Little tricks against wasps from the NABU

Wasps: The enemies of the barbecue party

Nature Conservation Union: So wasps can be kept away from the barbecue party

07/31/2013

Wasps are among the least favored guests at barbecue parties. However, not all species are dangerous. According to the Nature Conservation Union, of the 450 wasp species, only two are aggressive and attack people when they feel threatened.

For the bad reputation, only the Germans and the common wasp are responsible. These two species make up the largest peoples and are aggressive towards humans and are made up of human food. This is always the case in late summer, when the nests dissolve and the surviving female workers go in search of food.

If a nest is on your property, it can be resettled by a knowledgeable person prior to the start of the nesting phase from April to mid-August. After that, the nests are too big and the relocation is no longer useful. In this case, the nest can be removed in the fall after the wasp population has perished. Only the fertilized young queen survives in her hiding place in the winter starvation, when the wasp population dies in the autumn.

We've put together a few tips for you on how to keep the little animals away. Just like the bees, bumblebees and ants, wasps are hymenoptera. In appearance, they are smaller than bees and known among zoologists as pest-eaters. Up to 12,000 animals live in a nest, feeding their queen and larvae. Meat (grilled meat) is particularly popular with animals because of its proteins.

Mainly, wasps feed on aphids and smaller beetles: without them, these tiny creatures would eat up the deciduous trees in summer. A common misconception is that wasps prefer to eat sweets: with the proteins from meat, the wasps raise their offspring.

What attracts wasps in the garden
In general, it is sweet smells that attract wasps. Blight lice should therefore be fought early, as their excretions give a sweet note. Even fruits should be harvested in time because their sweet excrements attract wasps. Fruits must be harvested on time and dropped ones must be removed quickly.

Human breath can make you aggressive
As soon as wasps feel threatened, they sting. This can happen when you blow the animals away from your arm, explains the Nature Conservation Union (NABU). They register the carbon dioxide in the breath and perceive this as an alarm signal. Even fast movements irritate the animals. But you can avoid wasps getting too close.

How to sell wasps?
With an experiment for „Youth researches“ Two schoolgirls discovered that overripe grapes, placed five to ten meters away, are especially attractive to the little animals. If wasps find a better source of food nearby, they are not interested in what is happening on the terrace. Place a jar of sugar water and vinegar in a remote location, this will lure the wasps away.

Protect the food
Sweets and meat products should be covered outdoors. After eating, wipe your mouth and hands, especially children's.

Right clothes
Colorful clothes attract wasps. They also fly on smells of creams, perfumes and the polish for wood furniture. These should therefore be avoided.

Wasps are nocturnal?
Hornets, a wasp species, is also nocturnal. Light sources should be avoided at night: Party lights, lamps and illuminated windows then attract them magically.

How can you protect the apartment or the house??
Fly screens and nets at the entrances to the house keep wasps and other insects away.

What to do if you get stung
A pike releases alarm pheromones that attract more animals and animate them to the stitch. The poison causes an allergic reaction in some people.

- Cool the affected area for an hour or two with ice cubes, a cooling pad or a cold wet cloth

- Make sure you were stung by a wasp, not a bee. In bee stings, the sting usually remains in the skin and must be removed

- Under no circumstances scratch to avoid infection of the sting. As long as the sting is fresh, it should be disinfected. Disinfectants for the skin are available in drugstores or pharmacies. Also tea tree oil or citronella helps

- Apply an ointment or a cooling gel with an antihistamine. This relieves the itching and stops the swelling

- In pharmacies so-called "poison pumps" or "Saugstempel" are available. They are easy to use and suck the insecticide directly from the wound. Applied quickly, they prevent the poison from spreading throughout the body

-Help from the medicine cabinet: Rub the wasp sting with a freshly cut onion - the juice of the onion has anti-inflammatory and disinfected. (Fr)