Yep, we’re well into the fall when outdoor festivities get interrupted with multiple types of bees, wasps, and other assorted characters. As their food supply dwindles in late summer and early fall, they begin
looking for alternative food sources. AND, it seems they are even more active than in the spring or early summer! Quick to recognize a good food source when they see it, your food and beverages become prime targets! As such, the question of the day becomes one of how to keep them away without endangering our own food with sprays and other chemicals.
Strangely, cucumber peels are a simple way to keep pests away. Acids found in cucumber peels are highly offensive to bees and wasps. So, the peels repel, leaving the rest of the cucumber to eat and enjoy! Just place peels around the exposed food as well as your plate! Put your drink on a small plate with a peel or two on it. With numerous friends present, a peel or two on the chair armrests will also work for humans!
Again, it’s the acid that works. A peel without a bit of cucumber on it dries out pretty fast. Once peels dry out, they lose their effect. So, leave some flesh on the peel. ¾” peels work very well. Also, you don’t
need an 18” peel. Cutting a slice, removing out the center leaving a ¾” peel and then quartering it is usually sufficient. We’ve been talking about bees and wasps, but the cucumber slices keep other flying insects away.
For total protection, plug in an electric fan (ceiling, stand up, or portable hand-held). Flying insects weigh next to nothing, and a fan breeze upsets their navigating accuracy. This is why placing a few fans
around your outdoor space quickly clear the space.
