Bees are one of the most important insects in the world today. Not only do they produce honey, but they also pollinate plants and flowers, therefore promoting vegetation growth. However, bees are one of the most endangered insect species in the world, with about 40% of them vulnerable to extinction.
This reduction in the bee population is disrupting the cycle of pollination and leading to lower food production. It is, therefore, important to take the necessary steps to keep these insects alive.
Bees don’t always nest in the ideal places, and their stings could be dangerous. So, if they’re swarming around your house or some have made it indoors, you have valid reasons for removing honey bees. One thing you should keep in mind, however, is that bees could get very aggressive if they feel attacked. Therefore, you shouldn’t try to remove them for safety reasons.
The best thing to do is call bee removal experts to relocate the bees in your house without agitating or killing them. This way, you can contribute to conservation efforts while achieving the goal of ridding yourself of the potential danger bee stings can constitute.
How to Remove Bees From Your House
While we recommend that you call in professionals if you’d like to get rid of bees in your house yourself, here are a few natural and safe ways to get it done. The effectiveness of some of these methods is generally determined by the size of the hive.
Smoke
Smoke is one of the most effective ways of removing bees around you. Bees are highly sensitive to smell and consider smoke a natural signal that their hive is on fire. This drives them away, and in most cases, they do not come back.
To smoke a beehive, set up a smoky fire using cardboard paper or rotten wood under the beehive. After this, leave the area and seal all entrances they can pass into your house. Depending on the number of bees in the hive, it’ll take about 10 hours to evacuate all of them successfully.
Citronella
Although commonly used to repel mosquitoes, citronella also works to repel bees. You could use citronella sticks or candles if the bees are indoors and citronella spray if they are outdoors. Note that citronella sticks or candles will have to burn constantly for a few days to be fully effective, so you want to ensure that the smoke is close enough to the bees to affect them.
This treatment will not harm the bees. Like the fire smoke, it’ll only cause enough inconvenience to make them want to leave and never return.
Peppermint
Peppermint has a very strong smell that naturally repels bees. Simply plant peppermint flowers around the areas of your home you wish to keep bees away from. However, remember that this method is mainly preventative, meaning that while it will keep bees away, it might not be enough to eliminate an already existing beehive.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is another effective means of removing bees from your house without harming them. Sprinkle ground cinnamon close to the beehive and around the areas you want to keep bees from frequenting. Do this daily for about a week so the smell is strong enough to keep them away.
Garlic or Vinegar Spray
Garlic and vinegar are effective ways to keep bees away because of their pungent smells.
To make a garlic spray, grind a few garlic cloves and pour some water to create a liquid solution. Pour this solution into a spray bottle and spray it around the beehive and other areas of your home that the bees frequent.
To use a vinegar spray, mix a half-part vinegar and half-part water solution in a bottle and spray it around the beehive and other areas in your yard. Eventually, this smell will drive the bees away.
However, remember that the smell of garlic and vinegar could be foul and aggressive. Therefore, spraying this solution indoors or in areas of your yard close to the house, such as your porch or garden, is not advisable.
Conclusion
The treatments discussed above will effectively help you remove bees from your house, but only if they’re few in number. Do not forget to wear protective gear when removing bees from your house using any of the methods discussed above. For bigger hives, your best bet is to bring in professionals. You could contact experts like Trifecta to learn more about bee removal services.
