What if a blue porch ceiling keeps bugs away? Some Southerners paint their porch ceilings blue out of respect of family tradition. Their grandmother insisted the blue ceilings tricked the wasps from building nest on the porches because the pests confused the ceilings with the sky.
Repelling Haints
The blue color was meant to ward off “haints” or evil spirits who might want to harm the house or the family inside. Tricking Insects. Many people argue that painting your porch ceiling blue actually keeps insects away.
Key Takeaways. Wasps are attracted to bright colors like yellow and red, while some colors like blue might be less appealing, though not necessarily repellent. Painting outdoor furniture and decor in blue or darker colors might help reduce wasp activity around your home.
The use of haint blue has lost some of its superstitious significance, but modern proponents also cite the color as a spider and wasp-deterrent. However, the color has not actually been scientifically shown to stave off bugs.
The other step I highly recommend is to paint eaves and porch and patio ceilings with the color called haint blue. It is a robin's-egg blue that, according to Southern tradition, discourages wasps from building nests on its surface. Every paint manufacturer sells a version of this color.
Because bugs see colors on the UV spectrum, they cannot register hues of green or blue. Painters even use blue paint to repel bees and wasps. Painting your porch ceiling in a blue tone could repel wasps, leading to fewer wasp-eating spiders around your home!
Blue. Historically, light blue is the go-to porch ceiling paint color—and for good reason. It mimics the natural sky and makes a covered porch feel open and inviting. However, it's important to find a shade that speaks to you and your house's locale.
The myth came about when porch ceilings used to be painted with milk paint containing lye, a substance known for deterring bugs, so the hue mistakenly gained a reputation as a pest-repeller. While there's no guarantee that a blue porch will keep bugs and ghosts at bay, you can be sure it will attract attention.
What scent or smell keeps wasps away? Wasps have a strong sense of smell and dislike certain plants like peppermint, spearmint, basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, thyme, citronella, bay leaves, and lemongrass. They are also repelled by vinegar, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and sliced cucumber.
An article from professors at Oklahoma State recommends that “when in wasp-infested areas, avoid wearing sweet-smelling colognes, perfumes, and hair sprays and bright orange, yellow, and blue clothing, as they will attract flying wasps. Khaki, tan, and dark colors are less attractive to wasps.”
Citrus - Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges can help deter wasps around your yard. Peppermint oil - Peppermint oil is one of the most effective essential oils for keeping wasps away. Citronella - Citronella oil is also effective, as it has a strong citrus smell that wasps do not like.
The practice traces back to the Gullah Geechee, enslaved people living in the low country of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Gullah folklore explains that ghosts, also referred to as “haints,” were not able to cross water. In order to repel evil spirits from plantations, porch ceilings were painted a soft blue.
While Law Enforcement and Autism Awareness are the two most common reasons you may notice this blue glow on front stoops there are others as well. You can show your support for Alopecia Areata Awareness, a disease which can cause hair loss and is common in children, by displaying a blue porch light.
Haint Blue Paint was suggested during the Dirt Doctor Radio Show today as a way to prevent wasps and spiders from building nests and webs on the porch and under eaves. In cities such as Savannah, GA, you will see the blue color painted on the door frames, porches and window sills of many homes.
Warm Colours Deters Insects
Warm light colours such as red, orange and yellow have the highest wavelengths. So naturally, you'll want to use warm coloured bulbs in your outdoor lighting design in order to deter large swarms of bugs and insects.
Sky blue paint might actually fool insects as well. Many people theorize that porches painted a soft blue will trick wasps and other insects into thinking it's the sky, taking their nests elsewhere.
Lore claims the insects and birds see the blue as the sky and don't come beneath it. According to a history of blue paint on Sherwin-Williams.com, today's blue paint is probably not a true deterrent for insects and birds but it once was – back when blue paint was made with lye.
As a result, Northwest Outdoor Lighting recommends a warm color tone (specifically 2,700K to 3,200K). This applies to ALL lights on the outside of your residence, such as carriage lamps, entry lamps and obtrusive flood lamps.
So while green attracts spiders, it repels their food sources. The color that spiders tend to hate is light blue. People don't just paint their porches light blue for the aesthetic. Painting your porch ceiling in this shade is a pretty effective way of keeping spiders away.
Homemade Wasp Repellent Spray
The best essential oils to repel wasps are geraniol, clove, thyme, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary. Simply mix a few drops in a sprayer and add some dish soap to help the mixture spread & stick!
Will Wasps return to a sprayed nest? Any wasp that was not in the nest when the pesticide was applied wasps will likely return. Depending on the product used when they enter, the pesticide will eventually affect them. If they sense danger or see the damage, they may not enter and look for another hive to accept them.
Wasps are drawn to food sources like fruit and sweet drinks, and they seek out sheltered areas around homes to build their nests. Here are some practical tips to keep wasps at bay: Eliminate bare, sandy areas: Ground-nesting wasps often choose these spots for their nests.