What Can I Put Outside to Keep the Bees Away?

Warm weather brings cookouts, outdoor gatherings and leisurely time spent in the fresh air. However, your outdoor plans may all be ruined when uninvited guests, such as bees, crash the party. However, bees may be repelled from your outdoor living spaces using a variety of methods, some of which are even safe for the environment and will not harm the bees you wish to repel. Take control of your bee situation and begin enjoying your freedom outdoors.

Bees are an important part of the ecosystem, pollinating plants that people use for food. Using natural, homemade repellents are not only inexpensive but allow the bees to stay alive and do their work in another area, away from your home. Mix up a homemade repellent using ingredients bees find unappealing, such as water, vodka, lemon grass and essential oils such as peppermint, rosemary, tea tree and citronella. Spray the repellent around your outdoor living space, on furniture, decorations, on blocks and walls. The aroma created by the repellent causes bees to go elsewhere and is not harmful to human or animal guests.

Store-bought, commercially prepared bee repellents are also available. Depending on the particular product, effectiveness varies. Look for a commercial product containing the ingredients listed in Section 1. Then, depending on your preferences and needs, you may also choose one that is labeled as safe around pets, safe around children, safe around garden plants and biodegradable. You may even choose the one with the best ingredient list and lowest price. The choice is yours, just make sure to follow label instructions closely and use the product only as directed.

Sometimes repelling your backyard bees requires a diversion easily provided with some old fruit. Grab a bag of old pears or apples and place them in a location in your yard that is far away from the outdoor space you wish to use. Allow the fruit to rot in the sunshine, creating a sticky, gooey mess. This mess quickly attracts bees to it and away from your living space. The added benefits of this method is that it is inexpensive, requires no dangerous chemicals and once the bees fill up on the fermented fruit, they become a little tipsy and slow-moving for hours.

Using pesticides is another option for keeping the bees away. Look for a pesticide labeled for bees and labeled for your particular needs, such as plant safety or fast-acting. Remember that for the insecticide to be effective you must follow the application instructions exactly. Even with careful and precise use of the product, you may still encounter bee problems in your outdoor space, because it is impossible to kill every bee that may be in the area. Be careful using the product around children, pets and food, because the chemicals it contains may prove harmful.