Hornet repellent: 6 natural tips to keep them away

What attracts hornets the most?

Hornets have a habit of building their nests in the hollows of trees and in the tops of trees. They also often use wood fibre to build seats in attics or under roofs. If your garden is well stocked with trees and foliage, it is not surprising that these insects appear there.

In some isolated and rather rare cases, they may be attracted to human dwellings, but there is no need to fear them too much, as they are not aggressive and will not deliberately attack you. Do you notice a constant presence of these hornets in your garden? In this case, we should try to identify what may attract them so much. Here are some ideas:

• Sweet smells  : mainly fruit, even rotten ones. Hornets love grapes, apples, pears and cherries. As a trick, you can use these fruits as bait to catch them.
• These flying insects love  the smell   of resin from certain trees  , especially lilacs, birches, willows and ash trees. If you have them, there’s a good chance they’re lurking around.
• Lights in the house  : At night, like most insects, hornets will also be attracted to light in the living room or bedroom if the windows are open.
• Open water sources  : fountains, rainwater tanks, swimming pools.
• Storage of  rotten wood on the plot.
• Do you ever find them on the ground, especially in abandoned animal burrows? Be careful, every movement on the surface can be interpreted as a threat to their safety. They can then become aggressive and dangerous, especially for children.

How to scare away hornets  ?

Although they are useful for the ecosystem and even get rid of annoying flies, if you are really worried about the presence of hornets, you can keep them away from your home using natural methods without harming them. Our homemade tips will work perfectly!

1. Repellent perfumes

We are all afraid of wasp, bee or hornet stings. And when these insects fly around us, we immediately become seriously disturbed. What could be more unpleasant than having lunch on the terrace, having a barbecue or having a drink with friends, surrounded by these unwanted visitors? Sometimes it is even unbearable, isn’t it? But there is no need to take the difficult path either. Why systematically resort to chemical insecticides that kill them and pollute the environment?

Did you know that simple natural flavours can irritate hornets and drive them away? You can use the power of vinegar or clove essential oil, for example. There is a whole range of ingredients whose smell irritates hornets: lemon, basil, mint, marjoram, thyme, wormwood, eucalyptus, garlic, tea tree oil or even the aroma of roasted coffee. Do you want to enjoy a nice sunny day outdoors?

1. Simply burn a few coffee grounds in a container and the smell will spread everywhere. Make sure these pests never come back again.
2. Also, if you place lemon halves garnished with cloves nearby, you will have peace for a long time.
3. If you have managed to find wasp or hornet nests, consider spraying them with vinegar, they will eventually abandon them.
4. Better yet, did you know that there are fake nests available in stores? Simply place these artificial objects in certain corners to make it look like that territory is already occupied.

2. Homemade trap

On nice summer days we prefer to eat outside, in the garden or on the terrace. It’s much better, of course. The problem is that we leave sugary drinks and fruit lying around on the table. The result: we invite all these flying insects to come and celebrate at the same time. So how do you keep them away? You have to be clever and use a method that is already popular and tried and tested. It involves attracting them with a sugary drink contained in jars or glasses to trap them. The problem is that, unlike flies, which often fall into this trap, hornets or wasps manage to escape. So the idea would be to make a trap more suitable to counteract them.

How to do it?

1. Carry a plastic bottle of mineral water.
2. Cut the neck (without cap)
3. Put it upside down in the bottle, it will act as a funnel that will catch the insects.
4. By pouring sweet juice inside, it will be the ideal bait to attract them inside.

3. Plants

Oh yes, of course, you can also rely on the help of certain plants whose scents keep these insects away as if by magic. We are thinking in particular of lavender, mint, marjoram, thyme, certain species of geranium, lemon balm, lemon thyme and even wild pansies. If you have them in pots, don’t hesitate to place them on the balcony, terrace, windowsill and in the garden. You will regain your peace of mind in no time!

4. coffee

As we mentioned earlier, coffee is a powerful natural remedy against bees, wasps, hornets and even bedbugs. And this, thanks to its strong and intense aroma.

How to do it?

1. All you need to do is burn some beans so that the thick smoke fills the air. And voila, you can say goodbye to all these invaders!
2. Put some in a fireproof container or ashtray to place on a windowsill or in the garden.

5. Cucumber peels

Even more surprising is that even cucumber peels are known to scare away these insects. Simply place them around garden loungers or on windowsills. This will be a super practical barrier!

6. Camphor or naphthalene tablets.

Another proven method: these intensely smelling tablets, stronger than garlic itself, will perfectly deter hornets from bothering you. Put them in small bags and keep them near doors or windows.