How to Deter Wasps and Bees From Door Entries
If bees and wasps incite fear in you, consider that these insects are beneficial and for the most part are not aggressive. On the other hand, they can sting humans and you probably don’t want to share your residence with these insects. Keep them from entryways so they won't reach the inside of your home.
Bees and Wasps
Honeybees usually don’t build nests around homes. These insects are beneficial, producing honey and pollinating plants. They are not aggressive and only sting when threatened. Yellowjackets are social wasps that build nests in trees, underground or in cracks in walls or eaves. They are protective of their nests and become aggressive if disturbed. Mud daubers and paper wasps are solitary wasps that rarely sting unless disturbed.
Yellowjackets feed on insects, so keeping insects away from your entryway helps deter the bees from hanging around too. Keep trash cans closed tightly. Feed pets indoors or remove food dishes after feeding them. Yellowjackets are attracted to rotting fruit. If you have fruit trees near entryways, remove fruit that falls to the ground. Wasps build nests in wall cavities or cracks. Keep the area around your entry well maintained to deter them from building nests there. When choosing flowers for your entry, remember that wasps and bees are attracted to yellow and white and cannot detect red. They are also attracted to fragrances, so non-fragrant flowers are an alternative.
Michele Norfleet is a freelance writer who writes on travel, home and garden and education topics. She has coauthored a handbook for teachers on school-wide discipline and has contributed tips for special-needs students in the basal curriculum for RCL Benziger. Norfleet holds a master's degree from Southern Illinois University and has experience as a special-needs teacher and speech pathologist.