Keep Your Pool Bee and Wasp Free This Summer

Everybody loves pool time! There is nothing quite like jumping into a refreshing pool and cooling down in the hot summer months. Kids, teens, and adults enjoy this summertime activity, but often the time spent removing bees and wasps from the pool can seem daunting. Pool fun can also be challenging if there are lots of bees and wasps flying around the pool, and on the ground, a stinger can be a certain downer on the day. Some people do not know that those bees and wasps are simply looking for water, and there are ways to minimize the pollinator activity around your pool, allowing for more time to have fun and splash around.

Natural Bee Repellent Is Effective and Affordable

This is not a suggestion to spray pesticides all over the pool area! Bees do not like peppermint’s smell, making an easy natural repellent for the poolside. Make it a fun activity for the kids to make a special Bee Away Spray bottle to keep by the pool. A few little drops of peppermint oil can be purchased at the dollar store. Or just about any store these days, water in a spray bottle effectively repels bees and wasps. Another option is to have mint plants in the pool area – bees and wasps will steer clear.

So, a spray bottle and peppermint oil from the dollar store gives you the best two-dollar bee and wasp repellent around!

Provide Alternative Water Sources for Bees

This is a big one! The bees and wasps hang around the pool because they need water to survive, and if there are no other water sources in the area, they will use the big blue pool as a giant drinking fountain! Bees and wasps prefer water that is a little dirty, so the solution here is to create and provide any water source that bees and wasps can use that is not near the pool area. Birdbaths, water fountains, and even a bucket of water can be excellent sources for these essential pollinators. Please understand that you can’t just put a bucket of water outside, and all bees and wasps will go there instead. It takes some observation of which direction they are coming from, so it does involve some thoughtful placement. Still, it will be worth it when you and your family can truly enjoy the outdoors and pool for the entire summer without worrying and swatting away bees and wasps!

That is why most bees and wasps found in the pool are no longer alive – they can’t swim but are so thirsty that they take the risk! Because they can’t swim, adding sticks or rocks that they can perch on while drinking completes the attraction for them to use that water source instead of the pool. Even something spongy or a towel works as a waterside resting area and will slowly suck up water, and the bees and wasps can draw water from that – they don’t need much,  but it is a necessity to have for survival. Creating these water sources is another fun summer project and can add natural beauty to your yard. Barrel ponds are a popular choice, but many options would serve the purpose of keeping bees away from the pool while adding an accent piece to your yard.

Bees and wasps also love hummingbird feeders, and it is incredible how many people hang them to get a glimpse of those beautiful and speedy flyers. If you have one, you know bees and wasps are always buzzing around because they love the sweet stuff! Bees and wasps will always take the path of least resistance, so these feeders with sugary water are a natural draw for them. Move the feeders far away from the pool, so they stay focused on that easy food source instead of the pool water.

Removing Active Nests Can Be Performed by Professionals

Sometimes, bees or wasps will have an active hive too close to the pool, and the best solution is to have professional bee removers come and remove the hive to relocate it. If you have bee and wasps concerns in the San Diego area, DTek does an excellent job of quickly dispatching a professional bee remover and getting the job done right the first time. Please do not try to knock a hive down on your own and find someone invested in the well-being of the bees and protecting your family and home. As far as wasps, they are more aggressive, so only someone with experience will know how to remove the safety hazard and discourage re-nesting in the same area.

Whether you are dealing with bees or wasps, deterring them is beneficial for pool owners and the bees. Addressing these concerns early means more time to enjoy the pool this summer. So, whether you provide an alternative water source, tempt them away with sugar water, or have a hive removed or relocated, there are ways to keep the bees and wasps away from your pool.