Tuesday 5 July 2016

Ten Ways to Keep Wasps at Bay at Your Summer Barbecue

The height of the summer is the perfect time to enjoy home cooked food on your brick barbecue. But while a barbecue is a great excuse to invite friends and family round for a gathering, having swarms of wasps buzzing round your guests is the quickest way to call time on your party. Here are Big K’s top ten tips on keeping wasps at bay, so your all-day barbecue keeps running but your guests stay put!

Natural Deterrents

While there are a host of insect sprays on the market, it’s likely you’ll find the perfect wasp repellent in your kitchen. Natural ways to discourage wasps cost next to nothing but reap rewards, as they ensure your guests enjoy a relaxed, pest-free afternoon. One deterrent is to light the contents of a cup of ground coffee. However, if you are unsure about this trick, fill a small bowl with cloves, as this will have the same effect.

Salads

Wasps don’t like cucumbers, and they don’t like the smell of mint either. So one idea is to combine these two ingredients in a salad – that way your guests will be impressed with your culinary skills, and you can keep your table clear of wasps.

Scents

While spraying on your favourite perfume or aftershave is a great way to get ready for a party, wasps also appreciate the smell. Unfortunately, these irritating pests are also attracted to the scent of sunscreen and deodorant, so it might be a good idea to swap these in summer for non-scented varieties.

Clothing

Wasps are attracted to certain colours, such as white and yellow. So avoid these colours when you dress your table – and yourself too. As a host, no matter how much you like your yellow or white T-shirt, this is one occasion when you might want to give it a miss. You could always opt for red clothing instead as wasps can’t see this colour.

Rubbish

It may sound obvious but when the party is in full swing, try to avoid leaving rubbish lying around on tables and chairs, and check your bins are fully secured. This prevents wasps swarming on the remnants of sweet food and drink left on empty plates and cans.

Sealed Containers

Just as it is worth clearing the rubbish as you go, it is also important to keep food in sealed containers, especially if it is likely to be out for some time. Plastic containers are easily obtainable and can be bought from your local supermarket or kitchen store.

Glasses

While this trick won’t get rid of wasps, it will stops stings in unexpected places. It’s worth serving drinks in glasses, rather than cans, as this way your guests can see exactly what they put into their mouth and will prevent nasty oral stings.

Sweet Trays

If you have a small party, one tried and trusted way of keeping wasps off the table is to lay a saucer of fizzy drink away from your guests. This will help attract wasps to their own designated eating spot, so they don’t buzz around your group.

Fake Nests

A quick internet search will show you a host of different ways to build your own fake wasp nest to mark your territory. Fake nests, such as brown paper bags, work as a deterrent as wasps are likely to avoid areas inhabited by ‘other wasps’.

Wasp Traps

These are easy to build out of old plastic bottles, although there are a variety of effective readymade wasp traps on the market. These can be bought from your local garden centre, or you can buy more sophisticated ones from a pest controller in your area.

Now you know how to deter wasps, you can simply relax and enjoy cooking on your brick barbecue. With our top tips your guests will appreciate all the effort you have made to make them feel comfortable, and they will soon look forward to your next party.

Big K – Click here to see our full range of barbecues including brick, masonry or stone bbqs, Kamando Joes, barbecue tools, accessories and summer fuel products.