How to Get Rid of Bees in Your Yard: A Homeowners Guide

Bees are important pollinators, but they can be a nuisance to homeowners. Bees inhabit yards for various reasons, so it is important to understand why they are there and take the necessary steps to remove them. This article will provide you with advice on how to get rid of bees in your yard!

Swarm of bees in backyard tree | Text: How to get rid of bees in your yard.

Backyard bees are becoming a common occurrence in many parts of the country.

As more people discover the joys of beekeeping, it’s not surprising that some homeowners find themselves with an unwanted swarm buzzing around their backyard.

While bees are free to fly around wherever they please, there are some steps you can take to keep bees out of your backyard.

The key is to understand what attracts bees into your yard and then implement strategies to discourage them from coming back.

A bee that has landed on someone's finger in the backyard.

How to Keep Bees Out of Your Yard

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To be completely honest with you, it’s hard for me to write this article.

Bees are an essential part of our ecosystem and our food supply.

Without bees, we would have a much harder time growing crops, and the world as we know it could change.

I get it, bees get a bad rap for being “aggressive” and some people don’t want them around their children or pets.

However, if someone in your household has a life-threatening allergy to bees or a severe phobia, I completely understand why you would want to keep bees out of your backyard.

You want your backyard to be and inviting and relaxing space for your family to enjoy.

The risk of a child or family member going into anaphylactic shock from an allergic reaction to a bee sting is more than enough of a reason to try to do whatever you can to keep bees as far away as possible.

I’m not saying that it’s easy to get rid of them, but I am going to provide you with advice on how to do so!

Before you take any action to get rid of the bees in your yard, consider these points:

– Bees are important pollinators, and they are a necessary part of our ecosystem.

–  Not all species of bees sting.

– And since bees fly, there is no way you can guarantee a bee will not come into your yard.

However, if you have decided that keeping bees out of your backyard is necessary, it’s time to take action.

What Attracts Bees to Your Yard?

Bee on dandelion growing in the lawn.

The first step to keeping bees out of your yard is understanding why they are there in the first place.

There has to be something attracting them or else they wouldn’t be there, right?

The following are common attractants for bees:

– Flowering plants—a bee’s favorite!

– A pool, birdbath, or fountain.

– Bird feeders filled with sugar water.

-Anything that smells like honey – including old hives that might still be around.

Bees might be transient visitors to your property. Meaning they aren’t there to stay, but instead they are just there to gather nectar or pollen from plants in your yard or getting some water from your sprinkler, then they’ll head back to their hive (to tell the others).

Other times scout bees may be looking for a place to build a new hive when their swarm expands due to colony growth. Honeybees like their hives to be protected and will find vents, crevices, eaves, and soffits to build their homes.

Either way, once you know what attracts the bees to your yard, it’s time to make some changes so that the bees don’t stick around.

How To Get Rid Of A Beehive In Your Yard:

Swarm of bees in a backyard tree.

If you have a beehive on your property, you will have bees in your yard.

If you have a hive of bees taking over your backyard, you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

If you don’t know how to get rid of a bee swarm or remove honeybees, get help immediately. 

Do not attempt to get rid of them yourself unless you are an expert (or have one working with you).

Please do not spray chemicals or water on the bees. You do not want to kill them, you just want them to go somewhere else.

Killing bees is not a good idea because they are responsible for pollination and helping plants grow.

Even if you don’t want bees near your home for safety or personal reasons, you should still protect bees so they can do their important work within our ecosystem.

In fact, you may be able to find a beekeeper that will come and humanely relocate the swarm of bees for you by contacting American Beekeeping Federation or Apiary Inspectors of America

If you get rid of the hive, they won’t be able to come back and will eventually move on to another location where there aren’t any humans trying get rid of them.

When a beehive is removed from an area, it’s critically important that all traces are gone. If not, other bees in the area will get the scent and be likely to return.

Be sure to get rid of all wax, honeycomb, and any other leftover parts that might be stuck in your siding or foundation.

And remember, even if you get rid of a beehive, bees may return to your yard if it is an attractive location for them to live and gather food.

In order to keep bees from making a new home on your property, you need to make sure your backyard is not an appealing place for them to build their hive.

– Keep your yard clean and free of debris that could be used as a home by bees or other pests, such as old appliances, woodpiles, trash cans, etc.

– Make sure all fruit from trees get picked up before it can ferment on the ground which will attract bees.

– Try to get rid of standing water in your yard like birdbaths, rain gutters, and flower pots. Bees love wet ground!

If you eliminate these things from your backyard you will be doing a great job at keeping bees out of the area and protecting yourself as well.

How to Get Rid of Bees in Your Backyard

Dog looking at bumblebee on flower in backyard.

If the bees in your yard are just visiting, it’s best to discourage them from coming back by implementing some changes around your home like:

– Removing flowering plants that attract bees – even if it’s just for that season.

– Putting hoses away when not in use so they don’t get filled with water and attract bees looking for a drink.

– Keeping garbage can lids on tight to avoid attracting scout bees searching for food.

– Trimming back trees and bushes that get close to your home so bees aren’t tempted to build their hive there.

-Don’t leave pet dishes outside overnight and get rid of old, rusty appliances that may attract bees looking for a home.

If the area is still an attractive place to live, there is no way you will get rid of the bees in your yard.

And this doesn’t just include flowering trees and flowerbeds. As you can see in the photo above, you’ll need to keep your lawn free of dandelions and other flowering weeds if you really want to make sure that bees aren’t attracted to your yard.

The Problem With Bee Traps

Bee trap hanging from tree.

Many homeowners place bee traps around their property with the hopes of getting rid of the bees, but this is a bad idea because it doesn’t get rid of the problem.

Bee traps simply kill the bees that are in your yard, but they aren’t effective way to keep bees from being there in the first place.. 

In fact, you may have just made things worse by attracting more bees to your property who will keep coming back if they can find an easy source of food and water nearby. 

If you put out bee traps without taking care of the real issue, which is what attracts them to the yard in the first place.

If there is no food or water in your yard for them to find, they will fly away and be less likely to return.

Placing bee traps in your yard without removing the flowering plants and sweet smells isn’t fair to the bees.

If you really don’t want to change your landscaping, but you want to stay protected from the bees consider a screened-in porch where you can sit and enjoy the backyard and still feel safe.

Final Thoughts

Getting rid of bees in your yard is not an easy task, but it can be done if you know what attracts them there in the first place.

If you get rid of their food source, water supply, and other attractants they won’t be hanging around for long.

Don’t forget that honeybees play an important role in our ecosystem and food supply.

They are responsible for pollinating plants that make fruits, vegetables, and other products we use every day. 

While there is a risk of getting stung by a bee in your backyard, the truth is you can get stung anywhere.

However, if bees make you nervous or uncomfortable you’ll want to do everything you can to keep them out of your yard so you can enjoy your space.

Following the steps above will help reduce the likelihood of having bees in your yard.

FAQ’s About Removing Bees From Your Yard

Do Bee Repellents Work?

Bee repellents are advertised as a way to get rid of bees, but they don’t work.
If you want to get rid of the bees in your yard for good it’s going to take more than that.
These products simply mask their pheromones and if there is no food source or water nearby then the bees will get frustrated and leave.
However, if you have a flower garden in the area they will be back because there is no reason for them to go anywhere else.

Will Citronella Candles Keep Bees Away?

Citronella candles might get rid of bees in the backyard for a short amount of time in a small space, when you’re having a get-together, but they don’t get rid of them for good.

Can I use Essential Oils to Get Rid of Bees?

People like to use essential oils and natural remedies because they don’t want chemicals around their yard, but getting rid of bees for good is going to take more than that.

Essential oils mask the pheromones bees give off so it can get rid of them in a small space when you’re outside enjoying yourself, but if there are flowers nearby the bees will get back to their old habits of hanging around.

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