We are all aware of the critical roles bees play in our ecosystem. However, having bees around your residential or commercial property can be dangerous. Understanding how to get rid of bees nests is vital to any property owner. This article focuses on how to remove bees nest effectively from your home. But before we do that, let’s talk about why bees are important and then why you need to get rid of them around your house.
How to Discourage Bees from Nesting on Your Property
While bees play an important role as pollinators, you probably don’t want them setting up a hive on your property. Their stings can pose a health risk, especially to those with allergies, and large hives are a nuisance. The key is making your home and yard less appealing to scout bees searching for a nesting spot for swarms. Here are some tips:
Block Access Points
Bees seek out small cavities about a quarter inch or wider to build comb and shelter their hive. Prevent them from entering your home by sealing any gaps, cracks or holes in walls roofs attics, and foundations using caulk, foam sealant, hardware cloth, or other durable fillers. Pay special attention around outdoor fixtures like vents, light fixtures, plumbing points, and where wires enter the house.
Trim vegetation like tree branches or shrubs that touch the home. Prune these back several feet to eliminate easy access between them and the structure.
Inspect siding, roofing, trim and decking for warped, loose or missing pieces that could provide an entry. Repair or replace these. Decks with open slat boards are prone to nests in the gaps between. Consider retrofitting with a solid surface or screen underneath to close it off.
Discourage Establishment
If bees begin scoping out your home as a spot to form a hive, you may have a brief window before they settle in. Aggressively hose scout bees with a strong stream of water to chase them away and disrupt their ability to communicate with the swarm about the location. Repeat this each time you see bee activity around the site to send the message it’s not a suitable home.
You can also hang fake wasp nest replicas under eaves and other shelter spots. Bees avoid areas marked by their predators. The sight of a wasp nest replica may prompt them to move on.
Remove Triggers
Strong residual scents from old hives can attract new swarms. If you’ve had bee colonies in walls or voids before, scrub the areas well and replace nest materials like honeycomb so the scent isn’t lingering. Consider painting or sealing the locations.
Get rid of clutter piles, unused items, and debris around the exterior. These are ideal shelter spots for establishing hives. Keep the yard tidy and eliminate junk.
Avoid flowering plants with potent fragrances and dense, sweet smells. These strongly attract scout bees. Choose mild smelling plants and flowers.
Use Preventative Sprays
Applying bee repellent sprays around the perimeter of your home creates an unwelcoming environment. Look for products containing essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass, eucalyptus or tea tree oil. The strong scent drives away scouts. Reapply every few weeks according to label directions.
Insecticide dusts containing permethrin or deltamethrin puffed into potential nest spots will also deter bees. However, use pesticides cautiously and only as a last resort, as they can harm beneficial pollinators and the environment.
Call a Professional
If you notice bees entering holes or voids in your home, contact a pest control professional or beekeeper immediately. They have the proper protective equipment to remove the bees and seal up entry points. Trying to do this yourself risks getting stung. They can also apply targeted dust or spray treatments inaccessible areas.
Prevention is more effective than eviction, so make bee-proofing your home an ongoing effort. Stay vigilant for old caulk or seals that may need replacing before they become an invitation inside your walls. With diligence, you can make your property unappealing to swarms on the hunt for prime real estate so you can avoid the nuisance of an unwanted beehive taking up residence.
Why Should You Remove Bees Nest?
- Bee Stings—Have bee nests close to your home? You, your family, and your pets are more likely to get stung by bees. The stings can cause severe injuries or even death.
- If you or someone in your family is allergic to bees, learning how to get rid of a beehive can keep you from getting sick from a simple bee sting.
- Aggressive Bees—Bees usually get mean when they need to protect their nests. Not only that, but if it’s too hot for flowers to receive pollen, Because of this, it makes sense to look for better ways to get rid of beehives to avoid the harm and violence that could happen.
Now that we know why bees are important and why you should get rid of their nests, let’s look at the best and easiest ways to get rid of bee nests in your home.
The Best Bee Hive Removal Techniques To Apply
There are various ways of removing bees nests. Some of them are natural, while others are artificial. Because of this, you should know exactly what you want to achieve before you choose a method. Think about whether you want to kill the bees or get them to leave and go to a different area of their habitat that is not near your home. Here are the top methods you can apply:
Professionals can handle bees safely and offer you long-lasting solutions. They can help remove bees nest without killing the inhabitants. Because they have a lot of experience with bugs like bees, they can get rid of them from your home and help them find a new one. To do this, they take out the honeycombs from inside the hive while making sure the queen bee is not upset. The experts transfer the honeycombs to another hive away from your home with the queen safe inside. The other bees follow her to the new beehive automatically. If you hire a bee control service, you can be sure that they will use only approved methods and products to get rid of the bees in your home.
Spraying bees using the right products is another long-lasting solution to bee infestations in your home. You should know that some sprays can kill bees, which you might not want to happen because bees are so important to the ecosystem. You can get many approved bee removal sprays to eliminate these insects without exterminating them. Sprays work effectively during the night. So, as you plan to get rid of bees nests, do so when it is dark. Use a red flashlight in the process because bees cannot see this colour.
When using a red flashlight, you can see the bees, but they will not see you. You get an excellent opportunity to spray them more competently. A good bee spray should chase them away within a few hours. Therefore, if you notice some bees the following day, consider respraying. Repeat the process until your home is free of bees. When using sprays to remove bees nest, you should:
- Read the instructions on the spray label. All sprays do not work the same way. So, make sure you get a bee spray that is strong enough for the job.
- You should not just spray the bees if you are not sure what kind they are. A bee control service can help you figure out what kind of bees you have and what kind of spray to use.
Applying bee powder on the bee nest can also help eliminate undesirable bees from your home. Sprays and powders both work the same way, which means that some powders can kill bees, which may not be what you want to do. Talk to a bee control service before you start the process to help you figure out what powder to use. As you use the powder, make sure you wear gloves to avoid contaminating your hands. Wear a helmet too to help you approach the bee nest safely and avoid stings. Besides, wear long socks to prevent bee stings on uncovered body parts.
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Bees
There are several techniques to remove bees naturally from your home. An excellent thing about simple home remedies is that they don’t hurt people or the environment. They offer the perfect solutions to bee problems on your property.
Vinegar works as a brilliant bee repellant. Vinegar can help in getting bees away from your home totally with no side effects involved. It is simple to make and also use in the process. The other advantage of using vinegar is that it repels bees rather than killing them. Vinegar works effectively in removing bee nests because of its foul smell that keeps bees away. You can use vinegar as a bee repellant in two ways:
- Put a few drops of vinegar into each of several water cans. Place the water cans strategically near the bee nest. Bees stay away from the nest because it smells bad, which keeps them from coming to your house.
- In a spray bottle, mix the same amount of vinegar and water. Then, spray the nest while wearing protective gear as you get close to it. Keep in mind that the spray can kill bees or make it hard for them to fly.
You can trap bees by luring them into a container they can enter but never escape. Commercial traps are designed to catch bees that you don’t want, but you can use things you already have at home to copy the design process. Create a bee trap with a narrow entry into an ample space. To attract bees inside the trap, add a sweet solution. You can use natural sugar, artificial nectar, or maple syrup mixed with water.
Bees are drawn to the small hole and enter through it. They get stuck because they can’t get out of the container. A two-liter bottle can work effectively as a DIY bee trap. To get rid of the bees’ nest without killing them, you need to catch them and release them somewhere else you want them to go.
Cucumbers are also an effective home remedy to get rid of bees. Here is how to use them:
- Slice cucumbers into small circular shapes.
- Place them on an aluminium surface.
- After that, put them in a good spot near the beehive.
The aluminium surface and chopped cucumbers react, producing a scent that helps keep bees away. You can also peel the cucumbers and place the peels on the window. Bees do not like the smell emitted, making them keep away from your home.
Planting peppermint around your home can keep bees away wholly. The scent emitted by peppermint is strong, making bees and other insects uncomfortable. Another great way is to buy peppermint oil and dip pieces of cotton wool in the oil. Then, place them at strategic areas in your home or around the nest to keep away bees.
Cinnamon is a versatile spice that works effectively in bee hive removal. It produces a stench that bees cannot withstand. If the nest has a cinnamon smell, they will move away and look for another place to stay. You can chase them away by sprinkling on or near the hive. Wear safety gear when you sprinkle because some bees may attack you if they smell the bad smell of cinnamon. It takes a few days to have bees eliminated from your home. Cinnamon helps remove bee nests naturally and without killing any bee.
Garlic produces a spicy, pungent smell that bees dislike. Since you already have this spice in your kitchen, you can use it to get rid of beehives effectively.
- Two heads of garlic and half a cup of boiling water are all you need to make a strong bug spray.
- Cut it up very small and put it in hot water.
- Give it a night for the mixture to seep.
- Pour the mix through a strainer into a spray bottle. Remove the large garlic cloves.
- Spray the mix on flowering plants to get rid of bees’ food sources. If you wear protective gear, you can also spray directly on the hive.
HOW TO GET RID OF BEE’S WITHOUT KILLING THEM – DIY METHODS (14 Natural Ways to Remove Bee’s)
FAQ
How do you encourage bees to leave?
What smells do bees hate?
How do I get rid of an unwanted bees nest?
How can I keep bees away from my porch?
How to keep bees from nesting in the same spot?
When it comes to bee removals, preventing bees from nesting in the same spot again is an endless problem. Bee repellent and mechanical barriers can help prevent bees from nesting in the same location.
Will the burning stop after a bee sting?
Yes, most definitely, the burning sensation after a bee sting will decrease and go away completely in a few hours. The redness may last for a few days, and the swelling around the sting area may also take a few days to completely resolve. But the burning sensation should resolve soon.
How do I stop a bee from nesting in my yard?
Take a close look around your home and yard to see if there are any holes or brush piles that a bee could use as a nesting spot. If you see groups of these insects hovering around different parts of your yard, try using deterrents to convince the bugs to move elsewhere.
What happens after a bee nest is removed?
After removing a bee nest, it is important to make the space unattractive or invisible to the bees. Bees will send scouts to survey the space for suitability for habitation. The scouts will then return and tell the rest of the hive about the space. This is the domain of bee prevention.
Do bees keep returning to your home after removing a nest?
Bees will keep returning to a previously identified prime location. After removing a bee nest, it is important to make the space “unattractive” or “invisible” to the bees, as this is the domain of bee prevention. Bees need to send scouts into the space to survey it for suitability for habitation.
How to get rid of bees?
The best course of action if you want to get rid of bees is to call a beekeeper. Honeybees are among the most crucial pollinators, which are responsible for the growth of crops and food. Therefore, it is in your best interest to get rid of bees in an ethical manner without harming them. Give them a chance to live, for them to find another location.