While there are numerous benefits of composting at home, it’s also important that you have a safe routine to help prevent possible drawbacks. These include drawing wasps to your compost pile. It turns out that these flying insects not only consider compost a source of food, but they may also use the piles as places to build nests. Leaving compost uncovered and unsealed, or keeping it too close to your home is a common mistake that can attract wasps and hornets.

There are at least 23 types of wasps you might find in your yard, and it’s never a good idea to allow any of them to stay in your compost pile. The longer they live and thrive in your compost, the greater the chances of an accidental encounter. If you do see wasps hanging out around your compost pile, the first thing you need to do is to determine how they have accessed it. Now is the time to completely cover compost piles going forward. Better yet, you can keep it in a sealed bin for extra assurance. Sometimes, it is possible for cracks to form in plastic bins that can subsequently allow wasps inside, so you will need to monitor and fix these immediately. No matter how you store compost, also make sure it is not immediately against your home, so wasps won’t inadvertently build nests there.

The best way to keep wasps and hornets away from compost piles is to keep them sealed. However, if you already have a pest problem in your compost pile, you will need to take additional measures to get rid of them for the safety of you and your family. In the case of a nest, it may be best to contact a professional pest control expert. This is especially the case if you have a known allergy to insect stings. On the other hand, if there are a few wasps hanging out, you may be able to address the problem with a commercial insecticide — just be sure the product is intended for killing wasps. Another option for a smaller nest is to spray it with a garden hose, which will make the wasps leave while still sparing them.

In addition to keeping compost enclosed to prevent access by wasps, you might consider other natural deterrents. For example, you may be able to keep wasps at bay with a simple blend of a few natural liquids. While green alternatives are not 100% guaranteed to repel wasps, some anecdotal evidence suggests that these insects have an aversion to certain essential oils. These include peppermint, lavender, and clove. You can add an extra layer of protection by combining a few drops of one of these essential oils with dish soap and water in a spray bottle, and applying it around the vicinity of your compost bin.