Aaaagh! Bees!

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LauleaHere&There

LauleaHere&There

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LifeTime Supporter
Aug 2, 2010
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Rural Moloka'i, Hawai'i
I'm actually a fan of honeybees. But they are taking up residence in the waste hose leading from my multiport. I washed a cluster of about 30 of them out just now. They're mad. They're also swarming around the skimmer. Probably looking for water; it's pretty dry here. But salt water?

At the moment, I've got the garden hose nozzle on a "mist" setting, attached to the ladder and aimed at the skimmer. I don't think they like flying in mist.

I hate to have to nuke 'em. Anybody else ever deal with this?
 
If they are swarming like that, they are probably trying to build a hive. The only way to fix that is to move the queen. Your best bet is to find a local beekeeper. They will be able to capture the queen and the rest and move them to a more suitable place. We had a similar issue at my office a few weeks ago. Beekeeper came and got them. Problem solved.
 
Thanks for your reply, Tim. They're not swarming in quite that way--I've seen that phenomenon. These bees are more dispersed, not clustered as tightly as some swarms I've seen over the years. I will contact a couple of the apiarists on the island and ask them, however.

In the meantime, anytime I use the pool, I light several sticks of incense and let it smoke for a while. It seems to calm them down.
 
You may not like like this idea, but maybe you can figure out a similar way of doing it. If your state allows the foaming wasp and hornet spray, it has been really effective for me in discouraging bees. A few times this summer I have seen yellow jackets starting to become interested in certain openings around my house. I sprayed around the openings with the foaming wasp spray that seems to have discouraged them from ever coming back.

I have to say that last year I had a swarm of yellow jackets in a hole in the ground and the foam didn't do a thing to discourage them. I guess when the queen is settled they are even more determined.
 
Interesting, Peter. I'm trying something along the same lines, a little less toxic, just now! I'm spraying Windex on the places they seem to congregate most. I don't wipe it off, just let it dry there. My hope is that it will disrupt any scent markers the bees may be using, or at least just discourage them from landing in stinky soapy blue stuff.

I don't know if it works yet. But if it does, I'll let you know.
 
I'd appreciate knowing how that works out. I know the bees pollinate my veggies so I don't want to hurt them...but last year the yellow jacket thing scared me a lot. I have an 8 year old and a 4 year old...so...you know?!
 
I have had wasps build nests under the top rail where it meets the upright supports on my pool. Usually we wait until evening and spray them with wasp spray. I have thought about spreading petrolium jelly in those areas to prevent them from building nests but I haven't tried it yet.

Mom painted the ceiling of her porch blue because she heard it will confuse the wasps and mud dabbers and they will not try to build there. I'll have to ask her how that worked!
 
If they are staying in your waste line or skimmer overnight, they are looking to live there. If they leave when it gets dark, only to return in the morning, they are just looking for moisture. Overnight guests need to go if they are in your living space and it sounds like they are. Especially so if they have a tendency to get irritable.

I would definitely be sure that you are certain that these are honeybees (fuzzy) and not yellow jackets (not fuzzy but brilliantly colored yellow and black and quite small).
 
I use a product called "TEMPO". Its a deterant for almost every kind of bug out there including mice. I spray the yard and the house and its organic so it doesnt hurt animals/people at all. I even spray it in the finished basement. It keeps all the bugs out and even the mosquitoes.

Just my 2 cents. Hope that helped some as it has worked well for me.
 

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They are honeybees: furry, stocky bodies and no "waistline" like wasps have.

I did try to give them alternative sources of moisture--fresh water on yellow, red and blue fiesta-ware plates. (just to see if they preferred one color over another) No takers that I could see. Their numbers are declining just by attrition. The filter sock is full of them every time I pull it out.

I have noticed before that they are drawn to my soaker hoses, which is actually a pretty safe way for them to get water. I'll set the flow to a trickle, just enough to keep the hoses full, and see if they'll relocate back there.

Still waiting on the results of the windex experiment.
 
TimS said:
LauleaHere&There said:
I'm spraying Windex on the places they seem to congregate most. I don't wipe it off, just let it dry there.
Click to expand...
Windex will take care of everything. It's good for all sorts of cleaning tasks, as well as healing cuts and burns, clearing up acne, almost anything. (Source: My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding) :lol:
Click to expand...


Busted! :lol:
 
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