Make Your Own DIY Wasp Trap
Wasps, while an annoying and painful pest, have a purpose. They help fertilize gardens and keep other insect and parasite populations in check. But when they build a nest around near your home and start interfering with your backyard barbecues and yard work, you might feel the need to intervene with what nature intended.
If you want to prevent wasps from building nests around your home during the summer, it’s best to start setting up traps in the spring when queens are looking for good spots to build their nests. You can purchase traps at the store or online but why do that when you can make your own with a few products you likely already have lying around at home? Learn how to make your own DIY wasp trap!
Here’s what you need for your DIY wasp trap:
- An empty 2-liter soda bottle
- Permanent marker
- Box cutter
- A piece of wire or string to hang your trap
- Something sweet (sugar, honey, juice, jam) or meaty (lunchmeat or a piece of hotdog or hamburger)
- Vinegar
DIY Wasp Trap Instructions
Step 1
Using the marker, draw a line around the neck of the bottle, just below the spout.
Step 2
Use your box cutter to carefully cut the top off the bottle, around the line you just made. Try to make the cut as straight and clean as possible as you’ll be using the top part of the bottle as part of the trap.
Step 3
Bait your trap. What you put in your trap will depend on when you’re setting the trap up. Putting it up in spring or early summer? Use a protein rich food source, like a piece of lunch meat or hamburger. Wasps seek sweeter food sources later in the summer, so use sugar water, water mixed with a little jam, fruit juice, or water mixed with honey if you’re hanging up your trap in the summer or fall months.
Step 4
Unscrew and discard the bottle cap. Flip the top part that you cut off upside down and tuck it into the bottom portion of the bottle. Make sure to leave just enough room between the opening of the bottle and the liquid. You can use painters or duct tape to seal both pieces together if you’re worried about the wind or animals knocking down the trap.
Step 5
Place your trap(s) outside, in areas where you notice wasp activity or want to prevent wasp activity. If you want to keep them away from your patio table, place it a short distance away from the table so they’ll be attracted to the trap, not your food.
If you’re hanging the trap, use a hole punch or knife to make 2 holes across from each other at the top of the trap. Thread a piece of wire or string through to create a handle for hanging.
How this DIY wasp trap work?
This DIY wasp trap works by attracting wasps with the scent of the bait. When they fly through the narrow opening of the bottle, they’ll often be unable to figure out how to get back out of the opening. They’ll eventually die from not being able to escape or drowning in the liquid, if present.
Use Caution
Rebait your traps at least once a week so you can continue to attract wasps and get rid of the ones already inside the bottle. Be very careful when handling the bottle if it’s full of wasps. Make sure to inspect and ensure there aren’t any live wasps before taking the traps down.
Is your wasp problem out of control?
Worried about wasps around your home? Contact our team of exterminators to take care of your wasp problem. We’re experienced with preventing and eliminating wasps from homes, safely and effectively, so you can get back to enjoying your summer.
