Michelle Kaufmann's Eco Ideas

Hang your wasp catcher away from you and your guests.

Cut the top of bottle off and invert the top back into bottle.

By Michelle Kaufmann

We all love eating outdoors with friends and family during the summer. Unfortunately, wasps seem to love those outdoor meals almost as much as we do. Anyone who has ever experienced these uninvited guests at a cookout or picnic can tell you that it’s not pleasant.

Instead of fighting them off with toxic chemical sprays, try using this simple homemade natural wasp catcher, which uses plain old fruit juice to lure the pests away.

We call this a wasp catcher but it will work for yellow jackets and hornets as well. It won't trap honey bees, which is a good thing since they are actually beneficial to your garden and, sadly, are becoming endangered.

All you need for this project is an empty plastic bottle, some wire, a bit of cloth, and fruit juice. It’s very easy to make and will so look lovely hanging from a tree in your yard that no one will even guess it’s a wasp catcher.

VIDEO: See how to make this simple wasp catcher >>

Here's what to do:
1. This project is a great way to reuse an old plastic bottle. You don’t want one that’s too small or that has a really wide opening – a cleaning fluid bottle will work nicely or a one-liter soda bottle. Using a blade, cut the top of the bottle off, about an inch down from the opening. Do the same to the bottom of the bottle.

2. Cut slits around the top piece with the bottle’s opening on it. Begin at the edge and stop where the top begins curving toward the opening. Cut similar, inch-long slits on the bottom of the bottle where you’ve removed the other piece.

3. These slits will make it easier to slip the pieces together. Begin by inverting the top piece and sliding it back into the bottle. This creates an opening that wasps can fly into but not out of as well as a place to hold the bait. Next slip the bottom piece over the bottom of the bottle. This will be the removable top to your catcher, allowing you to clean it out and replenish the bait. 4. To hang the catcher, first drill two little holes on either side of what’s now the top – make sure you do this with the lid on so you drill though that too – and hook the two ends of a piece of wire thought the holes. You can use an old wire hanger or some other type of study wire. 5. Beautify your catcher by wrapping it in twine, thin metal wire, or cork – anything that will stand up to a little weather. You can make this into something really beautiful so that it becomes like an outdoor ornament for your tree. 6. For the bait, instead of pouring juice straight into the catcher, which can get messy, just soak a small piece of cloth in the juice and place it on the little shelf you’ve created around the opening.

There are also quite a few ways to naturally deter wasps in the first place. Here are a few tips:

• In the spring and early summer, wasps are attracted to protein-rich food like pet food and your famous grilled ribs. So stow your pet food indoors and use a serving dish with a cover when you put any cooked meats on the buffet table.
• In the late summer and early fall, wasps develop a sweet tooth, so if you have a tree that’s dropping fruit, then clear the fallen fruits away regularly and cover sugary food and drink when eating outdoors.
• Wasps will also be attracted to uncovered garbage containers so use a lidded trash can if you need a place to toss scraps outside.

Provided by Michelle Kaufmann - http://www.michellekaufmann.com

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