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How to get rid of carpenter bees with vinegar


How to get rid of carpenter bees: 6 simple ways

Carpenter bees can damage wooden structures, which is why you need to look out for them and discourage them from these parts of your home. 

Part of the Xylocopa genus of the Apidae, or bee family, carpenter bees are common in the USA, and while they are important pollinators of many flowering plants, they can damage sheds, pergolas and much more. 

Unlike with getting rid of wasps, where you may seek to kill them if you have a real problem, it is far better to deter carpenter bees in the first place – they are only seen as pests because of the damage they can do to buildings.

How to get rid of carpenter bees without killing them

Getting rid of carpenter bees without killing them is best for a wildlife-friendly garden. Try natural methods if possible – any treatment that can harm the environment, and in particular useful pollinators, should ideally be avoided.

To make wooden structures much less appealing to carpenter bees, it's vital to varnish or paint them – carpenter bees love untreated or unstained wood, but hate wood that has been treated. This is an easy fix and will protect wood structures from the weather, too.

Get rid of carpenter bees in your backyard

There are many ways to get rid of carpenter bees, from doing so without killing them to using spray and even vinegar. These are the most effective ways of tackling them.

1. Use a natural spray

For a natural solution that deters rather than kills them – our preferred route – use citrus scents, which they dislike, to get rid of them.

To make your own, boil up citrus fruit rinds in water, or add some drops of citrus oil to water, and spray around the tell-tale holes. It's thought that the scent of lemon is effective at deterring ants, too.

Alternatively, try a few drops of almond oil. 

If you’re worried about the solution marking the wood, try it out in an inconspicuous area first.

2. Try an insecticide

Of course, you can kill carpenter bees with insecticide but that should only be done in desperate circumstances because, as we say, these are important pollinators. Also, be aware that insecticides are hazardous to children and pets so keep them in the house while you work, and put on protective clothing. 

Spraying an insecticide onto the wood where carpenter bees will or have in the past gathered before they arrive will deter them. Some specialist insecticides designed for carpenter bees can also be sprayed around and into their holes. Try a foaming aerosol, such as BioAdvanced Termite and Carpenter BeeKiller Plus from Amazon , to get right into the tunnels the bees create, or use an insecticidal liquid in a trigger spray. Alternatively, insecticidal dust can be puffed into the holes. 

You might need to make repeat applications, starting in early spring. Once the bees have died, seal up the holes to prevent them from being used by new bees. Lengths of wooden dowelling or caulk can be used to plug the holes. 

Worried about getting too close to carpenter bees? We would always advise calling in a professional firm to do the job for you.

These insects can damage wooden structures in your plot

(Image credit: Scott Carruthers / Alamy Stock Photo)

3. Deter them with sound

It’s said that carpenter bees are affected by sound, so by turning up the volume close to the carpenter bees’ home, the vibrations might encourage them to move out. Do explain to your neighbors before blasting them with noise for a couple of days.

Another option is to try wind chimes, which may be enough to deter them from settling.

4. Use a carpenter bee trap

You can use a carpenter bee trap, such as these Original B Brothers designs from Amazon . The bees fly in but they can’t escape. Choose one that’s designed specifically for carpenter bees, and hang the trap close to the affected wood. 

You can also make your own bee trap, constructing a wooden box with angled holes for the bee to enter, with a plastic jar fixed to the bottom – the bees get in and head towards the light but can’t get out.

5. Use vinegar

To get rid of carpenter bees with vinegar, mix up a strong solution of vinegar and water and spray it directly into the bees' holes. This will kill carpenter bee larvae, so if you are looking to deter them rather than kill them, you might want to look to more bee-friendly options.

Carpenter bees are much larger than honey bees

(Image credit: Naturepix / Alamy Stock Photo)

6. Try using WD40

You can use WD40, available from Amazon , to get rid of carpenter bees – spray it into their nest and they will die or flee quickly. 

However, this is another method of getting rid of carpenter bees that isn't wildlife friendly. Plus, WD40 is highly flammable, toxic, and has a very strong scent. 

FAQs

How do I recognize carpenter bees?

Unlike honeybees or bumblebees, carpenter bees don’t live in colonies, preferring to excavate a tunnel to lay their eggs.

Also, carpenter bees are much larger and have black and shiny abdomens. The males don’t sting though they can fly too close for comfort if they feel you’re on their territory. But bother a female carpenter bee at your peril, as they can sting.

How can I spot carpenter bee damage?

To spot carpenter bee damage, take a closer look at wooden structures around the yard. Carpenter bees like to bore their way into wood – especially sheds, pergolas, posts, porches, window trim and even the eaves of the house. Once they’ve bored a smooth, round hole, about ½ in in diameter, they make a right-angled turn to construct a burrow, hidden from sight, creating cells for individual eggs.

You might spot sawdust by the holes where a bee has been boring. Older holes can also be enlarged or reused by the bees. Adult bees can overwinter in the tunnels, emerging in spring to mate. Over time, the damage can result in decay, moisture retention, and rot.

How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Bees With Vinegar

Carpenter bees (Xylocopa virginica) can be destructive and bothersome when they decide to take up residence in the wooden components of your home, outbuildings, and in tree stumps and trunks in your yard.  

Luckily, repelling and eradicating them are both easy matters, and you don’t have to use deadly poisons to do it. In fact, plain kitchen vinegar mixed with water can act as both a repellent and a carpenter-bee-specific insecticide. 

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For example, a simple 50/50 mix of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar (ACV), and water makes a solution to spray into carpenter bee holes. 

There are also several variations of this recipe aimed at specific outcomes. In this article, we offer several vinegar-based carpenter bee mist and bait recipes along with tips for successful application. Read on to learn more. 

Table Of Contents

  1. Why Is Vinegar Effective Against Carpenter Bees?
  2. How To Build A Better Carpenter Bee Trap?
  3. Mix Up An Effective Carpenter Bee Repellent Spray
  4. Keep Carpenter Bees From Returning
  5. Vinegar Is An Effective Carpenter Bee Deterrent

Why Is Vinegar Effective Against Carpenter Bees?

Carpenter bees find pollen and nectar in flowers by scent. The harsh, acrid smell of the acetic acid in vinegar negatively impacts their sense of smell. 

For this reason, they avoid it. Its harsh smell and sharp taste can suffocate them in high concentration. 

You can use lower-concentration mixtures of vinegar and water to create repellents to keep carpenter bees away from areas where they might make nests. 

Higher concentrations sprayed directly into existing nests will kill the larvae and any adult bees who might be home at the time of application. Naturally, the smell of this strong vinegar concoction will repel any returning bees. 

The downside of straight vinegar and water mixtures is that they don’t have much-staying power and must be refreshed frequently. However, you can add staying power to your concoctions by adding essential oils and isopropyl alcohol. 

Even though the smell of vinegar is repellent to carpenter bees, it can be an effective component in bait for carpenter bee traps. 

Mixed in the right ratio with honey, the bees can be lured into a trap by the strong scent of honey where the presence of the vinegar kills them.  

How To Build A Better Carpenter Bee Trap?

The presenter of this video provides clear, simple instructions for building two types of carpenter bee traps. 

Super Simple Carpenter Bee Trap

As you can see, these traps can be used with no bait at all because the bees will be fooled by what appear to be established carpenter bee nests. 

Once they go inside and into the jar or bottle below, they will not be able to get back out again. Doing it this way leaves you with the option of carting the bees off to some other location and releasing them if you don’t want to kill them. 

If you do want to kill them, whip up a bait mixture consisting of three equal parts water, honey, and ACV. When the bees enter the jar or bottle to get to the honey, they will be knocked out by the vinegar smell and fall into the bait and drown.  

Be sure to use ACV as it has a sweeter smell and won’t prevent the bees from entering the trap. 

Note that if you want to use baited plastic bottles, you will not drill air holes in the bottom as the presenter does in the video. 

Mix Up An Effective Carpenter Bee Repellent Spray

A 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water on its own will keep bees away from potential nest sites and out of their existing nests. 

Make an even stronger three-part mixture by combining equal parts of water, isopropyl alcohol, and white vinegar. 

Boost the repellent power even more by mixing in strong-smelling essential oils, such as: 

Use any of these or other similar strong-smelling essential oils. Ten drops of total essential oil per ounce of vinegar and water mixture should suffice. 

Even after the smell of the vinegar has dissipated, the smell of the essential oils should have some residual bee-repelling properties.  

Spray this mixture around and into carpenter bee holes to repel them and kill the larvae in the holes. Be sure to do this at night when the greatest number of bees will be present. 

Even though carpenter bees don’t tend to be aggressive, it’s better not to spray their homes in broad daylight when they are coming and going. They might get riled, and they can sting. 

TIP: Wear protective clothing and eye protection when spraying for carpenter bees. This will protect you against stings and against accidental contact with the spray, which can be irritating. 

Keep Carpenter Bees From Returning

You may need to apply the vinegar mixture daily for a week or so for the greatest effectiveness. Then, when you no longer see carpenter bee activity, you should fill in the entrance holes to the nests. 

There are several ways to do this, including but not limited to the following: 

Even after carpenter bee activity has ceased, keep your traps up during the spring and summer months. 

Place them in fair proximity to the areas bees have frequented so that the bees will see them and be attracted to them. 

Good locations include: 

Spray potentially attractive wood surfaces with your vinegar mixture every few days, starting in early spring and through the summer. 

Keep wood surfaces well-treated with paint, sealant, or stain. Generally speaking, paint is best at deterring carpenter bee activity.  

Vinegar Is An Effective Carpenter Bee Deterrent

Poisons can be used against carpenter bees, but there is no reason to use them. Vinegar mixtures provide a safe and effective way to repel and kill carpenter bees. 

Just remember that diligence is also an important ingredient in carpenter bee control. 

Even if you used the most toxic poisons, you would need to reapply them frequently, use them in conjunction with traps and take good care of the wooden components of your home and outbuildings to prevent carpenter bee damage. 

Carpenter bees - what are dangerous and how to get rid of them? Photo — Botanichka

Once at an old dacha we noticed some interesting "neighbors". These were unusual dark-colored insects, similar either to large flies, or to bees, or to bumblebees. And they lived directly inside the canvas of the front door to the house. The door was old, it had several holes of incomprehensible origin, from which these insects periodically flew out and flew in. They've obviously set up accommodation there! I don’t know what damage was done to the country door, which already required replacement, but, as we later found out, such tenants can cause significant damage to new buildings. What are these insects and how to deal with them, I will tell in this article.

Carpenter bees - why are they dangerous and how to get rid of them? © Elena Kreuzberg

Features of carpenter bees

Carpenter bees ( Xylocopa valga ) live on all continents except Antarctica. They have a body length of 12 to 25 mm. The color is black, greenish-black, dark blue with a metallic sheen or purple tint. The wings of these insects are black with a blue-violet sheen. Antennae black above, reddish below. There are yellow areas on the head near the eyes, and yellowish hairs are also present on the legs, chest and abdomen (but not as bright or numerous as in bumblebees).

Carpenter bees have a large, dense build and are sometimes confused with bumblebees. To unmistakably identify such a bee, look at the upper abdomen of the insect. While the abdomen of a bumblebee is densely covered with hairs, the upper abdomen of the carpenter bee will be hairless, black, and shiny.

These bees are solitary, they "dig" tunnels in wood to make their home, especially preferring the bare and weathered surface of the tree. They gnaw their passages with their jaws, and the length of the passages is from 30 cm to 1.5 m, the entrance diameter is from 0.7 mm to 1 cm. It is important to note that carpenter bees do not feed on wood throughout their entire life cycle, and sawdust thrown out by insects.

Each larva is in an individual cell located inside such a passage. Although these bees do not form a swarm, several females can live together in the same nest, with one female breeding while the others guard the brood. Bees often block the entrance to the nest with their own abdomen.

Males and females overwinter in nesting passages. When it gets warm enough in spring, the adults emerge from the nests and mate. The males die shortly after mating, and the females begin to dig new tunnels or expand old buildings. Carpenter bees, like honey bees, feed on pollen and nectar. Females provide their larvae with food by placing balls of pollen and bee bread in the cell in advance, after which the bee lays eggs in each chamber and soon dies.

The offspring of the eggs hatch after a few days, and the young larvae begin to feed on the food left for them by the mother. Within five to seven weeks (depending on the temperature conditions of the environment), the bee pupates and reaches an adult state. A new generation of carpenter bees emerge in late summer to feed on nectar before preparing for winter. The life span of a carpenter bee does not exceed one year.

These insects, like common bees, are good pollinators, but only for flowers with an open corolla. But plants with deeper nectar are a problem for them, and insects treat them “barbarically”. To get to the sweet nectar, the carpenter bees cut the side of the flower, penetrate into the center, and deprive the flower of its juice without providing any pollination services in return, since they do not come into contact with the anthers.

In order to collect pollen grains for food for larvae, carpenter bees practice a very interesting technique called “buzz pollination”. It looks like this: when a bee lands on a flower, it uses its pectoral muscles to create vibrating sound waves that shake the pollen off the anthers.

Carpenter bee or wood borer bee (Xylocopa valga). © Vlad Proklov

Why are carpenter bees dangerous?

Carpenter bees can be a real nuisance for summer residents and owners of country houses. They often build nests close to humans: in front doors, decking, porches, cornices, stair railings, garden furniture, wooden fence posts, and other similar structures. Every year they cause massive damage to the tree by tunneling in various designs.

Carpenter bees are certainly not termites or carpenter beetles, they do not feed on wood, and their nest tunnels are limited in size. However, after a few years, the damage to the wood can become quite significant as the bees widen old tunnels and "dig" new ones. If carpenter bees are allowed to tunnel through a wooden structure year after year, the cumulative damage can be significant.

In addition, they also spoil the appearance of wooden structures, leave stains with their feces. Since such bees are used to recovering at the entrance to their dwelling, yellow spots can be seen on the surface of the tree, just below the entrance to the nest.

These insects can also be aggressive, especially during the mating season, which occurs in April-May. At this time, male carpenter bees usually fly around the nest holes in search of females. During such a period, aggressive insects may well fly very close to people and animals, even deliberately crash into them and dive overhead.

It is the males who show the greatest aggressiveness, but they are not able to bite, since they do not have a stinger. But females can already sting, but only if they are seriously provoked. In particular, don't swing your arms too much, catch bees or press them hard, it's better to just ignore their buzzing and aggressive flights over your head.

Read also our article How black wasps helped us in the fight against pest larvae.

Bee trap

How to get rid of carpenter bees?

The best defense against carpenter bees is, as in many cases, preventing them from attacking. These insects prefer to damage woods such as pine, fir, cypress, oak, and mahogany, especially if the wood is not barked, stained, or treated.

Sometimes bees also colonize painted wood, especially if the paintwork is old and peeling. Therefore, you can prevent carpenter bees from nesting in the first place by painting the exterior of the house or other woodwork, or by resurfacing an old coat of paint. A fresh coat of paint or varnish is unattractive to the carpenter bee.

Close as many cracks in the wood as possible. Carpenter bees look for cracks that will make their entrances less visible to woodpeckers, so they prefer to populate such wood. Therefore, as soon as the installation of the structure is completed, be sure to seal all cracks and crevices.

If carpenter bees have already inhabited your wooden structures, it is better to try to simply expel insects without destroying them, since in Russia and Ukraine these insects are listed in the Red Book.

You can suspect that you have such unusual neighbors by the following signs:

Read also our article Firefighter beetles - how useful for the garden and can they harm?

Bees really dislike vibration and loud noises near their home. Therefore, in order for the bee to leave its nest, it is recommended to periodically turn on the perforator, or listen to loud music with low bass. It is believed that after some time (on average, after 2-3 days) the bees should leave their nest in search of a quieter place.

Another way is to watch the nest and close up all the entrances and exits to the burrows when the occupants leave them. As soon as you see that the bees have flown outside in the spring, seal the holes for the nests with putty. You can also putty the nest entrances in the fall, after the next generation of carpenter bees have hatched. Before puttying, it is recommended to spray inside a spray with citrus essential oil diluted with water, and also put a piece of a steel mesh sponge into the hole. Holes can also be covered with sealant or putty.

You can also make a bee trap that mimics a natural carpenter bee nest with angled entry holes. Inside, it has the shape of a funnel (for example, you can insert a cut off top from a plastic bottle). A bee, climbing into a hole, falls into a wooden chamber, after which it falls into a funnel from a bottle, which leads it into a container of water (bottom of the cut bottle). You can also add soapy water to the water to make it harder for the insect to get out. Once the carpenter bees start filling the trap, their pheromones will begin to attract other carpenter bees.

Where is the best place to place such a trap? If your wooden structures are already infested with carpenter bees, place the traps where there is a particular activity of insects, and in particular, right above the existing holes. If carpenter bees have not yet chosen your property, but you are afraid of their appearance, set traps in the corners and tops of buildings, preferably on the sunniest side of your house.

With regard to inhumane methods, involving the destruction of insects, the use of insecticides, which are sprayed or covered in holes, is practiced. The bee, penetrating into the nest, touches the poison with its abdomen. Also, boric acid and aerosol cleaner for carburetors, which are sprayed into the hole, will help against bees.

folk remedies and chemicals to get rid of wild bees

We live in a private house and one day we noticed that someone was buzzing above the ceiling. The sound was heard both on the first floor and from the attic.

The husband dismantled part of the cladding of the house from the outside and found a bee nest under it. We did not do anything ourselves and called a beekeeper from the village. He came in a special suit and pulled out the nest. The bees didn't show up anymore.

Since you are talking about other insects, where do bees come from in houses? And what if there is no beekeeper neighbor?

Andrey Nenastiev

drove the bees out of his house on his own

Author's profile

Bees and wasps start in the house because they are warm and comfortable there. If there are places where you can fly freely and where people do not go, insects settle in them. If there is an apiary nearby, then the probability of getting such neighbors is higher.

I will tell you how you can fight the bees on your own and prevent them from making nests again.

Why start with humane methods

Bees bring many benefits and are important for the ecosystem, so it is better not to destroy them, but first try to move the hive to another place. It's risky, but if you follow security measures, it's possible.

The bees can still return to their old place. To avoid this, beekeepers advise moving the hive to an existing one. For example, find wild bees in the forest or look for an apiary in the neighborhood. Then the families of bees will mix, and, perhaps, all will remain in one place.

But sometimes the situation is hopeless: bees are dangerous for the inhabitants of the house, especially for children. Then the insects need to be evicted as quickly and efficiently as possible. I will talk about all the methods of dealing with bees, but some of them cannot be called humane. If you know more efficient and gentle ways, tell us in the comments.

How to prepare for the fight against bees

There are wild bees - they fly in from the forest, as well as domestic ones, flown from the apiary. It is better to deal with wild bees at the beginning of spring: at this time there are fewer insects in the hive, and the risk that they will bite is lower. It is recommended to expel domestic bees at the end of winter, when the insects are as weak as possible due to the cold.

People come to bee nests late in the evening or early in the morning: at this time all the bees are at home, but the peak of their activity has not yet come or has already passed.

Before the operation to drive out the bees, you need to dress in such a way that there are no exposed parts of the body. Bees can bite through thin fabric, so you need a tight jacket and pants. If available, wear a hat with a mosquito net. If you use chemicals, the activity of the bees may persist for some time. Therefore, it is better to work not in shales, but in rubber boots.

Bees are sensitive to any smell. Before anti-bee activities, it is better not to smoke or drink, even for courage: bees can smell alcohol vapors or the smell of tobacco and attack first.

If the bee nevertheless stings, you need to check if there is a sting left in the place of the bite. If yes, then remove it with tweezers. The bite site should be treated with hydrogen peroxide or a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then apply cold. You can also take an antihistamine, such as Claritin or Tavegil, to relieve swelling.

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How to get rid of bees with folk remedies

Sulfur wick. This is a device that is used by masters of wooden barrels to disinfect them. This is an old and inhumane method of dealing with bees. The wick is set on fire - it starts emitting sulfuric smoke, from which the bees die.

The method will work if the burning fuse can be safely planted in close proximity to the hive. But, as a rule, this is not possible.

Sulfur wick can be ordered on the Internet, they are also sometimes sold in household chemical stores. These are the prices from the Bondarny Dvor website

Gasoline. Filling the nest with gasoline will kill the insects. It is poured out of a container or sprayed with an airbrush. Method unsafe: gasoline is toxic and flammable. In addition, it is difficult to get close to the hive even with a bucket of gasoline, because the nests are usually located high.

Recordings with birdsong. Bees are afraid of loud sound, and also the singing of birds. These two factors are combined. Speakers are placed next to the hive and recordings of bird voices are turned on as loudly as possible. Perhaps the bees will leave the hive voluntarily. True, it is possible that they will return as soon as the owners turn off the sound.

Smoke from fires. Bees do not like smoke, so the nest can be fumigated with smoke from a fire. To do this, you should set fire to dry branches, garbage or make a barbecue near the beehive when the wind is in its direction.

But if the hive is well hidden in a wall or in an attic, there is little chance that the smoke will penetrate there.

Vinegar, beer or juice traps. You can buy bee traps in stores or make your own from a plastic bottle: it is cut in half, and then the top is turned over and inserted into the bottom part with the neck down. A vinegar solution is poured onto the bottom at the rate of 7-8 ml per 1 liter of water. Instead of vinegar, you can pour beer, juice, compote or any other sweet drink. Drinks are taken by eye.

Drinks are designed to lure insects into a trap through which they can no longer fly back out. Traps are placed in places where bees fly. Bottles can be nailed to carnations or hung on a rope.

An amazing story 09/02/19

Neighbor trees, a fence and an apiary interfered with a woman. She got rid of them

Traps are placed in places where bees fly. Bottles can be nailed to carnations or hung on a rope.

Traps are effective for catching "scout" bees who sniff out where to make a hive. When the hive in the house is already working, there is little sense from them. Source: Podvorye website

Mounting foam. If you know exactly the places where the bees enter the hive in the house, you can seal the gaps with mounting foam. Thus, the bees are deprived of the road to the nest.

How to get rid of bees in other ways

Eliminate hives with smoke and insecticides.

Smoke-out. Professional beekeepers fumigate hives with smoke to reduce bee activity. When the bees feel the smoke, they tighten their stingers and go into the hive. Beekeepers get smoke with the help of a special installation - a smoker. This is a device similar to a kettle, inside of which burning wood chips are laid. There are smokers with hand bellows - they need to be pumped in order for smoke to come out. And there are electric ones - it's much more convenient.

When the hive is fumigated and the bees have calmed down, the nest is taken with hands in thick gloves and transferred to another place.

/ti-pchela-ya-pchelovod/

How much does it cost to keep bees

Smoker with hand furs costs about 900 R, but it is inconvenient to use. This one runs on batteries. Source: website "Beekeeper"

Use of chemicals. This is an extreme measure that we do not recommend. Bees are poisoned with universal insecticides. You can do it yourself or call an exterminator.

5000 Р

on average, the exterminator will take for the destruction of one hive

Get, Medilis-Ziper, Smelnet, Moskitol or ordinary dichlorvos are used against bees. The means are sprayed into the hive, after a day the procedure is repeated. Only after that the nest is removed and burned.

Insecticides can be sprayed with a spray gun or spray gun, or diluted in water and loaded into traps. To do this, a solution of poison and water must be mixed with 150 ml of honey. The mixture is poured into traps, which are placed as close as possible to the hive.

Fighting bees with the help of professional insecticides is expensive and risky: you still need to get closer to the hive. Source: Pesthunter website

How I drove out the bees

We encountered bees two years after we bought a private house. My wife noticed that insects often flew under the roof. Our roof is covered with ondulin, it is wavy like slate - bees climbed under the edges of the waves. Over time, they became more and more. A month later, I found another place where the bees flew - on the other side of the house.

I started with relatively humane methods: I went to a garden supply store and bought two bee traps for 50 R each. I also took a bottle of beer to pour it into the traps and lure the bees.

100 R

I spent on bee traps

We hung the traps on the approach to one of the proposed nesting sites. Three days later, a certain number of bees actually accumulated inside. I shook out the traps on the road. But a lot of bees still flew.

We forgot about this problem until I started building the boiler room. According to my plan, it was supposed to adjoin the house, and I supposed to attach the rafters for the roof of the extension to the upper beam of the log house. When I, climbing onto the goats, took off the lining, I felt a strong pain in my finger - I was bitten by a bee. A six-meter cladding board fell to the ground, and I managed to see a huge bee nest in the mineral wool. The bees attacked me. I had to jump to the ground from a height of two meters and flee in the house.

This is my house. The beehive was in the lantern area behind the white boards. The bees settled in insulation

. I smeared my finger with ointment and decided to defeat the bees immediately, because the rafters had to be put up today, otherwise the matter would be delayed. In addition, I could not allow the angry bees to bite the children, so I took an airbrush, poured White Spirit into it and began to water the nest from the ground. The stench was unbearable. The bees tried to attack me, but my wife prudently gave me a winter jacket. In the heat of +30 °C, I did not feel very good in it, but it protected from bites. In addition, I filled the entire space around me with white spirit in advance.

After chemical preparation, I again climbed onto the goats, knocked down the nest with a shovel, filled it again with a spray gun and carried it out onto the road.

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I destroyed the second nest later, when I needed to climb into the attic. I planned to make a hood in the bathroom - for this it was necessary to lay pipes above the ceiling. When I tore off the lining from the ceiling, I heard a buzzing, and then I saw bees.

The nest was again in mineral wool, but this time we were separated by a vapor barrier film. This made everything easier, since the bees could not fly at me. However, I didn’t have access to the nest to somehow take it out and take it out.

I had to buy dichlorvos at a household chemical store for 90 R and spray it from below directly onto the film. The bees fell on top of her one by one. When I realized that they were no longer able to fly, I found the junction of the film, disconnected it, put my hand with the spray can into the slot and filled the nest directly. The wife screamed that a queen bee the size of a walnut flew out from somewhere in the next room. We let her out the window.

After that, I was able to pull out the nest with a small spatula. I also took it to the road. We didn't have any more bees.

What to do to prevent bees from reappearing

If there is an apiary near the house, the bees will certainly cause problems. Even if they do not plant a beehive in the house, they will fly around the site and disturb the owners.

By law, a beekeeper must build a fence around his hives at least two meters high.

paragraph 4 of the instructions for the maintenance of bee families and the organization of beekeeping in settlements and summer cottages

The owners of the house can drive away the bees if they plant special plants on the site. Bees do not like basil, lemon balm, lavender and mint. They also help calendula, henbane, hellebore, wormwood, rhododendron. You can also plant hot peppers.

If the bees fly to the plot anyway, they can be concentrated in one place. To do this, take a bucket of water and dilute sugar in it. The bees will gather around this bucket. The disadvantage of this method: the bucket must constantly stand on the site.

You can scare away bees with an ultrasonic repeller. This is a device resembling a night light that is plugged into an outlet. The repeller generates ultrasound that frightens insects and rodents. There is no single answer about the effectiveness of such devices.

Ultrasonic repellers are mainly designed to work indoors: they need electricity and plus temperature. Outdoor battery-powered devices are more expensive.

Most ultrasonic repellers are positioned as universal - from all insects and rodents. There is no repeller from bees. These are offers on Yandex Market

What is the result

How to deal with bees in a private house:

  1. You need to approach the hive without foreign odors and in protective clothing. Instead of a beekeeper's suit, a thick winter jacket and pants, goggles, a respirator, and a winter hat are suitable.

    Learn more