You really don’t want bees in your home. Bee stings are no joke — to you or the bees. And the structural damage bees can do to your property can be costly. But did you know that you can get rid of bees without killing them? There are so many reasons why you don’t want to hurt these winged insects. Below are the main reasons why and how to get rid of bees without killing them.
Why you don’t want to kill bees
- Bees play an important role in nature. Bees are some of the most important pollinators in the world. The small hairs all over their bodies help transport pollen between plants, ensuring that the plants are healthy and able to reproduce. Without pollination, you can even argue that humans and many others won’t survive. Most of our food and plant-based products require pollination. Bees also produce honey, an important ingredient in many health products.
- Their populations are dropping. Bee populations in many parts of the world are dropping. This is not just a threat to nutrition, but also to food security as a whole. There are many reasons for this decline, such as climate change and poor farming practices. You don’t want to contribute to this decline. You can simply drive the bees away or relocate their beehive instead of killing them. With enough homeowners doing this, we can make a difference.
- They are less pesky than other stinging pests. You may find articles online saying that bees are not as dangerous as other stinging pests like wasps, but this is not completely true. Bees can be just as aggressive when threatened. However, you can say that bees are not as annoying because they are more likely to keep to themselves and hide in a secluded nest. They are also more likely to sting you only once, compared to wasps that can sting you multiple times. There is no need to be overly aggressive to such creatures.
How to get rid of bees without killing them
1. Call a beekeeper or pest control professional
The best part about calling professional help is that it removes you from the equation. You don’t have to risk yourself anymore by trying to get rid of the bees on your own. Another great part about it is that they actually know what they are doing. They don’t just read articles online about how to get rid of bees without killing them.
With the help of beekeepers and pest control professionals, the bees can be gathered and relocated safely. Some beekeepers may even do this for you for free. After all, they can take the bees back to their apiary or bee yard. You are basically giving them free bees.
2. Smoke the beehive
Bees don’t like smoke because it’s an indication of a forest fire. These winged insects are also very sensitive to smell, and smoke is not exactly pleasant.
To get rid of bees with smoke, build a fire below the beehive. Use materials that will produce a lot of smoke, like cardboard and dead firewood. Don’t stay in the area to watch the bees scramble about. Bees become aggressive when their nest is threatened, and this puts you at risk of bee stings.
Since you won’t be in the area, you should be very alert and cautious. Unattended fires can be dangerous, especially in the garden, lawn, or yard where there is grass and other flammable materials.
3. Try citronella candles
Bees don’t like the smell of citronella, so putting citronella candles around their beehive is a great way to make their nest feel uncomfortable. It can be uncomfortable enough to force the bees to just relocate.
But this method also puts you at risk of house fires, so use it with extreme caution. Also, it works better for beehives located inside your home. It’s not very good outside, especially if it’s rainy or windy.
4. Use a garlic or vinegar spray
Garlic is another smell bees find obnoxious. You can mix a few crushed garlic cloves with water to create a garlic mixture. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray around your home and the beehive. You can also use vinegar as an alternative.
The problem with this method is that the smell can be obnoxious for humans too.
5. Plant peppermint or use peppermint essential oil
Bees have a sensitive sense of smell. It’s not just pungent odors like garlic and vinegar that repel them. Odors that are pleasant to humans, like the smell of peppermint, can also drive these stinging pests away. You can make a spray by combining peppermint essential oil and water.
You can also just plant peppermint in the part of your property where you see bee activity. It can act like a natural barrier not just against bees, but also against other common household pests like mosquitoes.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon
The smell of cinnamon is another odor that is not necessarily unpleasant for humans, but it is for bees. Simply sprinkle cinnamon around the beehive to get rid of the bees without killing them. You may have to repeat this every day for a week though because of its limited effectiveness.
At least you are not putting yourself at risk of house fires and you are not bombing your home with unpleasant odors. Cinnamon is also an ant repellent.
7. Don’t forget to wear protective gear whilst getting rid of bees
Most of the methods above will require you to get close to the beehive troubling your home. This can be dangerous. You may read articles online saying that it’s safer to do these things at night when bees are less active. It’s indeed safer, but it doesn’t mean that it’s completely risk-free.
If you are going near a beehive, make sure to wear protective gear to shield you from bee stings. Surely, you don’t have a bee veil lying around. But you can improvise with long-sleeved shirts, pants, face masks, gloves, and boots.
You can get rid of bees without killing them…
With the right methods, you can get rid of bees without killing them. The best method of all is calling a beekeeper or a pest control professional. If you want to get rid of the bees yourself, wear protective gear to help shield against bee stings. Only use proven natural methods, like those that involve smoke and particular smells.
But natural methods have one downside — their effectiveness can be limited. And it may take a while for them to completely get rid of pest infestations — if they get rid of them at all. This is more incentive for you to call professionals instead.