Most people know of the importance of bees and other pollinators in our natural world and the important service they provide to people. Even though bees are important to human survival, we do not necessarily want them invading our homes or our outdoor events. How do you keep bees away without causing them any harm?
The method for keeping bees away is to avoid attracting them or actively repel them with scents and aromas they find distasteful. Understanding what attracts bees is an important part of your home remedy strategy to keep bees away from your home or outdoor entertainment area.
You may have guests around that are allergic to bees or a family member that is allergic to bees. Sometimes we simply need to keep the bees away so we can enjoy our outdoor activities or prevent them from becoming a nuisance inside our homes. We have some simple home remedies you can use to keep the bees away!
Home Remedies To Keep Bees Away
Most people want to attract bees to their gardens because of the benefits these pollinators bring to the plants. Sometimes it is necessary to keep the bees away from your house, entertainment area, or even your person, if only for a short time.
Discouraging bees is not intended to kill them, but to keep them out of your personal space, where they can become problematic.
Foraging bees that you typically find in your garden or visiting your entertainment area are not generally aggressive. Even bees that fly into your home are not looking for someone to sting but rather for resources for their colony.
Bees sting when they feel threatened, which is usually an accidental encounter with the bees rather than a malicious attack.
Nevertheless, bees can be a nuisance, especially when enjoying the outdoors with your family.
Pesticides are bad for you, the environment, and the bees, so we have some suggestions to keep them away without causing them harm or posing health risks to humans or the environment.
Keeping Bees Away From Outdoor Activities
If you plan an outdoor occasion, such as a picnic or entertaining around the barbeque, it may be necessary to take precautions to keep bees from joining the party.
A few simple home remedies can help keep bees away from your outdoor entertainment area to prevent bees from becoming an issue.
Dryer Sheets To Keep Bees Away
Dryer sheets are polyester or cellulose fiber sheets impregnated with scents, lubricants, and fabric softeners. When included in your dryer with a load of laundry, the heat from the dryer releases these chemicals and fragrances which permeate the laundry, making it smell fresh and clean.
Bees dislike the chemical smell of dryer sheets, even if the sheets have floral fragrances. Hanging a few dryer sheets around your outdoor entertainment area, or pinning them to the backs of chairs, helps to keep the bees away.
Citronella Candles Deter Bees
Most people know that citronella keeps mosquitoes away, but bees also dislike the smell of citronella. A few strategically placed citronella candles will keep the bees away from your outdoor activity.
Most camping stores sell citronella candles in convenient tins. Open the lid, light the candle, and you are good to go. When the party is over, extinguish the candle, replace the lid, and you can bring the candles out again for your next outdoor occasion.
Decorative citronella candles are also available if you prefer a more elegant décor than a tin to position around your outside area.
Smoke Keeps Bees Away
If you can have an open wood-fuelled fire in your area, the smoke works well to repel bees. Using a wood or charcoal barbeque is a good option to cook your food and keep bees away from the area.
Bees dislike smoke; they associate it with danger and a threat to the colony. Bees will avoid smoke because they assume that where there is smoke, there is fire, so they prefer to keep their distance.
Burn Dry Coffee Grounds To Deter Bees
Don’t throw out all your used coffee grounds; they can be useful for your next outdoor event. Place a pile of used, dried coffee grounds in a small jar or tin, and light the coffee grounds.
The grounds will smolder, like incense, and generate a light smoke and an aroma that keeps bees and flies away from the area. Fortunately, the aroma is pleasant for people, creating a coffee, nutty, earthy aroma as it burns.
Ensure you place the jar on a saucer or small plate to prevent it from burning your outdoor tables, especially if you have wood table tops.
Keep Sugary Drinks Closed To Keep Bees Away
Bees are attracted to sugary drinks such as fruit juices and sodas. The sweet scents released by these drinks attract bees from the surrounding area.
Keep jugs of fruit juice closed with an airtight lid whenever possible. If you are using soda cans, give each of your guests a beeproof soda can lid to prevent bees from flying into the can unnoticed or being attracted by the sugary smell.
Don’t Serve Bananas At Outdoor Events
The scent of fresh bananas seems to have a particularly adverse effect on bee behavior. The smell of bananas sends bees into attack mode for reasons that are not well understood.
If you are planning an outdoor event, avoid putting bananas on the menu or making deserts using raw bananas to avoid antagonizing any bees nearby.
Keeping Bees Away From Your Home
Bees are great for your garden but are not welcome inside your home. Keeping bees outside where they do the most good for your garden can be challenging. A little preparation can help to keep bees interested in your garden rather than your house.
The best way to avoid bees invading your home is to grow plants around your home that do not attract bees. Grow plants that attract bees further away from your home rather than up against the walls.
Plant flowers and non-flowering plants that don’t attract bees close to your home. Flowers such as marigolds, roses, and chrysanthemums hold little interest for bees.
Use A Homemade Bee Repellant To Keep Bees Away
A homemade bee repellent can be useful to keep bees away from doors, windows, and other access points to your home.
You can easily make the following bee repellent with a few basic ingredients.
- Water
- Castile Liquid Soap
- Powdered cinnamon
- Peppermint Oil or citronella oil
- Cayenne Pepper
Put 3 teaspoons of liquid soap in a spray bottle. Add 5 drops of peppermint oil or citronella oil. Add a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Top up the spray bottle with water and shake well to combine all the ingredients. Spray the mixture around windows, doors, and patio furniture. The mixture will dry on these surfaces but leaves the scent of the ingredients to keep the bees away.
Use Vinegar to Keep Bees Away
Distilled white vinegar is an effective deterrent to keep bees away from your home. Place small open containers of white vinegar near open windows to stop bees from flying into your house.
Mix a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray windows, door frames, and outdoor furniture with the mixture to keep the bees away.
Keeping Bees Away From Your Person
You can also take steps to keep bees away from your person when you are outdoors. This strategy is especially important for you if you are allergic to bee stings.
- Don’t wear flowery fragrances. Perfumes and fragrances can attract bees. Don’t wear these fragrances if you are at an outdoor event.
- Wear colors that don’t attract bees. Bees are attracted to blues, violet, purple, and yellow. Wearing these colors will draw any bees within visual range. Colors such as white, red, pink, black, and shades of brown are less attractive to bees.
- Use Vick Vapor Rub on exposed skin. Rub a thin coat of Vapor Rub on exposed skin on your arms and legs. The eucalyptus aroma is distasteful to bees, and they will keep their distance.
These simple methods can ensure that the bees have no reason to come near you while you enjoy your outdoor event.
Conclusion
Keeping bees away from your home, outdoor events, and even from yourself can be difficult. The best methods are to avoid scents, colors, food, and drink that actively attract bees to your home or outdoor event.
While it may not be possible to avoid bees completely, these methods will limit the attraction of bees to your home or entertainment area and prevent them from ruining your day!
References
https://www.cleanipedia.com/za/in-the-home/how-to-keep-bees-away-this-summer.html
https://earth911.com/home-garden/natural-bee-repellent/
