As soon as cake, fruit, juice, or grilled food is on the table, they appear: wasps. This is annoying, but usually no reason for panic. In summer, wasps are primarily looking for food and become particularly intrusive when sweets, meat, or open drinks are easily accessible.
The best strategy is not wild waving, not spray, and not a large wasp trap next to the table. A calm, consistent dining table plan works better: cover food, secure drinks, clear away leftovers quickly, and give children a few clear rules. Then the evening on the balcony or in the garden will be much more relaxed.
Before eating: prepare the table to be wasp-proof
The easiest way is not to invite wasps to the table in the first place. Open juice bottles, sweet fruit, jam, cake, meat scraps, and overflowing trash cans are more interesting to wasps than humans. Anyone who spends a few minutes preparing before eating will save themselves a lot of hassle later.
- Cover food until it is time to eat, for example with covers, plates, or clean cloths.
- Pour sweet drinks into sealable bottles or glasses with lids.
- Only use straws if you can see the contents well and the glass is covered.
- Do not leave fruit bowls, cake platters, and grill leftovers out unnecessarily.
- Clear away or seal empty cans, bottles, and food scraps immediately.
The same logic applies to picnics and outdoor pools. Those who bring food in closed containers have less contact with wasps and better food hygiene. This also fits the articleSalads in a jar: 5 quick ideas for picnics and the outdoor pool.
While eating: stay calm instead of waving
Reflexive waving is understandable, but often makes it worse. Hectic movements bring restlessness to the table. Blowing on them is also not a good idea, because the animals can react to exhaled air. Better: stay calm, cover food briefly, and let the wasp fly away from the immediate area.
If a wasp is sitting directly on a plate, a simple trick helps: cover the plate briefly or move the food away for a moment. Do not hit, do not chase with a napkin, and do not try to shoo it away with your hand. That sounds banal, but it is half the battle in everyday life.
Drinks are the most important point for children
For children, open drinks are the trickiest part. A wasp in a bottle or drinking glass is easily overlooked. Therefore: cover drinks, use transparent cups, and check briefly before every sip. Cans and dark bottles are unfavorable outdoors because you cannot see what is inside.
For children, you can formulate it very simply: do not hit at wasps, do not drink from unattended bottles, check briefly before a bite if something is sitting on the food. Anyone planning summer holidays anyway can incorporate such small rules into the family routine right away. Our overview fits herePlanning summer holidays 2026: relaxed weeks without constant stress.
What usually doesn't help much at the table
Many home remedies sound nice, but only solve the problem to a limited extent. Scented candles, coffee powder, copper coins, or strong-smelling oils are not reliable protection if fruit, juice, or meat are left open next to them. Wasp traps directly next to the dining table can also attract more animals than you would like.
I would refrain from using insect sprays at the dining area. They do not go well with food, children, pets, and balcony plants. If wasps keep coming back, it is almost always more effective to remove the triggers: cover sweets, remove leftovers, close trash cans, wipe the table.
Make the balcony and garden less attractive
A single summer evening can be secured quickly. But if wasps appear on the balcony or terrace every day, it is worth taking a look at the surroundings. Ripe fallen fruit, open compost residues, sticky tables, feeding stations, or garbage bags attract insects.
- Collect fallen fruit regularly.
- Close trash cans and organic waste bins tightly.
- Clean grill grates, plates, and sticky spots quickly after eating.
- Do not leave pet food outside.
- Do not contaminate plants with sweet residues or drinks.
Anyone making their balcony and garden summer-ready anyway can keep this in mind. Also useful areSaving balcony plants in the heat and How to design an insect-friendly garden. Wasps are not just pests, but also part of the garden and catch other insects.
If a nest is nearby
If many wasps are constantly flying on the same route, there may be a nest nearby. In that case: keep your distance and do not poke around, seal, smoke out, or use water on it yourself. This can be dangerous and makes the animals even more aggressive.
If a nest is in an unproblematic place, you can often just leave it alone. If it is directly by a frequently used entrance, children's area, or seating area, experts should assess what to do. Especially if there are allergies in the family, this is not a DIY project.
What to do in case of a wasp sting?
Usually, a wasp sting is painful but harmless. Cooling helps, and jewelry on the affected hand should be removed quickly if there is swelling. Scratching is not a good idea because the area can become inflamed more easily.
Immediate medical help is necessary in case of shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, severe swelling in the face or mouth/throat area, circulatory problems, or known severe allergies. In Austria, the emergency number 144 is the right address for acute emergencies. Anyone with a diagnosed insect venom allergy should keep their own emergency kit ready and up to date.
More on the topic of insects in summer can also be found inAvoid mosquitoes and tiger mosquitoes on the balcony. For a relaxed evening, also fitsThe perfect summer evening with friends.
My short table plan
- Before eating: cover drinks, only open food shortly before serving.
- During: stay calm, do not wave, do not blow on them.
- With children: only drink from controlled glasses or cups.
- After eating: clear away leftovers, plates, and sticky spots immediately.
- With nests: keep distance and have experts assess.
This is how a wasp moment does not turn into a summer drama. A little order at the table, clear rules for drinks, and less hustle are often enough for everyone to continue eating.
Sources and further information
- DIE UMWELTBERATUNG: Wasps
- DIE UMWELTBERATUNG: Wasp protection
- gesundheit.gv.at: First aid for wasp stings
- gesundheit.gv.at: Anaphylactic reaction
- gesundheit.gv.at: Insect venom allergy
Article image: AI-generated symbolic image.
