A gardening specialist, who is a brand ambassador for Dobbies Garden Centres, shared a simple method to make a wasp trap at home and claims it won’t attract bees
Wasps are frequently seen insects, especially during the summer months, and can be a nuisance. They are known to sting when they feel threatened or if their nest is disrupted.
You may spot more wasps during late summer as this marks the period when their colonies expand, creating irritation when these creatures invade your home or garden. They’re drawn to sweet drinks, mature fruit and other sugary delights that can prove annoying at outdoor events, such as picnics. But, wasps serve a crucial function as pollinators, though they’re frequently disregarded in comparison to bees. Michael Griffiths has built a reputation for providing gardening advice and demonstrations across social media platforms and serves as a brand representative for Dobbies Garden Centres.
He recognises that whenever possible, wasps should be left alone as they represent “beneficial predators and pollinators” but he noticed they can create problems in gardens at this season by harming bees.
As a result, he’s discovered a method to make a wasp trap and demonstrated his technique through an Instagram video.
Opening his footage, Griffiths explained: “How to make a wasp trap that bees won’t go near. August and September are peak times for wasps as their colonies are at their largest.”
The gardening guru then showed how he creates the trap, beginning by chopping off the top of a large plastic bottle and flipping it upside down to create a funnel to be placed in the bottom section later on.
He added: “For the ingredients, you want to fill it with half a cup of water, half a cup of apple cider vinegar, half a cup of sugar and a few drops of washing up liquid.”
Griffiths’ next step is to stir all the ingredients together with a spoon before placing the funnel on top and finally securing it if necessary.
The Dobbies ambassador continued: “Add string if you prefer to hang it and place it where the wasps are most active.”
In his Instagram post’s caption, he cautioned: “Where possible wasps should be left alone and treated as the beneficial predators and pollinators they are.
“Unfortunately wasps can be a problem this time of year in gardens so management may be necessary.”
The gardening expert further claimed that as a beekeeper, you can “lose colonies of bees to wasps robbing hives or eating the bees at this time of year”.
His Instagram post has garnered 2.2 million views, 4,857 likes and more than 800 comments, at the time of writing.
One user said: “I had no idea they would do that to bees. [You] learn something new every day.” Another added: “Yes – I also had no idea!”
A third shared: “Put mine out a few weeks back – sadly had three bee nucs (nucleus colonies) destroyed by wasps already this year.”
While a fourth viewer suggested: “If we’re sitting outside with any type of food, they come around instantly this time of year.
“I put a piece of lunch meat (turkey/ham/whatever you have) on a dish far away and the wasps go crazy for it and leave us be(e). Try it! It works.”