Is Hot Sauce The Secret To Keeping Yellowjackets Away? Here's The Truth

A well-tended backyard is hard to resist on bright sunny days, and it isn't just members of the house that it's bound to attract. When done right, you can turn your yard and garden into a bird haven, bringing uplifting action to the space. You just have to be careful about who you invite. While birds and helpful pollinators are welcome, nasty invaders like yellowjackets have no place in the yard. And sometimes they need a little push to stay out. You might think it would take an aggressive solution for aggressive interlopers like these. But if you're the type who likes a bit of kick to your food, that bottle of hot sauce in your fridge may be all you need to repel these stinging pests right now!

Capsaicin, the active compound that gives peppers and hot sauces their spiciness, may make your meals more enticing for you, but for most animals, it's a surefire deterrent. In fact, the EPA lists capsaicin as a biochemical pesticide. While it can be irritating for humans when it gets in the eyes, skin, and lungs, insects may suffer cell damage and nervous system disruption when exposed to capsaicin. You may already use cayenne pepper to deal with garden pests, and the same principles can help with yellowjackets. So when the late summer wasp activity heats up, and yellowjackets are at their worst, you can pull out the hot sauce, but should you?

Capsaicin's scent in hot sauce is an effective yellowjacket repellent, so it only takes minor preparation to get a workable solution. A popular option is to make a spray. Mix a cup of water with about 6 tablespoons of hot sauce in a spray bottle, shaking it well. Spray in areas where yellowjackets frequent, adding more when the effects wane. Generally, the hotter the hot sauce, the more capsaicin there is in it and, theoretically, the more of a repellent quality it should have. Still, you shouldn't necessarily run to the store to get the hottest brand you can find just to deal with a yellowjacket problem.

Generally, hot sauce is a great way to repel opossums, rabbits, deer, skunks, and other mammals. Capsaicin may also help manage certain garden insects, including aphids, whiteflies, and ants. Some recommend capsaicin sprays for plants as a safe way to remove mites, worms, and caterpillars. Alongside its all-natural appeal, capsaicin uniquely targets common backyard nuisances. While it wards off mammals, birds don't have the same pain receptors for capsaicin. You can get rid of pests, yellowjackets included, while keeping your yard open to the sights and sounds of your favorite feathered friends.

The key downside to consider is that capsaicin can also be harmful to bees and beneficial pollinators. Only use it when you know you're dealing solely with yellowjacket invaders. But even then, you may want to look for alternatives. If you want to try a hot sauce repellent, use it as a supplement to other effective ways to get rid of yellowjackets, and protect the backyard residents you don't want to evict.