*Updated June 2024*
There has been considerable concern and efforts to protect honey bees since their population began rapidly dwindling in 2006, and it’s become a crucial best practice to safely remove unwanted bees from around your home rather than killing them.
Bees are important not only for the honey they produce, but also because they pollinate about $15 billion worth of crops in the United States each year. Those crops include more than 130 types of fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
This is why honey bees received so much attention when beekeepers began reporting losses of 30%-90% of their hives in 2006. The syndrome was labeled “Colony Collapse Disorder” (CCD), but no cause was definitively diagnosed.
Through concentrated conservation efforts — including utilizing methods of bee removal without killing them, such as those shared below — the honey bee population has bounced back, and is now at record highs.
In fact, according to the most recent report published on Honey Bee Colonies by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), there were 2.7 million colonies of honey bees in the United States as of April 1, 2023. There were 87,000 in Washington state.
So, in order to protect the bee population and keep it healthy, here are a few methods to get rid of bees without killing them.
Note: Please wear proper equipment — including leather gloves and a beekeeper suit — if you attempt to get rid of bees on your own. Bees in large quantities can be very dangerous. It’s always safest to call in a professional with knowledge and experience to properly handle bee removal.
5 Methods of Bee Removal Without Killing Them
Smoke
Smoke is probably the most effective way of getting honey bees away from your home and keeping them away. Honey bees are very sensitive to smell and when they smell smoke they think it’s a forest fire, causing them to leave and most likely never come back. Build a smoky fire with cardboard and dead firewood right under the beehive. Don’t stick around to watch the bees get smoked out. They will become aggressive when agitated so it’s best to go back inside.
Garlic Spray
Once again, bees have a strong sense of smell and we all know garlic has a very strong scent. Crush a couple of cloves of garlic and mix it with water to create a garlic spray. Spray it around your home and around their hive to try to get them to leave.
Citronella
Citronella works on mosquitos and bees. If you have beehive inside, then you can use citronella candle to get them to leave. It won’t harm them, but it will take a while to get them to leave. You’ll have to leave the candles burning for a few days in order for it to be effective. If it’s windy outside or raining then the bees won’t go out into it, so make sure you do this on a day when it will work best.
Peppermint
Peppermint has a very strong smell that honey bees don’t like. If you have a particular area of your home that you don’t want bees to frequent, plant peppermint plants. You’ll drive the bees away, plus you’ll get to use the peppermint when needed.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon’s strong smell repels honey bees. Spread it over the areas that you want to repel the bees. You’ll have to do this daily for about a week for it to last longer. This method works well if you want to drive bees away from your home, but not completely out of your yard. If you don’t mind having bees around, but don’t want them around your porch or doors, then this method should work for you.
Don’t forget to wear protective gear when dealing with bees!
Get Professional Help to Remove Bees without Killing Them
As stated above, bees can be dangerous. And yet it’s important to protect our current honey bee population.So, if you don’t have experience in dealing with them, it’s best to leave bee removal to pest control professionals.
Contact the experts at Classic Pest Control today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
Call (425) 259-0008 or click here to use our convenient online form to get a free estimate.
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