Bees are essential to many parts of our ecosystem, but can become troublesome pests if they take up a nest near our homes. Fortunately, there are effective and natural ways of keeping bees away that don’t involve harsh chemicals. In this article, you’ll learn how to create a DIY natural bee repellent to keep bees buzzing away from your home.
1. DIY Natural Bee Repellent: Stop All That Buzzing!
Bees may be the life of the summer party, but sometimes they can become a real nuisance. If you’re tired of all the buzzing and want a cost-effective alternative to store-bought repellents, then you’ll be interested in this simple and natural method of ridding your outdoor hangouts of unwelcome Bee encounters.
- What You’ll Need:
- A spray bottle (glass or plastic)
- Purified water
- Essential oils (Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Citronella have been found to be effective)
When your ingredients are ready, it’s as easy as mix and spritz. Start by combining four teaspoon of the essential oils you’ve chosen with four cups of water in your spray bottle. Place the lid tightly on the bottle and give it a shake. Now your natural Bee repellent is ready to use whenever and wherever you hear the humming!
To use, simply spray any area where you don’t want bees lingering. Keep in mind that the scent of the spray won’t last forever, so you may need to reapply after a couple of days. Don’t worry–the natural ingredients are harmless for humans and animals, and you can give your outdoor space the spritz-treatment as often as needed with confidence.
2. All-Natural Ingredients to Keep Those Bees Away
There’s no need to get your home all messy with sticky, smelly chemical sprays to keep those nasty bees away. Instead, there are some all-natural ingredients that work just as well in getting those buzzing pests away from your place.
Here is a list of all-natural ingredients that will help keep those bees away:
- Citrus fruit peel: Natural citrus essences, like the peels of oranges, lemons, or limes, act as a strong scent that will disturb unwanted bees. Just disperse some slices of the desired fruit around your property and watch them fly away!
- Vinegar: One of the most versatile and natural ingredients, vinegar is an incredibly efficient natural repellent for bees and other pests. Soak some cotton balls in a vinegar-water solution and hang them in areas where bees are commonly sighted- they won’t hang around for long!
- Essential Oils: Whether it’s any type of mint, lavender, neem, or eucalyptus, essential oils are great to keep bee patrols away. Add a few drops of any type of these oils to a small cotton cloth and hang them around your area.
Just keep in mind that these remedies can only be used as temporary repellents and won’t work if the infestation is more serious. Therefore, if the problems persists, contact an expert beekeeper in order to minimize the potential risks that could be encountered with a large swarm of bees.
3. How to Make a Sure-Fire Bee Repellent
Naturally deterring bees doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Making a homemade bee repellent is an effective, safe, and cost-efficient way to keep bees away. Before beginning, there are a few items to keep in mind.
- Make sure to responsibly relocate any bee infestations before starting. Don’t be tempted to use commercial insecticides or foggers before trying to find the bee colony first. Live relocation is the best semi-permanent solution that will work in the long-term.
- Choose the right ingredients. Essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, citronella, lemon, and wintergreen are natural bee deterrents. Natural sources of soap like Castile soap are known to effectively ward away insects as well.
Making a homemade bee repellent is surprisingly simple. Be sure to combine the ingredients in a safe container. Firstly, fill the container with water and add 3 tablespoons of Castile soap. Then add 30 drops of the selected essential oil blend. Shake the infused water until the oils have dissolved completely.
The most important step is ensuring that the repellent reaches all beehives. This can be as simple as spraying water hoses or using garden sprayers and reaching the nests. Alternatively, fill a bucket with the repellent and dip old rags into the solution and hang around beehives.
4. Specific Steps You Can Take to Deter Bees from Entering Your Home
Getting rid of bees around your property doesn’t have to be a major challenge. Take the following steps to encourage bees to find a new home.
- Fill In Cracks Around Your Home: Fill in any possible cracks or gaps around your home in order to keep bees from creating a nest. Even small cracks can offer bees a way to get inside your home, so check both inside and outside.
- Inspect Your Home Regularly: Check for nests on a regular basis and, if you do find a nest, make sure to take steps to remove it safely.
- Cut Back Nearby Bushes and Trees: Trim back any nearby trees or bushes that may be drawing bees to your property. Even if you don’t find a nest, bees may be attracted to the flower blossoms.
Contact a local beekeeper or pest control specialist if you have a problem that you can’t solve yourself or if you feel uncomfortable handling it. A professional will be able to safely remove the bees and ensure that they aren’t drawn to your property in the future.
You can also plant certain herbs, such as borage, basil, and rosemary in your garden. The smell of these herbs may repel bees and other insects.
5. Does This Bee Repellent Really Work?
- Identifying Your Insect Problem
While bee repellent is usually designed to repel bees, it can also be effective against other types of insects. Before investing in a bee repellent, it is important to identify what type of insect you are trying to repel. A few common types of insects that can be repelled with the right product include mosquitoes, hornets, wasps, and flies.
- Choosing the Right Bee Repellent
When it comes to finding the right bee repellent, look for one that is designed specifically for the insect you are trying to repel. There are many different types of products available ranging from natural solutions to chemical ones, so make sure to do your research before purchasing anything. Some products come in the form of sprays, gels, and liquids, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
- Testing Out the Product
Once you have purchased the product, it’s time to test it out. Most bee repellents should be applied directly to the area you’re trying to keep the bees away from. It can take some time to see results, so be patient. It’s also important to note that you may need to reapply the product periodically for it to remain effective.
- Does It Really Work?
The answer to this is yes, bee repellent does work. However, depending on the type of product you use and the type of insect you are trying to repel, your results may vary. Different types of products work better for different types of insects, so it’s important to find the right one for your particular pest problem. It can take some trial and error, but with the right product, you should be able to effectively keep bees away.
6. What to Do and Not Do When Dealing with Bees
When it comes to dealing with bees, there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do to avoid danger and keep the bees safe. Here are a few tips to bear in mind:
- Do: Remain still if a bee approaches. Rather than swat it away, just wait until it flies away of its own accord.
- Do: Talk to a bee-keeper if you should see a swarm. A bee-keeper may be able to help the bees find a new home safely without them becoming a danger to anyone.
- Do: Wear a hat and light-colored clothes if you need to be outside when there are bees in the area.
However, you should also avoid some common situations with bees:
- Don’t: Wear scented products such as perfume, cologne, or lotions as these attract bees.
- Don’t: Feed the bees. Not only can their diet be disrupted, but you may also attract them to where you are.
- Don’t: Try to swat away a bee that has you targeted. In addition to provoking them, this may result in you getting stung.
Finally, remember that bees should be respected for their importance and for their role in maintaining nature’s order. If handled correctly, bees can remain safe and undisturbed.
7. Alternative Bee Repellent Solutions for Any Situation
A pesky bee buzzing around your home or yard can become a nuisance fast. And while insect sprays and store-bought repellents might do the trick in most cases, for more serious or specialised situations, you should look into alternative solutions. Let’s go through seven of them.
- Essential Oils: If you’re looking for something natural then essential oils could be your best bet. Erecting a DIY bees’ nest will help draw pests away from the area. A combination of two parts oil and three parts water, such as eucalyptus and tea tree oil, should create the desired effect. Plus, it smells great.
- Sticky Substrate: Sometimes the most low-tech solution it the best one. A creative alternative to insecticides or smoke bombs, a sticky substrate like tanglefoot or vaseline will pin down bees without the potential hazards. You can also attach thin strips of double-sided tape outdoors, as it will be too slippery for the bees to get away.
- Light and Sound: Bees have great sensitivity to light and sound. To scare this bug away, you can go full sci-fi and set up a few strobe lights and portable speakers. This will make them think you are a larger creature that they’d rather not tangle with.
- Hang Natural Predator Plaques: For an ongoing but effective way to keep the bees away, consider hanging plaster casts of natural predators, such as dragonflies, in your garden or around the house. The presence of these predators will deter the bees from the area.
Of course, in most cases you should simply consult a bee wrangler for more serious and immediate scenarios. However, for more common cases, you should have no problem controlling the bee population with alternative solutions.
8. The Environmental and Economic Benefits of a DIY Natural Bee Repellent
Summer is in full swing and with it the inevitable arrival of pesky bugs. Fortunately, a simple solution to keep unwanted bees away is to create your own natural bee repellent. Not only does it provide a safe way to manage bee populations around your home, but it also has environmental and economic advantages.
- Effective: The natural substances in DIY insect repellents make them highly effective at dispersing bees and other flying insects.
- Chemical-Free: Unlike conventional repellants, natural remedies don’t contain any man-made toxins or chemical irritants that can weaken the insect’s internal organs.
- Cost-efficient: Natural bee repellents are easy to make and far less expensive than conventional bug sprays. Plus, it doesn’t require multiple products or excessive amounts to work.
Making your own DIY natural bee repellent requires minimal effort and few ingredients, most of which are affordable and easy to find. Common compounds used to make these homemade remedies include essential oils, short-chain fatty acids, citrus extracts, and yeast. All of which are natural and completely safe for the environment.
Furthermore, DIY bee repellents don’t contain harmful toxic materials that may seep into the soil or pollute the air when applied outdoors. Unlike traditional chemicals, which can put your health at risk, natural repellents make it easy to maintain a healthy insect population around your home while also protecting the environment.
If you’re looking for an easy and natural way to keep pesky bees away, DIY natural bee repellent is a smart solution. Plus, with a few simple and affordable ingredients, you can keep your family safe in no time. Get creative and make your own custom bee repellent and keep those bees buzzing away this season!
