While bees are important for pollinating fruits, and vegetables as well as producing honey, sometimes bees can also be pests. If there is a bee hive near your home, bee removal is necessary to prevent bee stings. There are two ways to get rid of bees: You can use a pesticide, which is probably the easiest way, or you can remove them naturally. Both ways are effective, and both ways help remove bees from your home. Let’s take a look at the proper steps to take for bee removal in your yard.
Know the Types of Bees You Have
There are many different types of bees. It is important that you know which type you have so that you can prepare for removing them. Here is a simple guide to the types of bees and how to remove them:
- Bumble Bee – The bumble bee is only aggressive when threatened, and prefers to nest in loose, fluffy materials and occasionally underground.
- Carpenter Bee – Don’t confuse carpenter bees with carpenter ants. While they have the same name, they are indeed different. These oval-shaped bees burrow into the surface leaving perfect three-eights inch holes. They are solitary, and rarely damage structural beams. However, individual nests can multiply, eventually destroying the surrounding surface wood. Therefore, bee removal is necessary, even though one bee nest may not be a big deal.
- Honey Bee – The honey bee is very beneficial and is not aggressive. However, their nests are heavy and produce thousands of workers. Honey bees are the only species where relocation from your home is the preferred method of bee removal.
- Ground Bee – The ground bee is actually not a bee, but it is a wasp. This smaller species of yellow jacket builds nests between two inches and two feet underground, usually in abandoned burrows. Wasps are more aggressive, so always be dressed properly when removing the their nest.
- Hornet – This aggressive species builds external paper nests that are shaped like an upside down tear drop.
- Yellow Jacket – The yellow jacket looks very similar to the hornet and builds a nest like it. However, their difference is that the yellow jacket also build nests in walls and can slowly chew through drywall.
- Wasp – Don’t mistake the wasp for a bee. Wasps are long and thin, and their legs hang when in flight. They frequently build nests in attics and cars, and have a painful sting. Because of their painful stings and aggressiveness, it is important that you remove wasps carefully.
Consider If You Have Any Allergies
Before you begin removing the beehive, consider if you have any allergies. This consideration is something that a lot of people ignore, and end up have serious allergy symptoms afterwards. Do some research beforehand about the allergies that can be caused, and then prepare for it. If you are allergic to a type of bee or honey, it is best to hire bee control service to remove the bees for you.
Wear the Right Gear
There are so many different types of bee removal gear that you can buy on the market. If you wear the proper clothing, there is no need to worry about getting stung. But it is important that you are wearing the right gear, because otherwise you can get seriously hurt. A helmet, good gloves, good shoes, and of course clothing that bees can’t enter are necessary. Make sure that bees can’t enter your shoes or gloves, because they will probably try to as soon as you start messing with their beehive. But if you are prepared, no injuries will happen.
Are the Steps for Growing Chayote Similar to Removing Bees from Your Yard?
Growing chayote made easy: While removing bees from your yard may require professionals and specific techniques, growing chayote is a relatively simple process. Planting chayote requires a sunny location, well-draining soil, and regular watering. Harvesting the pear-shaped fruits is done when they turn green. With proper care and attention, you can successfully grow your own chayote and enjoy its unique flavor in various culinary dishes.
How to Remove Bees Using Pesticides
Now it is time to begin bee removal. If you don’t want to use pesticides, read on to learn how to remove bees naturally. Keep in mind that if it is honey bees you are trying to remove, it is recommended to relocate them. But if you are dealing with a different type of bee or wasp, you may want to use pesticides. Here is how to do it.
Have Everything You Need Ready
Make sure you have all the bee/hornet spray you need (ant killer sprays work too). Also make sure you are dressed properly. It is recommended to take a look at the bee hive at nighttime, when they are less active, so that you know what you are dealing with.
Spray the Nest/Beehive
Bees can make nests anywhere: Your home, your yard, underground, or even in your car. It is important that you know where it is so that you can properly remove them. If bees are inside your home, it is probably best to relocate them naturally to avoid breathing in chemicals. If they are in your yard, spray the hive at dawn and dusk and then repeat the next day if needed. Once you are sure the bees are dead, you should remove the hive to avoid the risk of honey or wax melting and causing damage to your walls.
If bees are in the ground or on the surface of the ground, a simple method for eliminating a ground bee problem is to purchase a chemical spray specifically labelled for ground bees. Ground bees are a species of yellow jacket and can become aggressive when threatened, so you’ll want to spray at night. Try to aim the chemical into the hive entrance so that the spray reaches the nesting area. Watch the area around dusk or dawn over the next few days for movement and spray again if needed. Make sure that you never kill ground bees with gasoline or other generic chemicals, because this will poison the ground. It will also become a fire hazard.
Removing bees from your car can be a little trickier to do, depending on where they built their nest. The safest way to remove bees from your car is to hire a professional to do it. However, if you want to do it on your own you’ll need to use a pesticide that kills bees in the first spray or two. Keep in mind that turning on your car or driving around will not get rid of bees. In fact, this can make them more aggressive.
How to Remove Bees Naturally
There are many ways to remove bees naturally. You can kill bees using natural pesticides, you can relocate them, or you can put out repellents so that the bees will move out on their own. Let’s take a look at the steps of each kind of natural bee removal.
Natural Pesticide
Natural pesticides are much safer than chemical pesticides. While it still does kill the bees, it is much safer for humans and pets. There are many organic, natural pesticides on the market, but the easiest way is to make your own homemade pesticide. One of the most effective homemade mixtures is one teaspoon of vinegar or canola oil mixed with a quart of water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle, and spray the bees. To make this spray even more effective, add a little dish soap to it.
Repel the Bees
Repelling bees can take a little longer than pesticides, but it allows the bees to live. One of the simplest methods to repel bees is to sprinkle garlic powder in places where the bees congregate. If you apply it directly on the bees they will die, but if you place it around the bees they will avoid the area.
Citronella candles will not harm bees, but they will avoid any areas containing the smell. If you burn these candles close to the hive, the bees may leave to go find a better home. Another natural repellent is cucumber peels. Scatter a handful of cucumber peels around the beehive. The peels give off a scent that bees and many other insects find disgusting. The only downside to this repellent is that it may take a while for the bees to relocate.
Lure the Bees to Another Home
Perhaps you don’t mind the bees living at your home, but you don’t want them in a specific place. If this is the case, you may want to try to lure them to another place. To do this, cut soft, ripe pears or mangoes into chunks and place them into an open sandwich bag. Place this 15 to 20 feet away from the hive. After a few days, move the bait a few feet further away from the hive. Continue this process until the bees stop visiting the original location and have set up a new hive closer to the bag.
Relocating
Relocating is recommended for honeybees. However, it can be dangerous to do. You should probably hire a beekeeper or bee control service to help relocate the bees for you.
Final Thoughts
Your yard can become a dangerous place to be if you have bees living there. When bees are in your yard, there is a chance of you, your kids, or your pets getting stung. In this article I went over the proper ways to remove bees. There are two different options: You can remove them naturally or with pesticides. While pesticides may be the most effective, if you do it naturally, it is safer for you, your pets, and even the bees. If you don’t mind the bees living on your property, you may want to lure them into another area in your yard so that the bees build a new nest there. Just remember to always wear protective clothing during bee removal. Bee stings are definitely not pleasant. Stay safe!
