Keeping bees and wasps away from your house is certainly not as easy as you might think. Bees are really tiny and love to feed on flowers, and in some cases, they might end up stinging a person.
Unfortunately, as soon as a bee stings somebody, it dies, so it’s important that you prevent this from happening.
Wasps, on the other hand, are extremely troublesome, and can cause a lot of damage. You need to make sure that you get rid of this problem as quickly as possible, because it’s really going to grow bigger with time.
A wasp nest might be built in your area within a few days, and as the days go by, the nest will grow bigger and bigger.
Wasps usually attack anyone that comes close to their nest, and walking by your garden is going to become incredibly difficult for you within a short while.
That is one of the main reasons why you should get rid of this problem as quickly as possible. Since childhood, we are taught that flowers and bees usually share a very holistic relationship with each other.
In return for pollination, the flower gives a reward to the bees. When you read about it, you realize it’s a win-win situation for both the flower and the bees, and that’s how nature works in general.
However, you need to know that this isn’t the full picture. For instance, there are some types of bees that simply steal the nectar without pollinating the flowers altogether.
These bees are known as nectar robbers. The buff-tailed bumblebee, for instance, is notorious for its reputation as a nectar robber. With a tiny tongue and really powerful mandibles, the bee is capable of sucking out the nectar with ease.
However, because it has such a short tongue, it is unable to reach the corolla of the flower, instead just leaving holes in it.
This could cause tissue damage to the plant, and not only that, but the plant also has to work twice as hard to replace the nectar for a nearby bee that is actually performing its duties.
Needless to say, this takes a heavy toll on the plant, and if you don’t take any action, there is a strong chance that the plant will die out altogether.
There are also other reasons why you might want to consider adding plants to your garden that repel bees and wasps. For starters, you need to understand that bees do not like to share. In a stable network with pollinators and plants, the tiny nectar robbers could cause long-term consequences.
The number of alien pollinators can grow rapidly, and if you are not careful, the mutual relationship shared by the bees and the plants could turn into a serious problem very quickly.
If certain bees do not get any nectar from the plant after pollination, they might end up dying off, and that is an even bigger problem.
However, killing the bees is certainly not advised. More importantly, you shouldn’t mess with the wasp nests either.
Burning it up or beating it with a blunt object is a terrible idea, and you will only end up making life more difficult for yourself. Instead of doing all of that, you should simply consider adding plants in your garden that will repel all the bees and wasps.
There are several natural plants that can get rid of bees and wasps in your garden. Obviously, they won’t give you 100% effectiveness in keeping away the bees, but you should know that they are going to help you keep these pesky insects away better than most others.
Here are some of the many plants that can help you repel bees and wasps from your garden.
1 – Cucumber
One of the most popular plants that would make a fine addition to any garden is the cucumber.
The cucumber plant is an excellent choice, because not only does it give you an excellent vegetable to use in your summer salads, but it also helps in keeping bees and wasps away from your property.
Both bees and wasps hate the acidic substance from the cucumber peels, and they usually steer clear from this plant. If you have a cucumber bed or cucumber plants growing in different parts of your yard, you could easily keep bees and wasps at bay.
There are a couple of different ways by which you can plant the cucumber in your garden. You can either plant the cucumber on your own to get fresh yields for your cocktails or your snacks, or you can just put the peels all over your garden.
However, one thing that you should know about these plants is that they are tropical in nature, so they require a considerable amount of moisture and they usually thrive in warm environments.
See: How to Save Cucumber Seeds at Home.
2 – Basil
Basil is one of the best choices for your garden, not only because it serves an excellent purpose for repelling pests, but also because it is a fantastic resource in the kitchen.
Basil can be used in a myriad of different dishes, and the rich aroma that it offers when mixed in any dish really livens things up.
Humans love the aroma offered by the basil plant, but the same cannot be said for wasps and bees. These tiny winged creatures usually hate the aroma and steer clear of it.
Ideally, you should place the basil in an area that receives up to eight hours of sunlight a day. The minimum required by the basil plant is six hours.
More importantly, basil needs a lot of heat to grow in a proper manner. You need to make sure that the soil remains moist, but there should be adequate drainage all around to prevent the basil plants from drowning and eventually causing root rot.
3 – Marigolds
We have talked about a couple of vegetables, so now let’s talk about a popular flower that will fit in easily to any garden space.
The marigold flower is a great choice for your garden, especially if you want to add a bit of color. The plant looks beautiful, but the flowers really make things light up in your garden.
There isn’t a lot of evidence that states that the plant really keeps bees at bay, but a considerable amount of anecdotal evidence states that the marigold flower is able to keep wasps at bay. They are really inexpensive and readily available from almost any nursery.
On top of that, the marigold flower proves to be an excellent companion for other herbs and vegetables in your garden.
4 – Geraniums
Another very popular flower that you can plant in your garden is the geranium. Geraniums are incredibly helpful in repelling bees, primarily the red ones. That’s because the bee is unable to see the red color.
At first glance, it might seem a bit stupid that a flower could be used to repel the bees and the wasps, but the logic is absolutely sound. For starters, the bees cannot see the red color, and on top of that, the geranium flower does not contain a lot of pollen on its own either.
Another important thing that you should know about the plant is that it has a scent, a scent that bees and wasps hate. Geraniums usually require at least four hours of sunlight a day, though six is highly recommended.
During the cold nights, you might want to consider transporting them inside to prevent the plant from dying. Ideally, you can easily plant the geranium in pots and place them around the garden.
5 – Mint
One of the most popular scents that humans love all around the globe, mint, is preferred in foods and cuisines all over the world. However, stinging pests such as bees and wasps do not like it as much, and usually steer clear of it.
The overpowering smell of the mint flower really deters these pests. However, you should know that mint flowers like a bit of shade, so it’s not necessary for you to keep them out in the sunlight.
More importantly, mint tends to grow very quickly, and this might cause the plant to take over your entire garden if you are not careful.
6 – Eucalyptus
The koala bear is famous for its love for the eucalyptus plant. They eat the leaves, and they usually can be found around these plants in different parts of the globe.
However, stinging pests such as wasps and bees hate the eucalyptus plant. They don’t like the smell of it.
Plant eucalyptus isn’t a problem either; you can easily put it in the garden or you can place it in the pots and then keep them in the garden. The plant is tolerant to drought as well, so you might want to consider letting it dry a bit before you decide to water it every time.
7 – Wormwood
Wormwood is one of the most beautiful plants you will see, and adding it in your garden is definitely a great idea.
However, wormwood isn’t just popular because of its looks. This plant also contains a substance known as absinthe. As you might have guessed, absinthe is toxic to most insects.
The pungent scent produced by the plant alerts all stinging insects such as wasps and bees to fly away, so you won’t find them buzzing around your wormwood plants at all. More importantly, you need to know that the plant requires exposure to direct sunlight to grow properly.
A well-drained soil must also be provided to the plant. More importantly, you need to be a bit careful when planting the wormwood because it is capable of killing other plants in the area too.
8 – Pennyroyal
Pennyroyal is a slightly unconventional choice for use in a garden, but it delivers on its purpose of keeping bees and wasps away. The plant has a very similar scent to mint, and as we have already discussed, wasps and bees don’t prefer that smell in any case.
Pennyroyal is one of the smaller plants that you will find; it only grows around 6 to 12 inches in height, and is usually planted in containers.
You can keep the containers in different parts of your garden to keep the bees at bay. You can even make some extra containers to keep in the house to repel mosquitos.
Pennyroyal doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, and it’s generally quite easy to plant as well. However, you have to make sure that you water the plant on a consistent basis, otherwise it’s going to dry out.
9 – Pitcher Plant
Pitcher plants are quite common in many gardens, but you need to understand that they work a bit differently than others in repelling wasps and bees.
Instead of deterring the wasps and bees from entering your garden, the pitcher plant actually serves its role in controlling the population.
The pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant that traps and ingests insects over time for providing nutrition. The flower lures many different kinds of insects, including wasps and bees, and then it brings them in. The flower has a slippery texture that causes the insect to fall into a pool of water and drown.
Enzymes are then used to ingest the insect as a whole. This kind of plant is usually tricky to care for, especially if you haven’t planted one in your garden before.
The plant requires only rainwater and does not tolerate any kind of bottled water. The excessive amount of minerals that are found in such water proves to be detrimental to the plant.
These are just a few of the many plants and flowers that you can grow in your garden to get rid of wasps and bees. It’s obviously very important for you to make sure that you take care of the plants.
If you notice a wasp nest developing in your garden or around the house, it is best to call the pest control company instead of bringing it down on your own. The same goes for the bees, as they will be able to relocate the bees.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.
Before you go: Now is the perfect time to start tracking your gardening progress, and I created a garden journal to do exactly that. Click the image below to see it in action and to get your own copy.
