Welcome to sunny Southern California, the land of palm trees, beaches, and beautiful people. And home to over 30 species of wasps. These swarming sky pests are well known for their stinging power. The last thing you want is for even one of them to find their way into your car. We’ve got you covered with a few tips and tricks of the trade to avoid wasps, and what to do if you discover a nest.
How to Keep Your Car Wasp-Free
Wasps buzzing around your car can be a real nightmare, not to mention a danger on the road. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can keep your car wasp-free. Follow these tips to keep wasps out of your car:
- Careful Parking/Planting. When you’re searching for a parking spot, or planning your garden, be careful of cowpeas, honeysuckle, white clover, marigold, or white flowers near where your car is. Wasps have been documented to be most attracted to white flowers, and if your car is white they will be even more inclined to confuse it for a place to call home.
- Skip the air freshener. We all love a good-smelling car, but sweet aromatics are guaranteed to attract wasps. Try instead to use essential oil from any one of the 47 flowering plants in the mint family. They are a powerful wasp deterrent and smell lovely to us humans. Soak a cotton ball in the oil of your choice and place it under the seats to keep wasps out of your cab. spray some on your grill and air vents to keep wasps from coming near.
- Don’t Leave it Empty. The public transportation system in Southern California is well known, leading many car owners to take advantage of it. This means cars are sitting undisturbed for long periods of time. Unfortunately, that makes your car a target for wasp real estate. Attracted to the heat, an undisturbed vehicle mimics the conditions of the wasp’s natural habitat choices.
- Clean Regularly. We understand that refraining from eating or drinking in your car can be difficult and that frequent car washes can be time-consuming. However, wasps are attracted to sweet scents and the smell of decomposing insect bodies. Things like soda, juice boxes, open containers, food messes, and unwashed grills are surefire ways to find a wasp (or two or three) in your car.
What to Do if You Have Wasps
So you’ve come to your car and there’s a wasp, maybe even a nest. Don’t panic, but definitely don’t engage. There are reasons wasps are known threats, not the least of which is their powerful sting. Their aggressive and relentless protection of their home against perceived threats is second-to-none. When you see a wasp in your car, call the professionals at O’Connor Pest Control right away – even if you don’t see a nest, there could be one nearby. Attempting to remove a wasp nest is incredibly dangerous, please leave this to a professional.
O’Connor Pest Control: Your Shield Against Wasps
With over 60 years of industry experience, our wasp control technicians are highly trained and committed to ensuring your space remains pest free long after we’re there. Respectful and courteous, we offer affordable same-day pest control and even offer eco-smart products upon request. Our motto is if you’re not happy, we’re not happy. Contact O’Connor Pest Control today, and we’ll get you safely taken care of.