I live in a house and insects nest all the time inside, but last year my friends the bees thought it will be nice of them to stay for a longer visit. So before they had the time to build a nest, I drove them out and here I want to share 9 ways that are effective.
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Effective ways to get rid of bees (house and garden)
Important: If you are looking to get rid of a bees nest, I recommend proceeding to step 1, calling a Beekeeper or a pest control agency or step 4, Smoke and Fire, but act cautiously!!!
1.Call a Beekeeper
If there is a big nest, finding a beekeeper is a very crucial step because he will not only deal with the matter with professionalism but he will also keep the bees alive. If you live in an area where you know a beekeeper or you can just google if there is one, call him, he would be happy to find those creatures a new home.
2.Soap water
This mixture may kill bees! You take a spray bottle and mix one part dish soap to four parts water and give it a good shake. You are ready now to spray every bee that comes to your sight. Do that for the next 2 days and the bees won’t return. This soap-water mixture doesn’t leave any residue like other chemical insecticides from the supermarket.
3.Vinegar spray solution
This mixture is recommended only for the outside and it may kill the bees! Take a bowl and mix water and any kind of vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. Pour it into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray all the plants and spots where the bees go every 2-3 days. If there is a nest, do not spray it under any circumstances, even though the bees might be sleeping, there are always some awaken and you might get stung multiple times before the mixture kills them! If it is a nest of bees, call a beekeeper!
4.Smoke and fire
Bees are afraid of bright lights and even more smoke. When sensing smoke they think of fire and start to evacuate themselves which keeps them busy, also the smoke makes them dizzy and not aggressive for a while. You can light a piece of Newspaper or use a smoker (the device that beekeepers use to smoke their bees when collecting the honey) this will scare them away. If you are trying to get rid of a nest, smoke the bees so they get dizzy and stuff the nest inside a bag and close it, I would also highly recommend covering your face while doing it, so that you don’t get stung in the face if there are remaining bees. But do not light a fire under the nest, you may cause an uncontrolled burning.
5.Cinnamon
It doesn’t matter if you take cinnamon powder or cinnamon as a root, but the smellier it is, the better. You find all the areas where the bees are frequent and you spread the cinnamon there. You do that for at least a week daily and the bees won’t come anymore.
6.Peppermint
Bees avoid very smelly plants, so that’s why peppermint is a great choice. You can either buy some peppermint to put on the spots where the bees like to hang out or you can get some peppermint plants and plant them around your house. The bees will avoid them and by default, your house too. It’s a double win because you will have also peppermint at your disposal and it’s really easy to take care of this plant.
7.Garlic in water
You can chop up some garlic and soak it in water, the garlic will start to smell and keep the bees away. But I would recommend using that method only if you want to get rid of the bees on the outside, indoors the smell would not only drive the bees away but also some humans.
8.Vanilla mixture- to keep the bees away from your body
If you feel scared of bees approaching you, mix a table spoon of vanilla extract with some water and rub some onto your skin. If you don’t like the smell of vanilla, baby oil does the same job.
9.Soda
This method may kill the bees! You will take a bottle of water and cut it in half (a bucket does the job too) you fill the bottle up with a sweet soda and place it in the bee-infested area. Bees love sweet liquids and will get drawn to them to drink. Eventually, they will drown inside.
Why should you get rid of bees from your property?
Even though bees are doing a wonderful thing to our nature whilst pollinating the plants, they can sometimes be a big problem for various reasons:
- Someone allergic to bees: Allergies are something very serious. If a person is allergic to bees, a single sting wherever on the body might have a fatal outcome. Even a non-allergic grown-up, if stung somewhere near his neck, may get in serious trouble and not forget little children and babies. If you don’t know if you are allergic to bee stings, I recommend testing yourself. I personally have 2 very important items with me. I have a small syringe but instead of the needle in front I have put a little tube, so if the bee stings me, I can remove the sting carefully and suck the venom out as much as possible. The 2nd item I carry is an adrenalin injection, if someone is allergic and gets into a critical condition, an adrenalin shot will save him. BEWARE, before using an adrenalin injection on yourself or someone else, inform yourself on how to do it safely!
- They sting: Every bee stings if felt threatened or if you accidentally squish it in your hands. I’m sure everyone has been stung by a bee at least once in his life, and yes it hurts a lot. If there is a nest or beehive near your property the chances of getting more bees, so more stinging increases. If the nest is under the ground your kids or your pets might get stung while playing in the yard. So it’s in your interest to get rid of the bees as soon as possible.
- Aggressive Bees: Bees are calm insects, but under certain circumstances, they might get annoyingly dangerous. They might fly straight to you and sting you if the weather is very hot or you are making rash movements, which scare them, or if they feel their nest is in danger. Also be careful not to swallow a bee while it’s feasting on your plate because if stung inside the mouth, all will swell and you will suffocate.
How to remove the sting
In case you get stung here are some tips on what to do. First, when the bee stings you, as long as it isn’t the queen bee (very unlikely) the bee will die, read my article on “Do bees die after stinging” here! Secondly never smash the bee on your hand, you always want to carefully remove it, because the bee injects venom inside of you, but there is a little vesicle attached to the sting which is full of even more venom and by smashing the bee you will inject it all. Thirdly very carefully remove the sting, if you have a tweezer, use it. When removing the sting, look that the vesicle doesn’t burst and that the whole sting is out of your skin. To relieve the pain you can pure a 0.1% adrenalin liquid on it and if you have a syringe with a tube (the one I mentioned in the previous paragraph) you can suck out the venom. If you are allergic to bees, call the emergency number!
How to identify if its bees or wasps
| Bees | Wasps | |
| Color | Light brown/brown yellowish | Yellow and black stripes |
| Size | 1.3 cm (0.5 inch) | 1.2 – 1.8 cm ( 0.48- 0.70 inch) |
| Body | Have a lot of hair on all of their body Fatter body and thicker legs | Have less hair and are smooth and shiny Sleeker body, narrow waist and skinnier legs |
| Eyes | Hairy and dark | No hair, but dark |
| Wings | 4 shorter wings | 2 long wings |
| Sting | Die after stinging | Can sting multiple times |
| Aggression | Attack only if provoked or defending their nest | Very aggressive and attack in groups |
| Food | Bees eat only pollen, nectar or honey | Wasps are predators and eat meat |
What to do if bees attack you?
- If the bees attack you, run away in a straight line and hide inside a car or building.
- If already under attack, shield your face and eyes with your hands or an item of clothing if possible. Never fight the bees, every fast movement scares them even more and do not scream, you might swallow a bee.
- Hiding in the water will not always help you, the bees will wait for you to catch air and then sting you, do only if no other choice is left.
- Bees get aggressive from loud noise, keep it quiet.
- If stung, remove the stinger carefully without popping the venom-vesicle. Wash the area with soapy water and apply ice or something very cold, it will relieve you from the pain.
- If someone allergic is stung or someone is stung in the area of the neck, immediately call the emergency number in your country!
- If you are stung multiple times, seek medical attention, since you might react to the venom a couple of hours later.
What smell keeps bees away?
There are many different plants that can keep your bees away. Peppermint, spearmint, eucalyptus and thyme mixed with a generous amount of oil, to amplify its smell, will keep the bees away. Bees also dislike the smell of lavender oil, citronella oil, lemon and lime. Since bees are not attracted to humans by nature, but are extremely curious, you can rub yourself with one of the above suggested and no bee will come in your way.
Is it legal to kill bees?
There is no country in the world where killing bees, might get you in trouble with the law. BUT the question you should rather ask yourself is, Should I kill bees? And my answer to that is, if avoiding the bee’s death is a possibility, then keep the creature alive! There are many ways to get rid of the bees, without killing them, if you are new to this article and want to find out ways to get rid of bees without killing them, scroll up to the first paragraph.
Does a dead bee, attract other bees?
Dead bees do not spread a pheromone that attracts other bees. The exception is a dying mother bee, when the queen is dead the bees will gather around, but that’s only because their sole purpose is to protect her. Actually, bees are only interested in the production of honey and the survival of their hive, other things seem to be careless for them. But beware, a threatened bee might secrete the “Alarm pheromone” which signals other bees of danger and then bees might gather around.
Afterword
It’s very important to remember that you want to get rid of the bees, by saving them if possible. Always remember, when getting rid of the bees you should take drastic measures only if no other options are left. The bees mean you no harm, even if they are annoying and scary sometimes. It’s better to relocate them than to kill them. If they have built a nest in your house or your garden, seek out the nearest beekeeper and he will be more than happy to find those lovely creatures a new and more suitable home. Save the bees!