How To Get Rid of Bumble Bees

1. Using Plants that Repel Bees

One of the natural ways to remove bumble bees from your place is by growing the plants that repel the bees. You can try planting Neem, Mint, Citronella, Eucalyptus, and Cloves in your garden which bumble bees avoid.

If you believe in peace without violence or killing then growing repellant plants, most of which require less maintenance and care would be the best solution for you. In addition to that, these plants can come in handy for several other benefits.

2. Cucumber and Aluminum

Cucumber peels are found to be effective in terms of avoiding bee problems. They are easy and effective natural ways of handling bumble bee irritations since cucumber acts as a repellant element for them.

It is suggested that cucumber slices be used along with the aluminum pie, which produces a chemical odor. This odor irritates the bumble bees and they find it hard to stand which results in flying away of the bumble bees from the spot and might never come back.

3. Sprinkling Cinnamon

The smell of cinnamon repels the bumble bees. If you want to get rid of bumble bees from around your porch or yard then you can try sprinkling cinnamon around your houses and the nest of bees.

For an effective result, you should sprinkle cinnamon for about a week regularly on the intended spot until the bees can no longer bear the smell and compel them to relocate to a different place without much harm done to them.

4. Smoky Fire

Smoke is widely considered a natural remedy for keeping bees away from your location so, you might want to try this simple solution to drive the bees away. Bumble bees are sensitive to smell and in most cases, they try to escape and fly away.

If you manage to create a smoky smell by burning dead firewood or cardboard boxes in such a way that the maximum smoke passes through the nests of bumble bees then they are more likely to fly away from the place.

5. Garlic Spray

Garlics have a strong scent and bees don't particularly favor them as they are highly sensitive in terms of smell. The odor of garlic, that's why is used by many people to keep the bees away from them.

You need to crush a couple of garlic cloves and mix them in the water. Pick a bottle with spray and pour this homemade natural solution on it. Now, gently spray the solution around your houses where bees are likely to visit the most and around their nest. There's a high possibility that they might fly away instantly and never come back.

6. Peppermint Odor

Peppermint is a useful herbal plant commonly used as a remedy for digestion problems. To make it even more useful you might seriously need it to grow in your house because of the odor they possess.

The bumble bees repel the strong odor of peppermint and are widely planted in the garden or yard to keep the bees away. In addition to that, you might want to use them for different homemade natural herbal medicines.

7. Avoid Sweet-smelling Nectar

If your garden or yard often gets swarmed by bumble bees and other insects then it might be because of some nectar plants in your garden. Bees are attracted to the flowers that release sweet smells as they are highly sensitive to the smell.

You might want to avoid these types of plants in your yard or indoors for safety from the bumble bees, especially if your house is allergic to bees and wasps.

8. Avoid Planting Bee-attract-colored Flowers

Bees are naturally provided with limited vision to see certain wavelengths of colors only. They are capable of finding colors such as green, blue, and ultraviolet end of the light spectrum.

Flowers possessing these colors in your garden attract the bees and your porch might invite them to build nests. As a result, you should avoid planting flowering plants that project colors such as blue, violet, or purple around your house.

9. Cover the Holes and Openings

You need to make sure all the access points, other than the windows and doors of your house are closed and covered properly blocking all the entrances and preventing the bumble bees from building the nests.

There could be many such openings like cracks in the walls, holes, tears, and gaps that might attract the bees for a safe nest. Blocking access to these points will ensure safety and keep them away from your place.

10. Using Vinegar Spray

Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and flavorings that has been proven to be useful in many ways while being environmentally friendly. Its usage in repelling small colony of bumble bees from your house or yard has also been found quite effective.

You need to prepare a solution containing an equal amount of water and vinegar in a bottle equipped with a spray. This spray can then be applied over your yards, garden, or bee hive itself. The bees don't like the smell of vinegar compelling them to fly away to another location.

11. Mothballs

Mothballs are quite a popular element commonly used while storing clothes and materials that are susceptible to mold or larvae. Besides this, the peculiar odor of mothballs can also be used to keep bumble bees and other insects away from your place.

You need to hang these balls, which are a chemical pesticide and deodorant, around your residential property and nearer to the nest of bumble bees. The bees do not favor the smell of mothballs and fly far away.

12. Peppermint and Soap Spray

An effective bee-repellent spray can also be made using peppermint essential oil. Many people are seen using a mixture of peppermint essential oil and liquid soap around their places to keep the bumble bees away.

To make a solution, you need 2-3 teaspoons of liquid soap mixed with water and a few drops of peppermint oil. You can then fill this solution in a spray bottle to spray around your house both indoors and outdoors. After some time, water seems to evaporate leaving a strong smell of peppermint, an essential element that the bees and wasps repel.

13. Using a Vacuum Cleaner

A vacuum cleaner might be useful to get rid of bumble bees from your place. However, there is a risk for all of them to get killed. You wouldn't want to kill them unless they become a wild nuisance.

Commercially available vacuum cleaners are available to each household these days and people can use them to vacuum the bees that have been swarming around indoors or outdoors building nests in inappropriate places. These trapped alive bees, if any can later be brought to a local beekeeper or released into the wild forest.

14. Essential Oils Spray

The essential oils are also very useful in keeping the bees away from your place. For this, commercially available oils of eucalyptus and cedarwood have been proven to come in handy. These ingredients are often found to be used as insecticides against different varieties of insects and wasps.

You need to prepare a solution mixing eucalyptus essential oil and cedarwood essential oil ingredients and fill a spray bottle with this solution. This spray around your house, doors, eaves, and directly in the nests of bumble bees will help to keep them away because of the pungent and irritating smell. Remember to keep this spray away from food, skin, and children's reach!

15. Bee Freeze Spray

It is recommended to use this type of harmful spray in case of emergency or extremity only since it is harmful both for the environment and household. Bee freeze spray features a solvent system that allows it to soak through porous grass and thatch.

This spray can kill adult bumble bees when sprayed directly but is ineffective in eliminating the eggs or pupae. As a result, after a few weeks, the nest can rebound through the hatching of eggs and pupae.

16. Dust Nest

Commercially available deltamethrin dust is another method of eradicating the bees and wasps with their nests from your place. This can kill every active stage of bumble bees directly and very quickly.

Deltamethrin dust, being a moisture-tolerant, can lay on the dirt for many months which is the reason for its effectiveness in killing even the unhatched eggs of the bees. People often plan to dust the nest in the dark or at night when all the bees are inside it.

17. Prothor and Pump Sprayer

When you are not quite sure about the exact location of the nest, still your garden and house are often swarmed by the bumble bees causing intolerable irritation and infection then you might want to consider using non-repellant spray, prothol.

Although it is used for killing them, it doesn't act very quickly rather takes 3-4 days to work. Manufacturers have been admitting its safe usage even around pets and children. It is recommended to use it along with a pump sprayer usually at night.

18. Citronella Candles and Oils

Citronella plants are commonly used to deter bumble bees around your place. Planting them in your garden might be helpful but to make it even more effective, you might consider using citronella candles and oils.

These are easily available in the nearby grocery store and are very easy to use as well. The smoky smell of the burning candle and the direct spraying of the oil, both of these method can be handy in repelling the bees away from your house or garden.

19. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil with a fresh, camphoraceous odor. This peculiar odor-possessing oil can be found in your local store and is effective in repelling the bumble bees away from your house or yard.

Mix about 5-10 drops of tea tree oil with peppermint or hazel to prepare a solution and place it in a spray bottle. This spray can then be used in your garden or around your house. The odor of the solution is intolerable to the bumble bees and they try to fly away from such places.

Bees certainly do have a barbed, thorn-shaped organ, commonly known as a stinger. Most people fear bees because they have the potential to sting other creatures in response to defending themselves and their nests.

However, you need to be aware of the natural fact that male bees of any species do not sting as they lack the stinging anatomy. In the case of bumble bees, female workers and the queen have the potential to sting but only in the case of threat or fear.

Bumble bees are not particularly aggressive toward other creatures unless provoked. In addition to this, they don't possess barbs so, stingers do not get stuck in the skin if by any chance you get stung. It can be removed safely.

Sting Reactions

For a non-allergic reaction, the sting of bumble bees might lead to swelling, itchiness, and redness at and around the site because of the venom it releases that could last from a few hours to a day. In most cases, the reaction occurs immediately after the sting.

In the case of an allergic reaction, the venom could show the sign on the overall body of the victim. It could range from a general allergic reaction to a possible life-threatening response entirely depending upon the victim's body and its response to the venom.

If you're an allergic person, it is recommended to seek the help of a physician as soon as possible.

How To Avoid Stings

It is always suggested to stay away from the nests or hives of the bumble bees for safety. Try keeping yourself away from the plants and flowers they visit as much as possible. Keep in mind not to provoke them and remain calm if you encounter any of them by slowly moving away.

If bumble bees are flying around your body trying to attack, then simply brush them off. You would not want to try crushing or killing them which might agitate them making the situation even worse.

Your first move in such cases should be trying to reach out for help. Contact the nearest pest management officials for any uncontrollable situations.