8 Smart Ways to Avoid Getting Stung By a Wasp

Keep Food and Drinks Covered Outdoors

Who doesn't love freshly squeezed juice in the summer? As it turns out, that includes wasps. Wasps love sweets, warns pest control expert Jeremy Logsdon, so don’t leave sugary drinks, like fruit juice or sodas, just sitting out poolside this summer.

Close Your Trash Cans

Trash cans serve as a buffet for wasps, so be sure to keep the lids closed tightly. Avoid lingering near trash areas in public places such as parks to prevent stings while out and about.

Choose Clothing and Personal Care Products Carefully

Maybe hold off on the floral eau de toilette before gardening—and ditch the bright pink cap, too. It's recommend you avoid wearing strongly scented body care products or bright colors when you know you'll be at risk for contact with wasps. Pest control expert Juan Rezk says these can make you look and smell like a flower and attract stinging insects.

Don't Swat at Them

If a wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket hovers around you, stay calm and slowly walk away. According to Morgan Wilson, Ph.D, technical services manager at Fox Pest Control, swatting at it could cause the insect to become defensive and sting.

“Wasps can be territorial, aggressive, and often go unnoticed until it’s too late,” warns entomologist Jim McHale.

Decoys Can't Hurt

Things like fake wasp nests can sometimes work for paper wasps, suggests Logsdon. This is because they're territorial and might avoid an area they think is already occupied. (Other wasp-repelling methods will likely be required, and note this method won't do anything about existing wasps and active nests.)

Know Your Wasps

To help avoid particularly aggressive species, familiar yourself with the types of wasps you may come in contact with.

• Paper Wasps: Paper wasps are usually brown or brown-striped, and their nests often look like an upside-down umbrella or a honeycomb. While paper wasps aren't the most aggressive wasps, they can become defensive when bothered. And since they build nests in somewhat unexpected places (like inside grills), they pose serious risks for allergic reactions or surprise swarms, especially when sweet drinks or ripe fruit are present or pet food is left outside.
• Yellow Jackets: Yellow jackets are typically black and yellow, and their nests are often found underground in old rodent burrows or wall voids, so you might see a steady stream of them going into a hole. They can also form paper ball hives in attics, wall voids, and other cavities.
• Bald-Faced Hornets: There are actually no native hornets in the United States, and only one species is typically found in the U.S.: the bald-faced hornet. Often black and white in color, bald-faced hornets feed on bees for protein and are intensely aggressive. They should be dealt with immediately if you suspect a nest nearby.
• Mud Wasps: Also referred to as “mud daubers,” mud wasps are typically black but sometimes may have a blue hue to their bodies. Their nests are long, narrow tubes of mud, usually attached to walls or ceilings. Unlike other wasps, they are solitary insects (one tube is for one wasp), and they aren't aggressive. In fact, they’re beneficial to have around to control the spider population. 

Consider Your Landscaping Choices

Forgo planting sweet-smelling flowers near entry points. According to McHale, these can attract wasps straight to your doors. Also, be sure to inspect your outdoor areas regularly. Check under eaves, around porch railings, and in shrubs for early signs of nest building to avoid swarms (and stings) later.

If You Spot a Nest, Call a Pro

“If you're noticing an uptick in buzzing around eaves, decks, or light fixtures, especially during the warmer hours of the day, you’re likely near a nest,” says Rezk.

To best avoid stings, call in an expert for their evaluation and/or nest removal. Logsdon says trying to remove an active wasp nest yourself can lead to multiple painful stings, especially if it's large or in a high-traffic area.