How to Keep Wasps and Yellowjackets Away From Your Utah Patio This Summer
Late June has finally arrived in Utah, which means it is prime time for backyard barbecues, patio dinners, and outdoor fun. Unfortunately, you aren’t the only one trying to enjoy your yard. If it feels like wasps and Yellowjackets suddenly took over your patio this week, you are not alone.
Understanding why these pests invade your space is the secret to reclaiming your summer evenings.
Why Wasps Suddenly Appear in Late June
Wasps don’t actually appear out of nowhere. A single queen has been quietly building a nest since spring. By late June, the colony size explodes from a few bugs to hundreds of active workers.
Furthermore, Utah is a desert. As our summer heat sets in and dries up natural puddles, wasps flood residential neighborhoods searching for moisture and food. Early in the year, they hunt for protein (other bugs). By mid-summer, their diet shifts, and they crave sugar. That is why they crash your patio the moment you crack open a soda or bring out a plate of food.
4 Simple Steps to Protect Your Patio
You can dramatically reduce the number of wasps on your property by removing the things they want most: water and sugar.
- Seal the Trash: Keep tight-fitting lids on all outdoor trash cans. Rotting food scraps provide an easy meal for a hungry colony.
- Eliminate Standing Water: Fix leaky garden hoses, dripping outdoor spigots, and empty out unused birdbaths. Wasps love easy water sources in the Utah heat.
- Manage Outdoor Dining: Keep food covered until the moment you eat. Pour cans of soda into cups with lids and straws so wasps cannot crawl inside your drink.
- Check Eaves Weekly: Walk around your home once a week to inspect roof overhangs, wooden deck railings, and backyard playground sets. Catching a tiny, umbrella-shaped paper wasp nest early is much easier than dealing with a mature one.
When to Put Down the Spray and Call a Pro
While treating a tiny, brand-new nest with a store-bought spray is manageable, mature nests are a different story.
If you discover an underground yellow jacket nest in your yard, or a large paper wasp nest high up on your roofline, do not try to handle it yourself. Store-bought sprays often just anger the colony, leading to dangerous swarms and painful stings. The Utah State University Pests Team warns that ground-nesting Yellowjackets can be incredibly aggressive when disturbed, which is why professional removal is always recommended for safety. Furthermore, treating nests hidden inside wall voids or attics requires specialized equipment to ensure the pests don’t flood into your living room. Not sure what type of bee you have? Check out our pest research page here!
Reclaim Your Backyard Today
Don’t let stinging insects ruin your summer weather. If a wasp nest on your property has grown too big or dangerous to handle safely, we are here to help.
Call TNT Pest Control today at 801-982-7378 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a safe, professional wasp inspection and removal!
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