Tell those little black and yellow picnic menaces to buzz off and enjoy a sarnie outside in peace with a few handy tips.
Wasps are attracted to white, bright blue and yellow, but can’t see red, so plan your wardrobe accordingly.
Their vision is also optimised to look for the sudden, sharp movements of insects, so wildly flailing as you try to swat a wasp will just make it more determined.
Killing a wasp also releases pheromones that will attract other wasps nearby. Instead, calmly trap the wasp under a glass, so it can’t return to the nest and tell the others where to find your food.
A 2012 study tested the wasp-repelling properties of different essential oils and found that a mix of clove, geranium and lemongrass oil was the most effective, so try a dab behind each ear.
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Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
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