Wasps creating bad buzz on bar, restaurant patios

More wasps are being spotted on patios around Ottawa and some restaurants are using home remedies as well as stronger solutions to handle the unexpectedand unwanted guests.

Grant Marley, general manager of the Senate Tavern,says that two weeks ago he started to noticethere were more wasps than usual around thepatio.

"I can't even describe the numbers, [people were unable to sit]," Marley said.

Tom Onuferko, a research associate in zoology at the Canadian Museum of Nature,saidat this time of year it's normal to see more wasps. But Marley said the issue seems worse than last year.

Homemade honey and ginger beer mixture

To keep the wasps away, Marley decided to make a honey and ginger beer concoction. He filled plastic cups with the mixture, covered themwith cellophane and poked holes in the top.

They've scattered the cups around the patio in hopes that the wasps will pay them more attention than their customers.

"When you sit down they still buzz around you but it definitely helps where they're not swarming," saidMarley.

It beats using a coaster as a cup protector which some customers have opted to do.

Spraying to keep the problem from getting worse

But other restaurants with a more severe wasp problem have turned to spraying to solve the issue.

Amy Luther, general manager of the Mill Street Brew Pub, saidthey had professional companies come to spray the exterior of their building to get rid of the multiple wasp nests that were there.

Staff members have even toldLuther about how bad it's been for other places and at theirhomes.

"It's been a real serious problem," said Luther, adding this is the worst the wasps have been in recent years.

"The number of wasps that we've seen this year compared to last year is so much more than we saw in 2020."

Your solutions

On Twitter @Sheila_YT suggested putting bowls of cloves out on tables because the scent deters most wasps.

Someone onInstagram said to burn Turkish coffee and the smell and smoke will keep them away.

Another person suggested putting out a bowl of sugar water so they'll eat that and ignore other food available.

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