How to Keep Bees Out of Birdhouses
It's normal for bees and other insects to make homes in empty birdhouses. They are the ideal shelter during winter weather extremes. When the birdhouses are empty, bees will build their homes inside the four walls. When it's time for the birds to come home, and the bees have taken over, the birdhouses must be completely cleaned of all bee residue so birds can move in once again. There are a few methods of keeping bees out of birdhouses. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Rub a bar of soap on the inside of the birdhouse near the ceiling, away from the entrance.
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Hang a bar of soap from a string on a tree branch near the entrance of the birdhouse.
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3
Put a layer of Vaseline on the ceiling of the birdhouse to keep the bees away.
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4
Place an open container of beer, or a wine cooler, near the birdhouse. The bees will be attracted to the scent of the alcohol and drown in the liquid.
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5
Build a few bee houses and place them around the yard, away from the birdhouses. Place bowls of cut fruit near the bee houses to draw the bees away from the birdhouses.
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Tips & Warnings
Once the birds take up residency, the bees will stay away.
Do not use pesticides to get rid of the bees in your birdhouse. The pesticides can harm the birds, too.
- Photo Credit http://www.123rf.com/photo_2767671.html
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Comments
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Unless you are allergic to bees, I would suggest to consider carefully whether you really need to get rid of bees. Bees are essential to pollenate many of the foods we take for granted, but the workdwide bee population is currently in rapid decline, due to 'colony collapse syndrome' which is thought to be caused by pesticides such as neonicotinoid. Honey bees and wasps are much less likely to sting than wasps, especially if undisturbed.
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solitarybee
May 20, 2010
I think you are trying to be helpful with this article - I like the idea of building bee houses (you mean for solitary bees I think - Youtube has a lot on them), however I believe the bees that will build a nest inside a bird box would be social bees like bumble bees. These should be encouraged, filmed and shown off proudly! If you move the box at night (when they are asleep) away from places where humans won't bother them and vice-versa, there won't be a problem. You can then build a new bird box and gain satisfaction from helping nature twice over. If they are honey bees, contact your local bee keeper association and they'll happily take the swarm away for you. Wasps are more difficult, but can be moved also at night. ree with zozzie -
zozzie
Feb 25, 2010
I must ask... how are you going to rub soap inside the birdhouse with a colony of bees living inside?? Also, why not leave the bees there for the warmer months- they will pollinate all your fruit, and flowers, and won't peck at your cherries, and crap on your garden furniture. birds can build nests in trees, whereas bees can not. If they're honeybees, you might capture them in a hive, and collect honey from them the following year?!
