another active one. These imitation nests can be easily purchased online at reasonable prices and are available in various designs.
Move Items Around
Carpenter suggests that another method to interfere with wasps’ “spatial memory” involves rearranging the outdoor furniture near your pool and using different scents outside.
She explains that wasps depend on consistency; disrupt their pattern, and you interrupt their path.
Set Up a Fan
Outdoor fans serve not only to keep us cool but also assist in reducing pests in the yard. Carpenter recommends placing a fan near the swimming pool because its airflow makes it challenging for wasps to approach people. Additionally, she notes that a fan helps deter other flying creatures from the vicinity.
mosquitoes
.
Install Wasp Traps
Maddocks points out that traps containing meat will lure wasps and ought to be positioned far from areas where people tend to congregate.
When to Seek Professional Help
At times, despite giving your best effort and following every step correctly, completely deterring wasps can still be challenging. This is precisely when professionals come into play. Should the wasps persist or if anyone in your household has an allergy, Maddocks recommends reaching out to an expert for assistance.
You might consider doing this if you’ve found a wasp nest and require its removal from your property.
”
Nest removal
“can pose risks and trigger aggressive actions if not performed correctly,” according to Maddocks.
Investing your resources in having another person address this problem for you will undoubtedly prove to be worth it.
Read the initial article on
The Spruce
