Wasps are beneficial insects that eat many pests and maintain the ecological balance. But they are also annoying guests when they try to help themselves to your cake, barbecue meat or lemonade. If you want to keep wasps away from your table or patio, you don't have to resort to chemical mace or killing them right away. There are simple, pet-friendly ways to build a wasp trap that will attract and hold the insects - without harming them. In this article, you'll learn how to make different types of wasp traps yourself and what to look for.
Different types of wasp traps and their advantages and disadvantages
There are many ways to build a wasp trap. Most are based on the principle that the wasps are attracted by a sweet or meaty bait and then trapped in a container from which they can not get out. However, there are differences in the design, effectiveness and animal-friendliness of the traps. Here I will introduce you to three common types of wasp traps and show you their advantages and disadvantages.
Wasp trap from PET bottle
This kind of wasp trap is very easy and cheap to build. You only need an empty PET bottle, scissors, tape and bait. The bait can be for example sugar water, lemonade, beer or meat.
You cut off the upper third of the bottle and place it upside down like a funnel in the lower part. Then you fill the bait into the bottle and fix the two parts with tape. Place the trap at some distance from your table.
The wasps are attracted to the bait and fly through the funnel into the bottle. There they can no longer fly out and remain trapped.
The advantages of this trap are:
- It is easy to build and costs almost nothing.
- It is very effective and catches many wasps.
- It is reusable and can be refilled as needed.
The disadvantages of this trap are:
- It is not very animal friendly and can injure or kill the wasps.
- It can also catch other insects such as bees or bumblebees, which are useful.
- It must be cleaned or disposed of regularly.
Wasp trap with distraction feeding
This type of wasp trap is more of a distraction than a trap. All you need are some children's sugar lollipops that you lightly moisten and put in a jar full of sand. You place the lollipops far away from your table. The wasps will be attracted to the candy and can eat their fill while you enjoy your meal in peace. The wasps are not caught or killed, just distracted.
This is especially useful when you only need your peace and quiet for a short time, such as when you're having a barbecue dinner outside in the garden.
Live wasp trap
This type of wasp trap is the most animal-friendly, because it does not kill the wasps, but only temporarily detains them. You will need a plastic box with a lid, scissors or a knife, a thread and a bait. The bait can be, for example, a piece of fruit or meat.
You cut a hole in the lid of the can big enough for a wasp to fit through. Then you attach the bait to the lid with the thread and screw it onto the can. Hang the trap on a branch or a hook. The wasps are attracted by the bait and fly through the hole into the can. There they can no longer fly out and remain trapped.
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For example, you can use this design here as a guide.
The advantages of this trap are:
- It is very animal friendly and does not hurt or kill the wasps.
- It is easy to build and costs little.
- It is reusable and can be refilled as needed.
The disadvantages of this trap are:
- It is less effective than other traps and catches fewer wasps.
- It requires more effort and caution when releasing the wasps.
- It can also catch other insects such as bees or bumblebees.
Summary
Wasp traps can help you to keep the annoying insects away from your food or drink. However, you should always keep in mind that wasps are beneficial animals that should be protected. There are different types of wasp traps you can build yourself, depending on how effective or animal-friendly you want them to be. The most common are:
- Wasp trap from PET bottle: very effective, but not very animal friendly.
- Distraction feeding wasp trap: very animal-friendly, but less effective.
- Live wasp trap: animal-friendly and effective, but the most costly.
The bottom line is: If you want to keep wasps away from your table, first try natural means like scented candles or coffee powder. If that's not enough, build yourself a wasp trap with live trapping or distraction feeding. Avoid killing or harming the wasps, as they are important pollinators and pest controllers. And if you discover a wasp nest near you, call a professional rather than removing it yourself.
All about how you can have a wasp nest removed can be found in this article:
Wasps are more than just annoying pests. They are fascinating animals that live in complex social structures and play an important role in the ecosystem. Unfortunately, many wasp species are threatened or endangered by habitat loss, the use of pesticides or the destruction of their nests. We should therefore do everything we can to protect wasps and preserve their habitat. This also means that we should treat them with respect and understanding instead of fighting or even killing them as long as they do not pose a threat.
