With rising temperatures, it is not uncommon for us to find wasps or bees in our garden, patio or during a walk. Like all insects, they play a role in the ecosystem, especially bees, a fundamental piece for the pollination of plant species. But, on the other hand, both bees and wasps can sting us and our pets. To avoid this, in this article on our site we explain how to drive away wasps and bees without killing them and without harming them.
The home remedies to ward off wasps and bees that we will show below are not harmful or harmful, since, as we pointed out, these animals play an essential role in maintaining life on the planet. Likewise, it is not necessary to harm these insects, or any other animal, to keep them away from our home if that is what interests us. Keep reading and learn how to get rid of wasps and bees without mistreating them.
Characteristics of wasps and bees
Starting with wasps, there are solitary species, while others are considered social animals. In the first case, the adult females live and reproduce independently. On the other hand, when they form groups, they are made up of females, males and workers, with atrophied sexual organs. It is a female, the queen, who begins the construction of the nest and raises the first generation of workers, who are the ones who continue with the construction and maintenance, while the queen dedicates herself exclusively to laying eggs. At the end of the summer a first generation with reproductive capacity is obtained. Fertilized females spend the winter in the nest, the rest die. In terms of their relationship with humans, numerous species of wasps are considered beneficial for their role in controlling pests in agriculture and horticulture. On the other hand, they have a stinger that allows them to sting successively, so that they get a better flow of the poison.
In the case of bees, the species Apis mellifera is the one that has reached the greatest distribution worldwide. It is a social insect that builds hives with hexagonal wax cells. There is a single queen that can live for several years, but only reproduces once. She lives in the hive with males or drones and workers. Unfortunately, the population of bees is declining all over the world, which is a serious problem for humans, since they play a fundamental role in pollination. Like wasps, they have a stinger with which they can sting humans and other mammals. After doing so, the stinger detaches from the body, causing death. This only happens if the bite is directed at a mammal.
Given the important functions of these insects, if we ask ourselves how to drive away wasps and bees from our house and our pets, it is important that we always keep in mind not to harm them.
In this video you will find the most notable differences between wasps and bees:
Odors that attract wasps and bees
To avoid the annoying and even dangerous bites of these insects, the first thing is to prevent them from approaching us. Thus, there are odors that attract wasps and bees, such as fruit trees, sweets or, in general, food smells Therefore, we must avoid leaving without cover food outside or near open windows. In addition, the fruity scents with which some perfumes, creams or any other cosmetics are made can have the same attractive effect on insects. It is better not to use them if we are going to be in the field and we want to drive away wasps and bees, otherwise, we will be attracting them!
Other factors that attract wasps and bees
Keep in mind that not only smells manage to attract the attention of bees and wasps. The yellow clothes, the fountains or watercourses where they can go to drink or the bluish lights act as a lure for these species. And, if these recommendations are not enough, in the following section we explain the most effective home remedies to ward off wasps and bees.
How to drive away wasps without killing them
If you need to know how to repel wasps and bees, you can first resort to products that are marketed with a repellent action against these insects. But, if you don't have any on hand, you can't use it, it hasn't been effective for you or you prefer to use home remedies to ward off wasps and bees, you can protect yourself by using the smoke, which is one of the unpleasant odors for bees and wasps. A barbecue or lighted candles can deter these insects.
Plants to repel wasps and bees
If you have a garden, terrace, patio or balcony, you should know that there are also plants to scare away wasps and bees, since their smell is usually unpleasant for them. The most effective plants to repel these insects are:
- Basil
- Laurel
- Peppermint
- Mint
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Citronella
The plants that repel them are distributed in pots in strategic places in the house, such as the windows, or planted in different places in the garden. In addition to acting as a repellent for wasps and bees, these plants will bring an excellent aroma to your home, color and freshness. Likewise, bay leaf, mint, peppermint and basil can be used in cooking, so what more could you ask for! Citronella, in turn, is an excellent natural repellent for mosquitoes, which is why it is common to find citronella candles In this sense, these candles are doubly effective, since both the smoke they give off and the aroma are effective in repelling wasps and bees without killing them.
Of course, before choosing plants to repel bees and wasps, we recommend checking that they are not harmful to other animals, since, for example, lavender is usually an unpleasant smell for cats.
Home remedies to ward off wasps and bees
It is said that it is also possible to ward off wasps with vinegar, onion, cloves, cucumber, citronella, naphthalene, camphor or mothproofing, with lemon, with orange, with essence of bitter almonds, with bleach, with mirrors, etc. These types of remedies are very simple to put into practice and use products that are commonly used or that are very easy to obtain. Here are some of the most effective examples to keep wasps and bees away without harming them:
Lemon to repel wasps and bees
Cutting a lemon into two parts and placing them on a plate or lighting a candle with that citrus fragrance is one of the most effective remedies and simple to carry out. You can even replicate this remedy in various spaces in the home.
Over a split lemon you can also put cloves, since both products are excellent repellents for wasps and bees.
Naphthalene to keep bees and wasps away
Naphthalene is stored in small cloth bags to hang or distribute around the place where we are. Of course, although they are effective in repelling wasps and bees, you should bear in mind that this product is toxic to dogs and cats, so if these animals you should opt for other remedies.
Mirrors to repel wasps and bees
Mirrors can be hung on branches in trees or on windows. It is believed that they blind wasps and bees so they do not come near them, making them excellent repellents.
Repelling wasps and bees with onions
Yes, the onion is also unpleasant for these insects, since when they perceive its aroma they move away from it completely. To use this remedy, you must cook the onion in water and use the resulting liquid to spray the area where you are going to be.
Essence of bitter almonds to ward off wasps and bees
Impregnating a cloth with essence of bitter almonds and leaving it in the place you want to preserve will keep these insects away.
Repel wasps with vinegar
Traps for wasps and bees made from vinegar and water have been used for a long time, however, from our site we do not recommend using this remedybecause it does damage them. The traps that consist of a bottle filled with water with some other product, such as the aforementioned vinegar or sugar, work by attracting bees and wasps so that, when they approach the smell, they get trapped and end up drowning Therefore, they are remedies that we must reject and replace with those that only repel them, without causing them any harm.
How to keep wasps away from the pool?
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, water can attract wasps and bees, so it is completely normal to see them in swimming pools. To drive them away without damaging them, it is best to place different cataloged plants and flowers as repellents to create that barrier and prevent them from wanting to approach.
On the other hand, the trick of the mirrors also usually works in these cases, so don't hesitate to place them on the trees, if you have them.
