Do you know which smells make bees angry? This article will discuss ten fragrances that bees don’t like and why. These smells will have your nose running for the hills, from rotting food to spoiled milk – or at least the nearest hive! So if you’re looking to avoid making bee-related enemies, read on!
To trigger a reaction from any insect species, all we need to be concerned about is the pheromones. Pheromones are scents that bees or other species in the insect world use to send signals to their peers. For instance, bees use different kinds of pheromones to trigger foraging, reproduction, defense, swarming, and other behavioral scenarios.
While we’d not like to go deep into the concepts of types of pheromones bees release here, we’re only concerned about those pheromones that bees would hate the most. So, let’s begin with the top 10 hate smells of bees without any further ado!
List of 10 Smells That Bees Hate The Most
To answer your question on whether bees like the smell of lemons or not, we’ve found that the pheromone or scent released by lemons is similar to that of the bees’ pheromones. However, some smells are identical to bees’ pheromones, and they hate them the most, but the case is the opposite with lemons.
Bees are drawn to lemons due to their distinctive odor, not because they are enraged. Lemon has a pheromone-like fragrance that bees emit to attract more foragers to home, and it may entice other curious bees. For different reasons, the essential oil of lemon, being a citrus element, is used as a repellant to avoid bees.
Now, let’s begin with our list of 10 smells that bees hate the most.
1 – Almonds
Almonds are the first flavor to be released. Bees avoid anything with the scent of almonds, such as a surface cleaned in almond oil, since they do not like the smell. To encourage bees to leave the hive and allow the beekeeper to collect the honey, beekeepers occasionally use sweet almond oil, which is derived from specific types of almonds.
2 – Deterring scents
The bees dislike any scents that deter and are liked by humans. We can give you a list of those scents such as fragrances of spearmint, peppermint, thyme, and eucalyptus or essential oils, namely lavender oil, citronella oil, vegetable oil, geranium oil, clove oil, rosemary, cedarwood essential oil, etc.
3 – Citrus smells
Yes, bees do not as citrus smells, especially citric essential oils. The sugar content of citrus fruits is a critical factor in bees. In addition, citrus species seem to be best adapted to pollination by honeybees. Some of the citrus essential oils that bees do not like are lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
You can create a good mix of these essential oils that will eventually force the pollinators to move out of your area and relocate to the different one. But, unfortunately, they’ll all emit a powerful odor that bees despise! You should also note that bees release a very similar pheromone like lemons for foraging, which means they’re heading in a new direction by smelling that pheromone.
4 – Vinegar/Vinegar Spray
Next on the list is the smell of the vinegar or vinegar spray that bees don’t even like! To avoid bees with this smell, you can make a mixture of water and vinegar in equal proportion and spray it via the bottle over the affected place. Of course, you can also spray this mixture directly on the bees’ nest.
The vinegar smell will help you know that bees are at home, which is the desired outcome after your bee surgery. One great option for preventing honeybees from returning is using a solid blend of grape vineyard scents.
This can also create an acidic environment to prevent any possible disease or harmful effects as well since it’s not solely made out of plastic tubes rather, it uses natural materials like shells, leaves, and seeds within the plant.
5 – Cucumber plant
Bees and wasps stay away from this popular vegetable, which may be added to summer salads. The bitterness of the acidic cucumber peels is not a favorite of bees and wasps. Thus, you can plant this tropical vegetable in your garden. However, you have to provide them with loads of moisture and warm weather for a better upbringing.
6 – Cinnamon
Since cinnamon is a common spice in households, collecting and deploying it as a bee deterrent is simple. Any bee can turn its nose up and fly away because of the strong cinnamon scent. You can sprinkle cinnamon in all areas to deter bees from your premises. Cinnamon sticks are another great alternative just in case you don’t have grounded cinnamon powder.
Lastly, sprinkle cinnamon around the hole in the ground if you have any subterranean hives. Cinnamon sticks may be used to surround the location.
7 – Avoid fragrances of flowers and nectars
The nectar that bees collect from the flowers is a nutritious food source for them. This nectar is collected in special pollen baskets and then used as liquid honey to sweeten their drinks. Bees also pollinate fruits such as lemons and avocados by spreading pollen around when they visit the blossoms on these plants hoping to get nectar in return.
8 – Garlic powder
Garlic is useful for keeping bees at bay as well as repelling pesky vampires. Take some garlic powder and sprinkle it over the yard to avoid bees coming to you as they don’t like its strong smell! To avoid unintentionally exposing the garlic powder to the bees, be sure to wear protective clothing.
9 – Smoke
Smoke is the main deterrent beekeepers often use smoke to avoid the bees from their hives. This non-toxic solution effectively scare off the bees! As near to the hive as possible, start the smoke. You want to smoke the bees out without scaring them enough to swarm you, but not so much that they can’t fly.
You may use an outdoor campfire as a way of smoking to make sure you only utilize the smoke on a limited basis.
10 – Cayenne pepper
Sprinkle cayenne pepper around the places where you’ve seen bees to keep bees at bay. Bees will be discouraged from returning to their hive or constructing one if a strong odor is present.
You may also use it to discourage bees by combining it with cinnamon. For underground hives, cayenne pepper is also very effective. Sprinkle the area where you’ve seen bee activity.
Final Words
There is still much we don’t know about bees, their preferences, and their behavior. As such, any conclusions about whether or not bees like lemons are still up for debate. What we do know is that there is a lot more to learn about these amazing creatures and that by engaging with this topic, we can start to build a better understanding of them. Keep exploring the website for further insights and stay tuned for more interesting blog posts!
Related FAQs
Will lemons attract bees?
There is some debate over whether or not lemons attract bees, but the general consensus is that they might. One study found that when lemon trees are planted close to beehives, the bees visit the plants more often and collect more honey. Additionally, other studies have shown a correlation between sour herbs such as lemons and attracting pollinating insects like butterflies. So while there isn’t concrete evidence linking lemon trees with increased bee populations, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re looking to increase your yields of fruit or vegetables!
Are bees pollinators?
Though pollinators have a role in pollination, they do not need any human assistance to fulfill their roles. For example, bees don’t depend on humans for making honey. Similarly, lemon flowers are self-pollinating but without the help of humans, the trees produce lemons and their fruits which provide us with world-famous citrus fruit like oranges and limes we can enjoy fresh fruit all year round without having to buy them or before winter season when there is less supply because you cannot grow them in containers.
Do honey bees eat lemons?
People have used honey bees to ward off mosquitoes as they are known to attract honey bees. Almonds and avocados are among the most highly dependent crops on honey bee pollination, but other important crops that rely heavily on honey bee pollination include blueberries, cucumbers, celery, and broccoli.