For most people, bees inspire both love and hate. On one hand, they are extremely helpful in aiding the growth of flowers, as well as necessary to produce honey for our tea and desserts. On the other hand, they have stingers which can be fatal if used on people or pets with severe allergies. To err on the side of caution, homeowners should understand how to kill bees around their homes through a variety of methods.
Make Sure It’s Actually a Bee
With their yellow and black colors, bees are commonly mistaken for yellow jacket wasps. It’s easy to see why – both have wings, long abdomens, and yellow-and-black stripes. The difference is the texture and size: bees have fur around their heads while yellow jackets are shiny all around. These wasps are also bigger and much more likely to feed on other insects than flowers (bees feed mostly on nectar and pollen).
Distinguishing these attributes is important, especially if you’re trying to understand how to kill bees effectively and permanently. Bees and wasps, although similar in appearance, require different approaches in pest control. While bees mostly construct hives in trees and awnings, yellow jackets build them in the ground. Yellow jackets are also notably more aggressive than bees, thus requiring heavier self-protection.
How to Begin Killing Bees
Once the bees have been clearly identified as such, it’s up to you to choose the pest control method you are most comfortable with. Some prefer using store-brought cans of pesticide spray – like Raid – which have a proven track record of working effectively against bees. These can be sprayed directly onto the nest, killing the bees instantaneously.
Other chemical killers include Borax, a finely-ground powder with boric acid. If you are against using chemical-based means to get rid of bees, call a local beekeeper to come take the beehive away. Due to a recent decline in the honey bee population, beekeepers are often willing to come to your house free of charge to remove the beehive safely and transport to their honey-production farms. Non-toxic options like these not only save us from using poisons, but also encourage natural ways of producing food.
If you think the bees around your house are still too large of a problem, contact a local beekeeper or pest exterminator for additional methods on how to get rid of bees.