Skip to Content

Have Pesky Bees Taken Over Your Deck? 6 Tactics to Drive Them Out

Have Pesky Bees Taken Over Your Deck? 6 Tactics to Drive Them Out

Share this post:

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Also, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bees are an important part of nature and they help to ensure that many plants get pollinated properly. It’s also true that bees can bother humans in many ways, and some people are even allergic to bee stings.

This is why it can be so trying when you discover that there are bees near your deck area. You might have a difficult time using your deck as intended if you need to remain on constant vigil for bees.

Some people have the bad luck of having bees make hives somewhere under their decks. What can you do to get rid of bees under a deck safely?

You have some options to consider, and which route you’ll want to take might depend on your situation. Keep reading to discover the best ways to get rid of bees under a deck so that you can make a decision about what to do for your home.

1 – Try Sprinkling Cinnamon Under the Deck

Cinnamon Powder

If there is a hive under your deck, then you likely want to be able to relocate the bees. Many people wish to make the bees search for a new place to go rather than killing them.

Most recognize the important role that bees play in the world, and they don’t want to unnecessarily kill bees. This doesn’t mean that you can just put up with bees under your deck, though.

Having bees under your deck could pose a danger to you and make your life more inconvenient. Sprinkling cinnamon under the deck and near the hive might make them relocate eventually.

People have reported success when using this method, but it usually takes time. For example, one report stated that they sprinkled cinnamon near a hive five days in a row before the bees started looking for places to relocate the hive.

Bees don’t like cinnamon, and this could be an effective way to get them to want to flee the spot under your deck. It isn’t without danger, though, as you’ll need to get under the deck to sprinkle the cinnamon.

This might be a bad idea if you don’t have protective gear since you could get stung by bees for getting close to the hive. Just know that cinnamon is an option that some people have used effectively.

2 – Mothballs

Mothballs

Did you know that bees hate the smell of mothballs? Bees certainly aren’t alone in disliking this smell since most humans find it to be undesirable as well.

If you place mothballs near the beehive, then you might be able to make the bees flee to different locations. Using mothballs might be more convenient than sprinkling cinnamon, too.

You could toss mothballs under the deck to try to get them near the spot that the beehive is located. If you place lots of mothballs under the deck, then the scent should eventually drive the bees away.

Another good idea is to try to hang some mothballs around the house in spots that you don’t want bees to get near. Since bees dislike the mothball smell, it’ll be a good way to prevent them from wanting to build hives in inconvenient spots.

Using mothballs as a preventative measure will be very wise moving forward. Now that you know about this little trick, it might be easier to keep bees from building hives under your deck in the future.

3 – Consider Planting Bee-Repelling Plants

Citronella Plant

There are some types of plants that do a good job of repelling bees. If you decide to plant some of these in your yard, then you won’t have to worry so much about bees any longer.

It might be a wise idea to plant citronella, mint, and eucalyptus plants close to your deck area. Some people even plant these plants right by the deck to try to keep bees from wanting to go underneath the deck.

Even if you plant these plants after the bees have already made a hive under your deck, it’s going to have some impact. It might keep the bees from wanting to come back, and it could drive the bees away eventually.

Of course, waiting for plants to grow isn’t likely going to be an ideal solution. You could also try sprays that contain mint and eucalyptus to see if that does the trick.

Some people will also burn citronella candles on the deck to see if that will drive the bees away. Candles such as this often do a good job of keeping insects away from decks, patios, and porches.

Planting the bee-repelling plants will still be a solid choice no matter what you choose to do. It’s a good thing that can prevent bees from getting too close to the deck in the future.

You’ll want to keep these plants away from other plants that you want the bees to pollinate, though. Otherwise, you might need to pollinate the plants yourself and that might be a hassle.

4 – Call a Local Beekeeper

Bee Keeper

The final method that you can use that involves keeping the bees alive will be calling in a beekeeper. There might be local beekeepers in your area who will be willing and able to help you out of this predicament.

Beekeepers might be able to suit up and relocate the hive to a safe location. They can take the hive for you so that they can add it to the beehives that they’re already caring for.

Of course, this isn’t always going to be an option due to different factors. There could be issues that prevent this from becoming possible, and your area might not have beekeepers that you can turn to.

Even so, it’s good to know that some beekeepers out there have helped people this way. If you know someone who fits the bill, then it might be worth making a phone call to see if they can help you.

5 – Kill the Bees with Sprays

Bee Spray

It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that the most common way to deal with a beehive is to spray it with chemicals. Most people will just buy a can of bee-killing spray and spray down the hive without thinking too much about it.

You do need to protect your home and you can’t allow the bees to continue to stay under the deck. Chemical sprays that are meant to kill bees do work very well, but they should only be used as a last resort due to how important the local bee population is to the environment.

If you already know this and want to proceed anyway, then you can easily find the spray that you need at a department store. It’s also simple to order bee-killing sprays online and have them shipped to you the next day.

You will want to be careful while using the sprays, though. It’s very possible that the bees will become aggravated and you might get attacked.

To avoid getting stung by bees, it’s going to be wise to keep your distance from the hive while spraying if possible. If you have to crawl too far under the deck to spray where you need to, then this might not be practical in your situation.

6 – Call Exterminators

Exterminator

Calling exterminators is going to be a much safer option for you than trying to spray under the deck yourself. Most pest control companies are going to be able to handle issues such as this in a timely fashion.

The exterminators will have powerful chemical sprays that they can spray under your deck to solve the problem. They also have the right gear that they can wear that will protect them from the bees during the extermination process.

If you have a beehive in a spot that is difficult to reach, then it’s almost always best to just call in exterminators. They know what they’re doing and they’re always going to get the job done right.

The only thing that you need to consider is that hiring exterminators will cost a fair bit more cash than buying a can of bee-killing spray. Regardless, it might be a small price to pay to avoid getting stung multiple times by angry local bees.

When all is said and done, the beehive should be removed and you’ll be able to use your deck safely again. If you remember the preventative advice from earlier, then you’ll have an easier time keeping this from happening again.

Final Thoughts

Do your best to make decisions that make sense for your household when it comes to eliminating bees. It is better to try to relocate the beehive, but it isn’t always practical to do so.

The easiest solution is to kill the bees and remove the hive, but hiring professionals is the only real safe way to handle things. If that isn’t in your budget, then you could try to safely spray the beehive with bee-killing spray yourself, but know that this can be risky.

You should do your best to keep bees from coming back to the area by planting plants that will keep them away. If you make good choices now, then you won’t have to deal with this type of drama in the future.

--

If you want more backyard tips including recipes, how-tos and more, make sure you subscribe to my youtube channel

Share this post: