If you’re facing constant issues with wasps around your house, you may want to consider installing some birdhouses and fountains. Some wild birds can eat wasps as a part of their natural diet. So, attracting them to your yard can be an effective natural means of reducing the number of wasps around your home.
How Birds Eat Wasps Safely
Birds can eat wasps without getting hurt because they’ve evolved to hunt and consume these insects skillfully. While a bird’s feathers can protect them from some wasp stings, they aren’t immune to injuries from a sting.
So, birds will typically find a solitary wasp rather than hunt for wasps close to a wasp’s nest. They’ll catch a wasp in midair, and some species will grind it against a hard object, such as a tree to kill it before eating it.
Common Bird Species That Eat Wasps
Not all species of birds have insects in their diet, and some birds will only eat a narrow selection of insects. However, a few common backyard birds are known to include wasps in their diet.
How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
You don’t want to feed your pet bird wild wasps because there are significant risks involved. Wasps can be carriers of parasites and other diseases that can be harmful to pet birds.
Some wasps may also encounter pesticides and end up spreading them to areas that they touch. So, it’s best to avoid giving your pet bird a wasp you’ve caught around your house and leave the job to its natural predators—wild birds.
The two main ways to attract birds to your yard are installing birdhouses and bird feeders. A birdbath can also encourage birds to frequent your yard.
1. Birdhouses
Try setting up birdhouses or nesting areas in your backyard during the breeding season. This will make your yard look attractive to many species of birds. You can also try to hang birdhouses that fit smaller birds, like swallows, to ensure that wasp eaters will inhabit your yard.
If you don’t have birdhouses, you can also try laying out eco-friendly nesting material, like twigs, leaves, and dry grass.
2. Birdfeeders
Installing a few birdfeeders is one of the most effective ways to attract birds. When selecting your feeder, look for mixes that contain suet cakes packed with insects rather than seeds. You can also put dried mealworms in feeders to attract insect-eating birds.
When installing bird feeders, try to space them out to prevent overcrowding. This will also reduce the appearance of bird waste in your yard.
Conclusion
Birds can be an eco-friendly and natural solution to removing wasps around your house. Common species of birds, like sparrows and swallows, have wasps included in their diet.
While birds alone won’t get rid of giant wasp infestations, they can help control the wasp population around your house. So, if you’re interested in using a natural strategy to reduce the appearance of wasps, try installing birdhouses and bird feeders to attract birds to your yard.
Featured Image Credit: 631372, Pixabay
