SerpApi.Org
Everyone knows the feeling of planning a glorious daytime picnic or looking forward to a quiet glass of wine outdoors in the evening only for it to be ruined by irritating wasps, flies and other pests.
Fortunately, there is a clever trick for keeping wasps away that TV personality and interior designer Ian Thompson swears by after having picked it up in Portofino and noticing that there wasn’t a single fly or mosquito around when dining al fresco.
The trick is as simple as lighting a small fire out of newspaper or anything that would work and adding ground coffee beans to the flames. The coffee-scented smoke acts as a deterrent to the critters, and you have the added benefit of coffee-scented incense.
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Posting to his social media on Instagram @ianthompsoninteriors, where he often shares top tips and tricks, Ian explained, “Get a bowl, light some newspaper and then put ground coffee that you've used and you've got cold and look at the smoke”.
Ian explains that you can utilise coffee grounds you’ve already used, or you could keep a bag of cheaper coffee around just for this.
He continued, “Now you're not going to believe this. The smoke, not only does it smell delicious, it chases every fly, every wasp. It works. There are no mosquitoes, there are no flies, there are no wasps."
Adding: “It smells delicious and that's just the hint that'll get you through the summer this year.”
After Ian shared his top tip, a flurry of social media followers took to his comments section to agree that it had worked for them in the past, or noted that it is a well-known, reliable trick from the likes of Greece and other warm-climate locations.
One user wrote, “I save my used coffee grounds and do this in smaller pots. Add a little alcohol or citronella oil to it and voila.”
Another added, “I learned this years ago in Greece where they actually just made a tiny pyramid of ground coffee and lit it up. It has through the years been the only thing that works against [wasp emoji]”.
So, it would seem that it’s a trick worth trying out – and thanks to its simplicity and affordability, you’ll no doubt want to make the most of the good weather.
Whether you decide to plan a garden party or have friends around to use your latest picnic accessories and outdoor furniture, you can rest assured that the only guests buzzing around will be the ones invited.
Never leave anything burning unattended.
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