Many homeowners would visualize bees as wing-whipping friends who tend to buzz through the air in their lawns or backyards when thinking about bees.
However, unlike honeybees, almost all ground bees do not live in beehives. This is a massive headache for many homeowners as they seize control of their home premises and injure people.
Fortunately, there are ways to naturally identify and repel these tricky pests, such as blocking the nesting holes or using a cinnamon repellent.
This ultimate guide on effective pest control will supply you with several tips on how to get rid of ground bees alongside necessary information about them.
What Are Ground Bees And How To Identify Them?
Overview of ground bees
For the most part, ground bees are known to be a type of bee belonging to the Andrenidae family. It is estimated that there are roughly 4500 species of ground-nesting bees across the world.
They appear to range in many different sizes, shades of colors, and outlooks. Some of the largest species could be around an inch long, which is similar to the size of a honeybee.
In terms of color, several ground bee variations are furry and have a darker body than a honey bee. If lucky, you might also spot some ground bees that are slightly green or have brightly striped patterns.
Amongst 4500 varieties of ground bees throughout the world, the most common ones are considered to be here:
- Bumblebees
- Cellophane bees
- Plasterer bees
- Mining bees
- Sweat bees
Unlike usual honey bees, ground bees are docile creatures, with each performing as an individual nester. This is why almost all ground bee species are not keen on the idea of living in waxy hives.
However, bumblebees are an exception since they are the only species that prefer living together in colonies like most honeybees.
How to identify ground bees
As their names suggest, ground bees are bees that live in the ground. They usually dig small underground holes, which later become their hideaways for them to live.
Also, they tend to build their homes in dry soil where the rodents have already dug some tunnels. Therefore, any bee species that burrow deep underground is considered to be ground bees.
Another distinguishing factor is that ground bee are the most solitary genus in the bee groups. So, apart from chasing you away when being bothered, most ground bees are not aggressive.
Rarely do ground bees sting humans, although female ground bees have stingers that act as their protective armors. However, they only sting you when you bother them. Otherwise, they would cause no harm whatsoever to you and your loved ones.
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How To Spot Ground Bees’ Nests?
It is common to see ground bees when the early spring approaches, as this is the time when they are the most active. Unlike honeybees who live together in waxy beehives, ground bees tend to nest and rest under the ground.
Bear in mind that if you spot multiple ground bees buzzing around the compost heap and hovering over to the ground, that’s a good indication suggesting a nest.
Another thing you should pay attention to when looking out for ground bees’ burrows is their habitat preference. Typically, ground bees love areas that offer loose soil. Hence, anthills and mounds could be the perfect hotspots to find ground bees.
How To Get Rid Of Ground Bees (4 Effective Methods)
Block the nesting’ holes
Locking access to the underground hideaways is believed to be a safer solution than calling in a chemical substance for extermination.
By covering the nest holes, the bees are unable to tunnel back inside to lay eggs. Without any holes to get back into their colony, ground bees will soon go away and lookout for a place to burrow.
Once you spot where the bees nest, trap the holes with some items on top, namely heavy bricks, soil, or even stones, this option will prevent those annoying creatures from getting back in and continuing to lay eggs.
Water the lawn
Another chemical-free way to encourage the ground bees to look for a new shelter is to wet the soil or lawn. Ground bees are not keen on moist soil. They only love burrowing their nests in dry and loose soil.
The act of watering your soil can help chase the bees away. Remember to water the soil multiple times to make it wet enough so that the method can be highly effective.
Use cinnamon repellent
Ground bees might devour sugary stuff, but not really into cinnamon. So by knowing their dietary preference, you can use this condiment to put the bees off, getting rid of bees naturally.
The idea is to either sprinkle cinnamon powder on the area near the holes or use cinnamon sticks. Remember that either method is safe to repel the bees. However, you need to sprinkle the spice regularly for at least a week to maximize its potential.
Make minty mixture
The ingredients you need are 2 cups of peppermint castile soap and 2 cups of water.
First, combine the 2 ingredients in a saucepan and stir them on the heat until they are all dissolved. Then, before pouring the mixture in a handy spray bottle, let it cool down at room temperature.
You’re supposed to sprinkle this mixture on the holes of the nest. To get the best result, you must spray the area near the nest regularly. It takes at least a week for the soil to take effect, and the bees can go elsewhere.
Should I Kill Ground Bees?
Apart from annoying people when provoked, most ground bees are harmless and tend not to injure you or your family members. So it is a complete myth that ground bees are dangerous, and we have to get rid of them by all means.
Ground bees are reported to play a significant role in several ecosystems where they help aerate the soil in your back garden.
This can keep your garden lush all year round and reduce soil erosion massively. In addition, those naughty creatures perform an active role as avid pollinators.
Therefore, it is not necessary to kill ground bees entirely. Instead of killing them, you may refer to some natural and effective ways to remove their nests, which can stop those tricky pests from attacking your beautiful premises.
Bear in mind that killing ground bees can leave a detrimental impact on the ecosystems. Many ecosystems could not survive without ground bees. So, the best approach is to drive ground bees away rather than attempting to terminate their lives.
Conclusion
Getting rid of ground bees is no longer challenging if you are armed with essential know-how on effective and safe ground bee removal.
However, if you are still concerned about your home settings being attacked by ground bees, you had better give our professional guide a read. We bet you’ll thank us later!
