Bird baths, which are supposed to attract birds and help them drink water, can actually attract wasps instead. This is because wasp are attracted to the water as a source of energy. Many times you will see a single wasps flying around your bird bath. This can seem innocent, but the wasps is a work trying to find important resources to nest and survive. When you see wasps around your bird bath, you should be active to remove them if you don't want them in your bird bath. In this blog post, we'll discuss why wasp are attracted to bird baths and how to keep them away.
Why are wasps attracted to bird baths
Wasp are attracted to bird baths for a variety of reasons. Wasps are just naturally attracted to standing water, which is why they might be found around a bird bath in the first place.
Wasp might also be attracted to a bird bath because it provides a place for them to nest, or they can use dead insects that have been collected in the water as food for their young. Finally, some wasps are just looking for a nice sunny spot of ground where they can lay their eggs and get water for nurturing there young. In all cases, the presence of wasps around the bird bath might indicate that further action is needed.
Do wasps harm birds
Wasps are generally not harmful to birds. Wasps will usually leave birds alone. Wasps are in more danger when around birds then the birds are from the wasps. Many birds eat wasps. So, having wasps around your bird bath is not dangerous for birds.
The bigger problem with having wasps around your bird bath is for you and your family. You want to spend time outside enjoying the sights and sounds that a bird friendly backyard provides. Wasps and aggressive bees can be a hindrance to you.
How can you keep wasps away from your bird bath
Its impossible to keep wasps completely away from your bird bath. Wasps are looking for water and your bird bath provides a source for them. The only way to truly keep wasps away from your bird bath is to not put water in it or cover it. This, of course, would also keep birds away.
You can take steps to lessen the amount of wasps that are attracted to your bird bath. The first step is to not let wasps make nest in or near your yard. Look for places where wasps like to make nest. Under eaves, soffit, and fence boards are favorite spots for wasps to build nest. They also like to build them in gutters. Eliminate any wasps nest you find as soon as you see it.
Next, attack wasps that you find in your yard. Use a fly swatter and wasps spray. Let the wasp know you mean business. This will decrease the population of wasps in your yard because you are killing the ones you can. It will also drive other wasps away, because they would rather live in a less hostile environment.
If you are opposed to using wasp sprays, you can mix some dish soap like dawn dish soap with some water in a spray bottle. Then spray wasps whenever you see them. The dish soap mixture will clog them up and cause them to die.
How to keep wasp from building nest on your bird bath
You bird bath can become a place for wasps to nest. To prevent them from building a nest on your bird bath you should take a few steps. First, keep the area around your bird bath clean. If plants and other items are obstructing your view of any part of your bird bath, it can become and easy target for a wasps to make a nest. Next, remove any nests you see no matter what stage of development it is in. Finally, kill any wasps you find around your bird bath.
Keeping wasps from building nests in your yard
The first thing you can do is make sure there are no cracks or holes around your house where the wasps can enter your home and build a nest. You should also remove any debris or clutter around your yard so they don't have any areas to nest.
Some wasps build nest underground. You can prevent these types of wasps from making nest by not providing holes in the ground for them to enter. If you have bare areas of soil, wasps will dig holes and make a nests. These holes are fairly easy to find if you are looking for them. There will be a hole in the ground and a pile of dirt next to it.
When you find a hole in the ground. Fill it will a soap and water mixture or ammonia. Then fill the hole in so the wasps can get out.
Remove any water that pools up around your home.
If you have a pet bird, make sure the water won't be contaminated with droppings or other waste that could cause an increase in insect activity. Also, try to keep it clean so there isn't anything attracting insects like spilled seed or fruit flies.
If you're still having trouble after taking these steps, consider applying an insecticide spray around your house. There are specific sprays that you will want to use because they contain chemicals that help to stop wasps from nesting in your yard.
Certain plants repel wasps, so you might want to place some around your house or near the bird bath. Peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil will help to ward off wasps and other insects. You can put some of the essential oil around your yard by spraying it or you can place peppermint and eucalyptus plants around your yard.
Search in trees and other places that wasps like to make nest. As soon as you see any indication of a nest being formed, destroy it. Knock it down, smash it, and throw it away. Then spray the area with wasps repellent. Be careful that you are not attacked by angry wasps when destroying the nests.
Conclusion
In conclusion, wasps are attracted to bird baths because they like the standing water and find it a great place for nest making. In order to keep them from building nests on your bird bath or in any other areas of your yard you should take some simple steps such as removing debris that may attract insects, keeping plants away from the area so there is no food source nearby, spraying with insecticides if needed and taking care when destroying a nest.
If these don't work, try using soap mixed with water in a spray bottle or eucalyptus oil which have been shown to help ward off wasps. The best way to prevent this problem altogether is by eliminating all cracks around your house where wasps can enter and providing a bird bath that has fresh clean water and no easy access to food.