This Pungent Ingredient Will Help Keep Wasps Far Away From Your BBQ All Summer Long

Wasps aren't our favorite pollinators. They are aggressive, ruining summertime fun with their stingers and heavy buzzing. You can knock nests off the house or out of the corners of the garage, but that'll only help for a while. Wasps have a taste for anything sweet, especially summertime treats like popsicles, homemade chocolate ice cream, or fresh-sliced watermelon. So, the second you set out snacks and fire up the grill for your next BBQ, it's safe to guess that a wasp somewhere will start heading in your direction.

Wasps react negatively to smells in the same way. The sugary smell of a melting shaved ice or granita (what's the difference, again?) will draw wasps in, but they steer clear of pungent smells. And a strong whiff of garlic, for instance, will send those aggressive critters flying in the other direction. Use a bowl of raw garlic or make a garlic solution in a spray bottle and use that to double down on any other pest control methods you usually use when wasps are out and about.

You can use garlic in a few different ways to drive wasps away from your BBQ. Encourage a wasp-free zone with a few bowls of minced garlic placed around your hang-out spot outside. Put them right on the table where you're eating or serving food to help overpower the smells of fruit and other sugars. Carry a garlic clove or two with you while grilling or relaxing in the yard, and crush it nearby to create the same effect.

A garlic solution made with water and 1 to 2 teaspoons of garlic powder will also repel wasps. Mix it up in a spray bottle and spray down garbage cans, railings, and other areas to drive wasps elsewhere. Garlic solution in a spray bottle is also a great travel solution for wasp repellent, especially for activities like camping and picnicking. You can also grow garlic in your garden (you could even just plant a store bought garlic bulb) to blanket the surrounding area with the smell, but this won't be an immediate solution or as potent as raw or powdered garlic.