Looking for a way to get rid of those pesky bees in your backyard? Say goodbye to chemical sprays and hello to natural bee repellent. Read on to learn how to keep bees away naturally, with solutions that are gentle and effective.
1. A Natural Solution: Keeping Bees Away Without Chemicals
Bees let us experience the sweet joys of nature, and are a major contribution to our food sources due to their pollinating power. But sometimes, the presence of too many bees can become a nuisance. Fortunately, using natural means, it’s possible to keep them out of areas they don’t belong.
Here are a few bee-safe practices you can employ:
- Clean up the area. Eliminating the nesting or foraging sources for the bees can help reduce their presence. Keep any food or sugary items away from the area, and perform regular upkeep in green spaces or gardens.
- Install barrier plants. Choose plants with strong fragrances like mint or lavender, or plants that bees have difficulty pollinating due to their hairy surface, such as lamb’s ear. Reducing the nectar and pollen sources for the bees can help keep them away.
- Don’t use harmful chemicals. Poisonous chemical products used to get rid of bees are often more damaging to the environment than the presence of a few bees, and can harm other living creatures. Seek out natural and organic means first.
Creating a bee-safe zone can take some effort and dedication, but it’s well worth the effort if it means keeping bees away from the area. Start by cutting off possible sources of food, enticing them away with barrier plants, and avoiding the use of toxic chemicals. Soon enough, your bee-safe zone will prosper!
2. Exploring Natural Options to Keep Bees Away
Bees play an important role in pollination, but when they’re hovering around your home, it’s not always a pleasant experience. Thankfully, you can take a few simple steps to keep them away without harming the environment.
Eliminate Sweet Fragrances
Bees love the smell of sweet fragrances – like fragrant flowers or sugary foods. Keep perfumes, shampoos and other scented products away from outdoor living spaces. Likewise, close garbage bags and lids and don’t leave sugary or sweet drinks around.
Plant a Bee-Friendly Garden
Bees need food, too. Plant a bee-friendly garden filled with native plants and flowers, like lavender and rosemary, that will attract the critters and give them a place to feed. This will keep the bees away from your porch and other outdoor living areas.
Repel with Household Products
To repel the bees, you can try using some of these items found around your home:
- Mint
- Lemon juice
- Vinegar
- Citronella oil
Simply soak a cloth in the mixture and hang it near the area that you want to keep the bees away. They should stay away within a few hours.
3. Bees, Pollination, & the Benefits of Keeping Busy Bees Away
Most people are aware that bees are important to our ecosystem, providing us with products like honey, propolis, and wax, as well as playing a crucial role in pollination.
Bees & Pollination:
Without bees, our food supply would be drastically reduced, as almost one-third of the food we rely on for nutrition comes from plants that need to be pollinated. Bees are responsible for pollinating 70 of the 100 crop species that feed 90 percent of the world’s population. Even more alarming is that bees are disappearing around the world due to human interference, climate change, and disease, making it crucial that we recognize the importance of bees and their role in pollination.
Benefits of Keeping Busy Bees Away:
It is beneficial to keep busy bees away from your residence, local parks, and businesses. Busy bees, also known as Africanized honey bees, are more aggressive and less prone to swarm than other types of bees. The stings of these bees are more painful and they can chase after people for a long distance.
- They can attack with little provocation.
- They can build nests quickly.
- They are difficult to remove from your property.
By not introducing these bees to your area, you will be helping to protect the natural bee population and extending the important role they play in pollination. Additionally, you will be safeguarding yourself and your loved ones from potentially painful and even dangerous bee swarms.
4. DIY Bee Repellent: Easy & Effective Natural Recipes
Keeping bees away from your home or garden can be a daunting task. But don’t worry, there is an easy and effective solution for this problem! Natural DIY bee repellents are both inexpensive and effective. Here is a list of three simple recipes that you can make at home to help you keep those pesky pollinators away:
- Essential Oil Spray. This one is a quick and easy solution. Mix together 5 drops of lavender oil, 5 drops of clove oil, 5 drops of eucalyptus oil, 5 drops of rosemary oil, and 5 drops of cedarwood oil (total of 25 drops) in one cup of water. Put this mixture into a spray bottle, shake it up, and spray away!
- Vinegar Mixture. Mix one cup of white vinegar, with 10 drops of peppermint oil, and 10 drops of lavender oil, and put the mixture into a spray bottle. This powerful concoction is sure to help ward off any honeybees that come buzzing around.
- Diatomaceous Earth. This concoction can be used both indoors and outdoors. Simply sprinkle some diatomaceous earth near the area you want to keep bees from, and it will quickly do the job.
These natural and DIY bee repellent recipes are easy, effective, and budget-friendly. A few minutes of your time and a few ingredients are all you need to make your own at home. Don’t let those pesky honeybees spoil your day any longer!
5. Must-Know Tips for a Successful Natural Bee Repellent
1. Treat Plants with Homemade Insect Repellents
Natural ingredients, like garlic and citrus, are great for treating plants that are being attacked by bees. Create an insect repellent spray by blending fresh garlic and onion, then adding it to a quart of water. Use this in a spray bottle to mist plants that bees may be attracted to. Citrus peels can also be added to the mix, or can be used separately as a repellent against bees.
2. Plant Bee-Repelling Herbs
Grow herbs like lavender, basil, and mint to make your outdoor space less attractive to bees. These herbs have strong odors that disturbs the sense of smell of bees and keeps them away. Place these herbs in areas that are prone to bee infestations or near entry points of your home. It is also possible to add these herbs in a more contained, such as a hanging pot to help protect your outdoor space.
3. Put Up Artificial Bee Repellents
If planting herbs and treating plants with natural repellents does not solve your issue, then it may be necessary to invest in an artificial bee repellent. Look for products that claim to be bee-safe and environmentally friendly. Hang structures that create sound, light and scent waves in areas that bees may be attracted to, as this will make the area unwelcoming for them.
4. Keep an Eye on Potential Entry Points
Check areas that bees may enter your home through such as cracks near windows and doors. Apply caulk or other sealants to these entry points to help keep bees and other pests out of your indoor space. Invest in a screen door so that you can keep the area around your front door airy without giving bees easy access.
5. Research Natural Bee Repellents
Do some research to find out more about natural bee repellents. Consider using traps and lures to help keep bees off your property. Alternatively, attract natural predators such as birds or dragonflies to the area to help reduce the bee population. These techniques can be added to your natural bee repellent process to help achieve success.
6. Pollinator Conservation & Natural Bee Repellent
Pollinator conservation has become increasingly important because of the devastating effects of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) on bee populations. Insect pollinators, such as honeybees, bumblebees, and wild native bees, are essential for food production. Without them, crops would not be pollinated and our food production would be reduced. In addition, pollinators also provide a natural balance in the environment between plants and animals.
One of the best ways to help protect bee populations is to create and maintain natural bee repellents in the garden. This can be done by incorporating a variety of flowers and plants that are attractive to pollinators into the garden. Interplanting vegetables, herbs, and flowers will provide the bees with year-round food. Make sure to include native plants that are rich in nectar and pollen. hedgerows, hedges, and meadow areas also provide food sources and nesting sites for bees.
In addition to food sources, a variety of nesting sites should be provided, such as in logs, stumps, walls, and fences. These can help create more habitat for bees, encouraging them to take up residence. To discourage predators, avoid using insecticides and other chemicals in your garden and yard. Keep the garden tidy and free of debris and weeds that can be a source of nesting and food for predators. Lastly, be mindful of the potential of water sources in the garden, which can help keep bees hydrated.
- Interplant vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Not only will they be aesthetically pleasing, they will provide the bees with year-round food.
- Include native plants. Native plants are rich in nectar and pollen and will attract bees to your garden.
- Provide nesting sites. Providing a variety of nesting sites such as logs, stumps, walls, and fences will encourge pollinators to take up residence in your garden.
- Avoid using insecticides and other chemicals. These can be a source of food and nesting for predators that would otherwise pursue the bees.
- Keep the garden free of debris and weeds. This will discourage predators and provide a safe environment for the bees.
- Provide water sources. Bees need water to stay hydrated. Make sure there are available water sources throughout the garden.
7. Identifying & Avoiding Bee-Attracting Plants
Bees can live and thrive in many different types of climates, soil conditions, and habitats. Though they are capable of surviving in a wide range of conditions, they do prefer certain types of plants when looking for nectar and food. As you may suspect, it is important to know which plants are most attractive to bees in order to avoid attracting them to your home or garden.
Flowering Plants
While any flowering plants produce pollen and nectar, certain blooms can attract more bees than others. Bees are especially fond of brightly colored flowers, especially purple, blue, and yellow blooms. Examples of bee-attracting plants include:
- Aster
- Coneflower
- Daisy
- Lavender
- Lilac
- Mint
- Poppies
- Rosemary
- Sunflower
- Yarrow
Fruit & Vegetable Plants
Certain fruits, vegetables, and herbs can also attract bees looking for nectar or pollen. These kinds of plants are typically found in the home garden, including:
- Cucumbers
- Melons
- Pumpkins
- Squash
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Oregano
If you are looking to keep bees away from your home or garden, you will want to avoid planting any of the flowering and fruit-bearing plants listed above.
8. Keeping Your Property Bee-Free Naturally: Get Started Now!
It’s time to tackle your bee problem! Staying bee-free is possible, and you can do it naturally and free of expensive chemicals. Here are some easy and effective methods to keep bees away from your property:
- Remove water sources. Bees need water to survive and reproduce. Eliminate any sources of standing water, including birdbaths, outdoor pet dishes, and outdoor dumps.
- Remove sources of food. Be sure to keep garbage cans tightly sealed and hang bird feeders away from the house. Also keep pet food indoors.
You may also consider adding a few plants to your garden that act as natural repellents. Lavender, lemongrass, mint, and citronella are all known to help ward off unwelcome bees. In addition, the smell of chrysanthemums, marigolds and basil can all be used to deter bees, as well.
Finally, you can try using smoke to drive away any bees that have already infested your space. Burning certain plants, such as rosemary, thyme or eucalyptus can help drive them away. Be sure to take all necessary precautions when doing this, however, as it can be dangerous if not done properly.
Eco-friendly and natural bee repellents can be an effective and cost-efficient way to keep bees at bay. Whether you opt for a home-made solution or a professionally created formula, this natural alternative can be a great solution for any bee infestation. With these methods, you can keep your home safe and say farewell to bees for good—without any harmful side effects.
