Do you know how to get rid of grass carrying wasps? Grass carrying wasps can quickly turn your yard into a nightmare, especially during the warm summer months filled with flowers and the sweet scent of freshly cut grass.
But don’t worry here is how to effectively rid your outdoor space and keep your home and garden free from these annoying pests.
What Do Grass Carrying Wasps Look Like?
Grass-carrying wasps, also called Isodontia Mexicana, are solitary wasps found all over North America. They’re about 7/10 of an inch long and have a black body with reddish-brown wings. You might see them flying with grass or dry grasshoppers held under their legs.
Are Grass Carrying Wasps Harmful?
Grass carrying wasps are generally not harmful to humans and rarely sting unless provoked.
In fact, they are considered beneficial insects because they help control moth populations, which are major crop pests.
However, homeowners may consider grass carrying wasps as pests due to their nesting habits and ability to damage property.
Read also:Â How To Get Rid Of Blue Winged Wasps
The Nesting Habits of Grass Carrying Wasps
Grass-carrying wasps make their nests in different places like storm windows, hollow plant stems, wooden planks, and wood-framed walls.
The female wasps gather dry grass blades and hay stems to build their nests. Then they lay their eggs inside the nest along with paralyzed tree crickets or other insects, which serve as food for their larvae.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Grass Carrying Wasps
1. Seal Entry Points
The first thing to do to get rid of grass-carrying wasps is to stop them from getting into your home.
Check for and seal any openings where they could enter, like cracks in door frames, torn screens, window cracks, dampers, and vents.
Use things like cardboard, wooden covers, or louvers to block these openings and make a temporary barrier.
2. Eliminate Food Sources
Grass-carrying wasps like to eat protein-rich foods such as crickets, grasshoppers, and flies. To make fewer of them come around, reduce the number of these insects in your yard or garden.
You can use natural bug repellents or traps to manage pests. Also, make sure to cover compost piles, garbage bins, and pet food bowls properly to remove possible food sources for the wasps.
3. Stay Away From Flowery SmellsÂ
Grass-carrying wasps are drawn to flower nectar. Don’t use strong perfumes with flowery scents or wear bright-colored clothes when you’re outside, especially in the spring. This helps lower the chance of attracting grass-carrying wasps to you.
4. Use Fake Wasp Nests
Grass-carrying wasps usually don’t build nests near other wasps or insects.
Put up a fake wasp nest in your yard or where you often see the wasps. This will stop them from making nests in your garden or house.
Read also:Â What Colors Attract Wasps?
5. Avoid Squishing Grass Carrying Wasps
When you come across grass-carrying wasps, it’s important not to crush or hit them.
Doing so releases a scent that can bring more wasps. Instead, let them fly away or use non-lethal methods to keep them away from you.
6. Plant Herbal Repellents
Plants, like eucalyptus, citronella, thyme, and spearmint, naturally repel wasps, including grass carrying wasps.
Plant these herbs in and around your home to help deter the wasps and create a more wasp-unfriendly environment.
7. Wasp Traps
If you have a lot of grass-carrying wasps around, using traps can help control their numbers.
There are various DIY traps available, or you can buy a commercially available trap. Put the traps in the right spots around your place to attract and catch the wasps.
8. Professional Pest Control
If nothing else works and there are too many grass-carrying wasps, you might need to get help from professional pest control services.
Pest Control experts have the skills and tools to get rid of the wasps in your home or garden.
Additional Tips to Prevent Grass Carrying Wasps
- Keep your garden well-maintained and free from debris to discourage nesting.
- Regularly clean and inspect window frames and other potential nesting areas.
- Avoid leaving sweet fruits or juice exposed in the garden or near wood cavities.
- Educate your family members and children about the behavior and importance of grass carrying wasps to promote coexistence.
Read also:Â Plants to Keep Wasps Away
More on How To Get Rid Of Grass Carrying Wasps
This video explains how to get rid of grass carrying wasps:
Conclusion
Even though grass-carrying wasps can bother you, they are helpful insects that pollinate and control pests naturally. But if there are too many, you need to do something about them.
Seal openings, remove their food, avoid flowery scents, use fake nests and natural repellents, and set up traps to handle grass-carrying wasps without using harmful chemicals. It’s important to balance pest control with protecting the environment.
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