Wasps can become a nuisance in gardens across the UK as temperatures begin to rise. They may even choose to establish a nest on your property, turning hostile when threatened. However, a simple and affordable household item can prevent them from settling.
Social media gardening expert @gardening.with.ish has shared a method using a plastic bag and string to create a fake wasp nest. This tricks territorial wasps into thinking another colony is nearby, causing them to stay away.
How to Make a Fake Wasp Nest
Take a plastic bag, fold it into a corner to create a point, then fold the bag down into itself to trap air. The bag will form a cone-like shape. Tie it closed with string. The result resembles a wasp nest.
Ish explains: "What you are doing is creating a fake wasp nest because wasps are incredibly territorial. They will think another colony is nearby and relocate."
Best Time and Placement
Spring is ideal, as larger wasps emerge then. Hang the bag near sheds or from a tree in your garden. Wasps will avoid the area but still pollinate plants and search for food, just less aggressively.
Ish used a black bin bag, but a burlap sack or empty compost bag works too. Plastic bags cost as little as 10p at supermarkets.
"As a result, your home will be protected, your plants will still be pollinated, and you didn't use a single chemical," Ish adds.
