While bees are among the most important insects in the world, they can become a real nuisance if they decide to build a nest in your backyard. If you have small children they can be downright dangerous. There are many reasons one would wish to remove bees from their backyards, such as the danger of stings, aggression from the bees when they protect their nest, and even allergies. If you spot a large number of bees frequently flying in and around your backyard it is highly likely you have a bee nest hidden somewhere. Other signals such as unpleasant odors and holes in wooden structures can also indicate a bee nest nearby.
There are many ways to deal with bees in your backyard. Below is a list of 10 effective and proven ways to deal with bees in and around your home.
Call a Specialized Service
If you simply want the bees gone and aren’t too concerned about the method used, a bee removal service is a great way to get rid of bees quickly. They can exterminate or live remove the bees from your property depending on where the nest is located and how many bees are there. Should extermination take place, pesticides will likely be used and should be considered when choosing this option.
Call a Beekeeper
Another method is to call a local beekeeper who will in all likelihood come and remove the nest for free. This is a better option if you do not want to kill the bees as the beekeeper will disassemble the nest and reassemble it at their farm. Usually, the nest is broken down into honeycombs and transferred off your property.
Use Vinegar Spray
A natural way of removing bees in your backyard is to use a vinegar spray. Mix equal parts of water and vinegar and place the mixture into a spray bottle. Then, locate the bee’s nest and spray it with the solution at night time when the bees are not active. You could also spray the mixture on plants and areas where the bees are most commonly spotted.
Make a Soda Bottle Trap
Another method of getting rid of bees is to create a soda bottle trap which will drown them. To make this, simply cut a soda bottle in half and fill the bottom with sugary soda. Then, place the half bottle and soda near the nest. The sweet smell will attract the bees who will drown in the liquid.
Use Bug Zappers
Bug zappers are a surprisingly effective method of removing bees. If you hang numerous zappers around your backyard, particularly ones which have a sweet smell, the bees will become attracted to it and get electrocuted upon contact. The zappers can also work against mosquitoes and other annoying insects.
Water Your Lawn Regularly
If the bees are nesting in the ground you can stop them from coming back regularly by watering your lawn frequently. Ground bees do not like damp conditions and choose to nest where it is dry and sandy so they can attract female bees. Watering your lawn regularly will keep bees away from the grass and help your lawn look beautiful!
Pot Plants That Repel Bees
Like all insects, there are certain plants that bees cannot stand. The most prevalent of these plants is mint. Bees will not go near mint and as such, planting mint plants around your garden will help it stay bee-free. If there are bees already living in your garden, the mint plant should help to drive them away.
Use Cinnamon
Similar to mint, bees cannot stand cinnamon. The best method here is to use ground cinnamon and sprinkle it around the hive daily for at least a week. The smell will stop the bees from coming back to the hive, eventually leading to the decline of the population and the expulsion of bees from your property.
Hang Mothballs
As with many other insects, bees do not like the scent of mothballs. Using mothballs either strategically around your backyard or just hanging all around the perimeter of your yard will help to keep away bees. You can also hang mothballs around the nest if bees have already set up camp in your yard.
Make a DIY Bee Spray
Create a DIY bee spray to repel bees. Mix together one drop of peppermint oil with unscented baby shampoo and spray the mixture around the garden, paying particular attention to the nest and favorite spots for the bees.
Using these 10 ways to deal with bees in your backyard is sure to help keep your garden bee-free and help you and your family enjoy an allergy and danger-free summer. Whichever your preferred method of removing bees, there are many ways to ensure the pesky insects don’t bother you while you are enjoying the sunshine in your backyard. Make sure you maintain diligence with your preferred method to stop bees returning after you have dealt with the initial infestation.
