How to Get Rid of Bumble Bees
Almond oil is the best way to get rid of bumble bees without hurting them. Bumble bees, carpenter bees, and honey bees all dislike the aroma of this oil.
Almond oil is safe around your home’s exterior, including decks, porches, foundations, and sheds. This oil is ideal for wooden surfaces because it’s a no-damage, no-kill bee repellent.
And just as important?
Almond oil isn’t harmful to pets.
With that in mind, don’t dilute the almond oil with other ingredients. Spray it directly around where you want to get rid of bumble bees.
Now it’s important to mention:
Many people mistake bumble bees for carpenter bees. However, they aren’t the same species of bee.
As the name suggests, carpenter bees drill inside wood to build their nests. Carpenter bees are commonly found around porch eaves, decks, and other exterior wooden surfaces.
Bumble bees are different.
Bumble bees don’t drill inside wood for nesting.
Instead, bumble bees live underground in things like empty rodent holes. They also live in social colonies with a queen bumble bee and worker bumble bees.
With that said:
Both bumble bees and carpenter bees are crucial pollinators that are considered keystone species. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be drastically different or cease to exist entirely.
So let’s get one big question cleared up:
Should we kill bees if they’re near our home?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is still no, but that doesn’t mean you can’t deter them using a no-damage, no-kill method like almond oil.
Using almond oil to deter bees makes sense if they’re flying near your home entrances. However, if you’re dealing with a bumble bee colony in your yard that isn’t near people or pets, then it’s best to leave them alone.
Now keep in mind:
Bumble bees seek out flowers that offer nectar and pollen.
Unlike wasps, bees are vegetarians that don’t eat other insects for protein. Instead, bees depend on pollen and nectar from flowers. The good news is that bumble bees typically avoid people, buzzing from blossom to blossom until they zip back to their nest.
Why am I saying this?
I’m saying this because there is no need to get rid of bumble bees unless there is a concern that needs to be addressed.
For example, it’s understandable to deter bumble bees when they’ve built their colony near animals. A curious pet might start digging around a bumble bee nest and get stung multiple times.
Other than that?
Bumble bees are peaceful insects that don’t try to start trouble. Just because they’re stinging creatures doesn’t mean they’re out to harm people.
Bumble bees usually only sting when they’re directly antagonized, such as if you’re hovering around their nest. As soon as you back away, the bees will leave you alone.
And more importantly:
It’s smart to know what bumble bees are attracted to first – not necessarily how to get rid of them. As mentioned, bumble bees need flowers for food, and they’ll travel long distances to find them.
But not all flowers are created equally.
For instance, some flowers don’t provide nectar or pollen for bees. Bumble bees avoid plants like mophead hydrangeas, crepe myrtles, roses, and begonias for this very reason. So if you want to keep bees away from your home, then ensure you’re not planting flowers that entice them.
And last but not least?
Some folks recommend using oils like peppermint, lemongrass, citronella, and tea tree oil to get rid of bumble bees.
These oils are affordable and might be worth a chance. However, I’m leery of their effectiveness simply because some of these oils are used by beekeepers to bait and catch swarming bees.
You read that right.
Bees are actually attracted to many of these oils instead of repelled by them.
So in my experience, almond oil works best for getting rid of bumble bees and other types of bees.
How Long Do Bumble Bees Stay In One Place?
Bumble bees only stay in one place during the warm months. As winter approaches, the entire bumble bee colony dies off, leaving only the queen bumble bee behind to hibernate.
Ideally, bumble bee nests should be left alone until winter. Once winter hits, you can seal up the hole where the bumble bees were previously nesting. This will deter the queen bumble bee from nesting there again once she comes out of hibernation.
But what if you have a nest that’s in a high-traffic area that can’t be avoided?
I’ll shoot straight with you.
Moving a bumble bee nest is tough.
Even trained beekeepers and experts often struggle to move a colony of bumble bees successfully. This isn’t something you should attempt to do on your own.
Instead, we recommend calling local beekeepers and asking for their advice. Beekeepers work with honey bees. However, many of them are knowledgeable about other bee species as well.
An experienced beekeeper may be able to relocate a bumble bee nest for you. Additionally, many beekeepers perform this task for free because it can mean saving bees.
We don’t recommend calling pest control to get rid of bumble bees. Pest control will usually exterminate these vital pollinators that are already experiencing significant declines across North America.
FAQs on How to Get Rid of a Bumble Bee
- How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest in a wall?
- How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest in wood?
- What time of day do bumble bees go away?
- What attracts bumble bees to a house?
- What’s good for killing bumble bees?
- Will bumble bees leave on their own?
- Do bumble bees chase you?
- Do bumble bees bother humans?
- How do you make bumble bees go away?
- What does vinegar do to bumble bees?
- What smell do bumble bees hate?
- Do bumble bees cause house damage?
How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest in a wall?
Please remember that bumble bees will only temporarily nest in walls during the warm months. Once winter comes, the bumble bee colony will die off, and you can seal the entry point so the bees can reaccess it.
Try to avoid killing the bumble bees nesting inside the wall.
Bumble bees are docile creatures that typically avoid people. Their stinger is usually reserved for when they feel directly threatened, such as if a person or pet is poking around their nest.
If you cannot leave the bumble bee nest alone, then a beekeeper might be able to relocate the nest for you.
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How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest in wood?
The best way to get rid of bees is to spray almond oil around areas you want to deter them.
But remember:
Bumble bees don’t drill nests inside wood like carpenter bees. Bumble bees are typically mistaken for carpenter bees because they look alike. Even to the trained eye, distinguishing a bumble bee from a carpenter bee can take a few seconds.
Bumble bees nest underground in empty holes. Carpenter bees drill nests inside wood. Both can be deterred using almond oil.
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What time of day do bumble bees go away?
Bumble bees go away by dusk, returning to their nest for the evening. Most bees are diurnal insects that perform most of their duties during the day. Bees’ primary duties include foraging for nectar and pollen from flowers.
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What attracts bumble bees to a house?
Bumble bees aren’t attracted to houses like carpenter bees are. Carpenter bees are the bee species that drill holes into the wooden exterior of your home. This is how carpenter bees nest.
Bumble bees are often mistaken for carpenter bees because they have similar sizes and coloring. But they aren’t the same bee species.
With that in mind:
Bees are attracted to flowers because they collect nectar and pollen from them. If your house has nearby flower beds frequented by bees, it’s possible for bumble bees to come and visit.
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What’s good for killing bumble bees?
You should not kill bumble bees because they’re important pollinators we need in our ecosystems. You can deter bumble bees using almond oil. This technique will repel the bumble bees without harming them.
However, it’s important to note that you can’t always deter bees. Bees are a prominent part of our world, and successfully preventing every single bee from flying onto your property is highly unlikely.
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- What Are Black and Yellow Wasps?
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Will bumble bees leave on their own?
Bumble bees will leave on their own before winter comes. The bumble bee colony will die off and leave only the queen bumble bee behind. When this happens, you can cover the abandoned bumble bee nest to discourage the queen from nesting there next spring.
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More to Explore:
- Wasps vs. Honey Bees: Are They Different?
- Are Worker Bees Male or Female?
- Queen Bee Versus Worker Bees – How Do They Compare?
Do bumble bees chase you?
Bumble bees usually don’t chase people unless you’re near their nest. Bumble bees nest underground in empty mouse burrows or other holes. Sometimes you don’t realize there’s a bumble bee nest underground until you get close to it.
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- Do Wasps Make Honey?
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- Wasp Nest vs. Bee Nest: Which One Is It?
Do bumble bees bother humans?
Bumble bees typically don’t bother humans because they’re docile insects. They’re focused primarily on gathering food from flowers and protecting their nest.
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How do you make bumble bees go away?
This is a common question we get, along with others like:
How do you force bees to leave? What scares a bumble bee away? What naturally makes bumble bees go away? How do you repel bumble bees quickly? Are there home remedies to get rid of bumble bees? How do I get rid of a bumble bee nest in the ground?
You can deter bumble bees from certain areas using almond oil. Bumble bees dislike the scent of this oil.
With that in mind, deterring bumble bees isn’t always a foolproof method. Sometimes they’ll continue to nest around your home even if you try to repel them. It’s best to leave bees alone if their nest isn’t near high-traffic areas.
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What does vinegar do to bumble bees?
People often ask:
Does vinegar drive bumble bees away? Does vinegar kill bumble bees?
The answer is no; vinegar isn’t practical for repelling or killing bumble bees. People assume that vinegar’s acidic pH kills bees; however, this isn’t true. For example, honey bees produce honey that is considered acidic. This pH doesn’t harm the bees at all.
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What smell do bumble bees hate?
Bumble bees hate the smell of almond oil. As such, almond oil is an excellent bumble bee repellent.
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Do bumble bees cause house damage? Are bumble bees harmful to your house?
No, bumble bees aren’t harmful to your house because they don’t drill into wooden structures like carpenter bees do. Bumble bees are commonly mistaken for carpenter bees because they have similar coloring and sizes. But they’re different bee species altogether.
