
Genius 45p ‘bait' will banish wasps from your garden for good this summer – and you probably have it in your cupboard
WITH temperatures rocketing across the UK in recent weeks, it's been the perfect excuse to enjoy some al fresco dining.
But along with the lovely weather comes a familiar nuisance, with wasps often crashing the BBQ, picnic or meal.
1
Pears are a great way to keep wasps away this summer
Credit: Sainsburys
Wasp season began in April, and this year's prolonged warm weather has created perfect conditions for them to thrive.
Painful stings can quickly ruin a sunny afternoon, and for those with allergies, they can even trigger life-threatening anaphylaxis.
There's also the risk of infestation. If wasps decide to build a nest in your home or garden, their numbers can multiply rapidly and removal by pest control professionals can cost as much as £200.
But thankfully, there's an inexpensive items which most Brits will have lying around in their fruit bowl or in the fridge.
Fruits like pears or mango or even sugary fizzy drinks out in your can act as a sort of lightning rod for wasps, drawing them away from where you are and over to a safe place out of your way.
The former can be nabbed from Sainsbury's for 45p each.
This 'bait' should be placed about 10ft-20ft away from where you are, effectively creating a safe zone for the wasps to buzz around, keeping them away from you.
ANOTHER USEFUL TIP
Another household item which can be used to repel the pesky insects is garlic.
Garden expert at Polhill Garden Centre, Josh Novell lifted the lid on why the pungent bulbs are so effective.
'Place minced garlic in a small bowl near outdoor seating or food,' Josh recommends.
How to Keep Wasps, Bees, and Flies Out of Your Home with a 5p Onion Hack
Or, you can fill a spray bottle with water and two teaspoons of garlic powder, and then spray it around patios, doors and bins.
The garlic odour will linger and deter wasps.
Josh's other nugget of advice was to consider growing garlic in garden beds or containers - it's a win-win for repelling wasps and ensuring you're always stocked up on the culinary essential.
Many people's first instinct is to set out a jar of jam or sugary water to lure wasps, but Josh warns this can actually make things worse.
'Sweet traps can attract wasps from neighbouring areas, increasing activity rather than reducing it,' he says.
'You're unintentionally drawing them in.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Homemade ice cream tastes fluffier when one unlikely ingredient is added
For those who have made homemade ice cream before, it can be seriously annoying when it doesn't easily scoop. However adding one simple ingredient can transform your frozen treat instantly As the UK recovers from another heatwave, boiling Brits may still be thinking of ways to cool down - including making some homemade ice cream. Making ice cream from scratch sounds like a lot of effort, but by adding just one simple ingredient, you can make yourself the fluffiest and creamiest scoop possible. If you have ever made ice cream before, you may notice it can be hard to get it into a perfect scoop in your cone or cup, but by simply adding alcohol, it will easily fluff it up. According to David Lebovitz, author of The Perfect Scoop, adding just a bit of alcohol to your ice cream base results in a better texture when it's churned because alcohol doesn't freeze. 'I made my own Strawberry matcha for breakfast - you should know this before you try' It's the magical ingredient as alcohol prevents some of the ice crystals from forming, which means it will make the ice cream softer and scoopable. Lebovitz urged people to only have a small splash, as adding too much to the base means it may not freeze at all, "leaving you with something more like a milkshake when it's finished in the ice cream maker" as reported in The Kitchn. The expert recommended adding up to three tablespoons of liquor to one quart of ice cream base before churning it. However, if you don't want the alcohol to impact the flavour, you can opt for a neutral-flavoured spirit like vodka. While whiskey is nice in vanilla and chocolate-based ice creams, as it adds a touch of nutty, caramelised flavour. For fruit-based ice creams, like strawberry the expert suggested trying gin to bring an herbal note to it, or boost its fruitiness by using a fruit-flavoured liqueur instead. Another fan favourite recipe is this simple two-ingredient ice cream - making it easier than ever to make at home. Featured on All Recipes, it boasts a stellar 4.7-star rating and glowing testimonials from its aficionados. Numerous culinary enthusiasts who tried their hand at the effortless ice cream recipe incorporated a variety of additions to craft distinct flavours. One cook found the recipe "couldn't be any easier" and "delicious too," went for chocolate chips in their creation and is already planning their next batch. Ingredients for homemade ice cream 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk Method Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; add condensed milk and beat until thick and well combined. Transfer mixture to a shallow container and cover with plastic wrap; freeze until solid, about six hours.


Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Plumbers pull up floorboards and make discovery that creeps residents out
A married couple who are documenting the renovation of their home on social media have a shared a series of videos online after plumbers spotted a safe concealed under the flooring A couple who are in the process of renovating their home after a plumber they'd employed to carry out piping work stumbled upon a locked safe hidden beneath their floorboards. Josh Brooks and his wife Emily are documenting their home improvements on TikTok, which is where they showcased the unusual discovery. "This just happened today whilst the main job was to fix the heating pipes under the floor," Josh explained in a caption alongside his first video. The clip began with a plumber dusting away rubble beneath the tiled flooring to unveil a round object just below the surface. The plumber added: "Twenty years I've been doing this and I've never seen that before." It quickly became apparent the circular object was indeed the dial of a safe. Asked by Josh how old it appeared, the plumber responded: "It's old, very old." Josh then explained: "It was the 40s or something that I think the house was built." It prompted a second plumber to ponder whether previous owners of the property "couldn't be bothered" to pull the safe out and "covered it over". "There's no record of the previous owners, I tried to look them up," Josh added as excitement amongst the plumbers grow over the potential of the safe's contents. "I don't care about anything else now," one of them joked as he slammed the safe unsuccessfully with a hammer. "It might be six hours of pulling out this safe!" Josh later shared a brief follow-up video, revealing he'd been told the safe resembled a World War II era manifoil contraption, which the inscription seemed to back up. No closer to discovering what was inside it, however, he began to tackle it once more with a drill. After successfully piercing the safe 45mm from the dial, Josh then inserted a camera down the hole for a closer inspection, which only added to the confusion. "What is that?" he asked, spotting little more than a small bead-like item. Next, it was the plumbers' turn. They began by chiselling away the dial and hammering a screwdriver into the surface where it once sat. After applying a variety of other tools to the metallic structure, the pair were eventually able to prise the safe open. "There you go, have a look," one of them told Josh. "There is something in there," he exclaimed as he removed the remains of the dial's mechanism. "It's like a letter." Upon closer inspection, however, it turned out to be a neatly-folded newspaper, dated October 22, 1977 with a headline calling for late football manager Brian Clough to be "given the job". Turning the newspaper over failed to offer any further clues as to why it had been locked away, meanwhile. "It's crazy that you would keep that in a safe," one of the plumbers added. They also pulled out another random item – a small, golden globe object akin to a jewellery piece. The newspaper, which appeared stained in places and featured another story under the headline, 'How the sexy vicar seduced me'. It prompted a variety of theories, as one TikTok user responded: "Should go to the police, could potentially help a cold case and be used as evidence, if it is in fact a trophy kept from a murder." A second urged: "Look for a murder or missing person in the paper and then the gold thing is probably a keep sake from the person's necklace or something." A third person added: "Time capsules were very popular in the 70s. Blue Peter did a famous times capsule and people just copied suit." A fourth explained: "This looks like a 'Sealed Harmony Ball' - they were made for pregnant woman to symbolise protection." Whilst a fifth TikTok user pointed out: "My grandad used to line the bottom of drawers with random newspapers, might not have any importance." Josh concurred: "Yes that makes sense. Let's just say I'm glad kids weren't here when I opened it up to Page 3."

South Wales Argus
17 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
How to remove Japanese knotweed before you get an ASBO
Gardening is one of those tasks that we Brits love-hate, but ignoring Japanese Knotweed could result in 'severe legal consequences.' Experts at Japanese Knotweed Ltd warn that allowing invasive weeds such as Japanese knotweed to grow, could even pose a risk of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) or substantial fines. Can you get fined for Japanese knotweed? Ignoring even the slightest spread of this highly destructive weed, or failing to manage contaminated soil, could cost homeowners up to £5,000 in fines. Under reformed government legislation, a Community Protection Notice (CPN) – commonly known as an ASBO – can now be issued to individuals or organisations who fail to control Japanese knotweed, deeming such inaction as "unreasonable conduct" that negatively impacts the quality of life in a neighbourhood. Jennifer Holmes at Japanese Knotweed Ltd, said: 'One of the most asked questions we hear is; 'What damage can knotweed cause?' and knotweed takes advantage of any weaknesses in buildings, structures and underground infrastructure. 'If there's a tiny fracture or crack it'll grow through it - expanding that crack to cause potentially serious damage. 'We've seen concrete broken up, pipes smashed to pieces and even knotweed growing through cracks in walls to invade a kitchen - yes it grew through a crack in the wall and appeared inside a kitchen cupboard. 'It's super important to catch knotweed before it gets to this stage, often it's undetectable to an untrained eye - that's why calling in a specialist surveyor is your best defence.' What is a ASBO (CPN)? Failure to control Japanese knotweed can lead to a Community Protection Notice (CPN). A CPN could be used after a mandatory written warning has been served beforehand to inform people to take action. Breach of any requirement of a CPN, without reasonable excuse, would be a criminal offence, subject to a fixed penalty notice. On summary conviction, an individual would be liable to a fine of up to £2,500. Japanese Knotweed Ltd advises that you 'act fast' if you suspect you have knotweed in your garden – or if its even its coming through from an adjoining neighbour's garden. How to remove Japanese knotweed? Control methods, such as herbicide management plans or excavation, should be implemented promptly to prevent further spread and avoid legal issues. Japanese Knotweed Ltd specialises in the identification, treatment, and offers professional legal guidance concerning Japanese knotweed. UK landowners can also apply for Land Remediation Relief on works carried out - which is a valuable tax relief giving back thousands. Recommended reading: What is Japanese knotweed The invasive plant is relentlessly durable, fast-growing and can cause damage to nearby structures. Japanese knotweed is most visible during the summer months, particularly in late summer and early autumn when it flowers. However, it's also identifiable in other seasons, with distinct characteristics in spring and winter.