How to Keep Wasps Away From Your Pool So They Don’t Sting You

• Wasps are drawn to backyard pools due to because they want to source water for their nests.
• Other things like brightly colored clothing and reflective surfaces also attract wasps near your pool.
• Pros recommend hanging up decoy nests, using a pool cover, running a fan, and moving furniture around.

Unfortunately, wasps love spending time near pools, and they can be difficult to get rid of unless you’re well-informed.

Below, pest control experts speak to the reasoning as to why wasps are attracted to pool areas and go over seven different techniques that you can implement in order to steer them away from this part of the yard once and for all. These pest control experts also cover when to call in a professional for help if you find yourself struggling with wasp activity this summer.

Why Wasps Are Around Your Pool

Why are there so many wasps gathering around your pool? According to Lee Maddocks, owner of Richards Pest Control, wasps are drawn to this area of the backyard for a handful of reasons. For one, when it’s hot out, wasps collect water in to regulate the temperature of their nests, Maddocks explains. Wasps are also drawn to the scent of your pool, and if you keep fruit, sugary drinks, or sunscreen nearby, that will only lure them in more, he adds.

“To a wasp, your poolside setup looks like a snack bar, spa, and building supply store rolled into one,” Nicole Carpenter, the president at Black Pest Prevention, says.

But that’s not all—even things like brightly colored clothing and reflective surfaces can make the pool area appealing to wasps, Maddocks notes.

What does reflective water have to do with wasp activity? “The shimmering water surface triggers their survival instincts,” Carpenter says.

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How to Get Rid of Wasps Around Your Pool

While wasps are unpleasant and you definitely don’t want them to hang out in your pool area all summer long, you can rest assured that there are a variety of tactics at hand that you can implement in order to shoo these bugs away.

Keep reading to learn more about a few common methods for getting rid of wasps.

Keep Things Clean

By keeping the area around your pool clean—that is, free of food and drinks that will attract wasps—you’re already off to a great start. Wipe up any drink spills as they occur and put away meat, fruit, and pet food, Maddocks advises.

Use a Pool Cover

Covering your pool when it isn’t in use will keep wasps (and other bugs and debris) out of the water.

Place a Water Source Elsewhere

Wasps are eager to take advantage of your pool as a water source, but you can steer them elsewhere in the yard by putting out shallow bowls of water and pebbles somewhere away from your pool area, Maddocks explains.

Use Decoy Nests

Hang faux nests, known as decoy nests, by your swimming pool in order to prevent wasps from wanting to settle near that area. As Maddocks explains, wasps generally do not want to build a nest near an existing one. Decoy nests are easy to order online and are affordable, and come in a range of styles.

Move Items Around

You can also disrupt wasps’ “memory maps” by moving around the furniture that you have placed around your pool and changing out the scents you use outdoors, Carpenter explains.

“Wasps rely on consistency, you break their pattern, you break their route,” she says.

Set Up a Fan

Outdoor fans do more than just cool off humans—they can also help to rid the yard of bugs. Carpenter suggests setting up a fan by the pool, as its motion will make it more difficult for wasps to land near people. Plus, she adds, a fan will help ward off anything else that’s flying around the area, such as mosquitoes.

Install Wasp Traps

Traps filled with meat will attract wasps and should be placed away from where people like to gather, Maddocks notes.

When to Call a Pro

Sometimes, you’ll go through all of the motions to the best of your ability and still have difficulty fully warding off wasps, but that’s where pros are here to assist. If wasps won’t go away or someone in your home is allergic, Maddocks advises calling in a professional.

You will also want to do so if you have located a wasp nest and need it removed from your yard.

“Nest removal can be risky and provoke aggressive behavior if done incorrectly,” Maddocks says.

Spending the time and money to hire someone else to take care of this issue for you will certainly be worthwhile.