As warm spring breezes pull us out of our winter blur in many parts of the country, we’re soaking in the sound of peep-peeps from the peepers. But beneath that cheerful chorus is the creeping realization that nature’s little warriors aren’t far behind: wasps.

Why Wasps Freak Us Out (and with Good Reason)

As much as we appreciate bees for their role in pollinating flowers and our favorite foods, wasps have always gotten the cold shoulder. They seem to attack unprovoked, show no mercy, and in some places, they’re more than just a nuisance — they’re downright dangerous. Very not cute.

In fact, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), insect stings result in 72 deaths per year in the U.S. While that includes more than just wasps — and in the scheme of things, 72 is pretty low — it’s still enough to make the sight of a wasp nest forming in a hard-to-reach corner of your roof fill you with dread.

READ MORE: 20 Jaw-Droppingly Gigantic Insects That’ll Make You Scream

Last summer, I had the unlucky experience of disturbing a hidden nest while washing window frames, and was full-on attacked. I nearly fell off the roof and (barely walked away with 11 stings I won’t forget anytime soon). The lingering fear stuck around, too.

But reaching for wasp spray to kill them? That’s just not my style.

Can You Trick Wasps Into Staying Away?

That begs the question: Is there a non-chemical, safe way to stop wasps from building nests in the parts of your house you actually want to use? Some people think the answer might involve a pair of knitting needles and some drab brown yarn. Honestly, the potential solution is adorable.

This decoy wasp nest is available from the Corchet store on Etsy. Buyers note that it looks so real, it can fool humans.

You may have seen the idea floating around in local Facebook groups or on Etsy: trick wasps into thinking your porch is already occupied. The goal is to get them to move along by placing a fake nest, usually knitted from yarn or crafted from other materials. Supposedly, when the queen wasp comes scouting for a dry, sheltered spot, she’ll spot what looks like a rival nest and decide to build somewhere else. (Maybe at the neighbor’s house. Kidding… kind of.)

Does the “Decoy Nest” Actually Work?

As with most home and garden remedies, there are definitely two camps on this one. People have strong opinions, just like they do about that whole “don’t clean up your yard until it’s been 50 degrees for five days straight” rule. Don’t even get those folks started.

Sweet4Essentials makes a wasp nest decoy that looks like a sweet baby hat when not hanging in an area you want to be wasp-free.Many swear by decoy wasp nests, others say it’s a myth.

The Best Bee Brothers in Brookfield, WI (who, one can assume, also know a thing or two about wasps) say that decoy nests can work, but with some important caveats.

First, they point out that these faux nests won’t deter wasps that are already established. So if you’re already dealing with a wasp problem, this won’t solve it. Timing matters: you need to hang your cute little decoy early in the season. Second, they recommend placing the nests within 200 feet of previous nesting hotspots, like play equipment, under an awning, or on your porch.

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Others, however, think the buzz around this method is overrated. On the site Ask an Entomologist, insect expert Nancy Miorelli explains why. One major issue? Wasps often build nests right next to each other. So instead of scaring them off, could these decoys actually be giving them the green light?

That anecdotal evidence would be wasps that have built nests right next to each other… Other wasps straight up build new nests on top of other species’ old nests. And sometimes queens of one species will overwinter in an old abandoned nest of a completely different species.

But Miorelli sums up nicely what seems to be the answer to so many issues that arise when trying to keep your home happy and healthy: Do whatever works for you.

Basically – you don’t know if the wasps didn’t show up this spring because of your decoy or because of a random whole host of other factors.

So while the decoy nest might not actually keep those stinging, vengeful buzzkills away — or stop them from ruining your patio rosé — at least it looks pretty cute hanging there.