How to get rid of Bees in a bird bath

Bees will be seen to swarm in a water source in great numbers at times, with the issue going away soon after by itself, if not then you must find a safe way to remove bees.

How to get rid of bees on your bird bath would involve supplying the honey bees their own much needed source of water. Similarly, you'd want to provide the sweet smell of nectar in an additional dish nearby, as a way to divert their attention. If bees continue to swarm, then pack up the bird bath for a day or two.

Whether you decide to find a way to prevent bees on your bird bath all together, or you wish to at least reduce their numbers; its important to remember you must conserve honey bee numbers in your effort to get rid of them.

To find honey bees in particularly sipping water in your bird bath, much like wild birds do to hydrate, will mean bees are collecting water for their hive: according Kathy Keatley Garvey, at the Bug Squad.

Similarly, if bees are found to be taking a dip like wild birds will do to bathe in a bird bath, it could mean the bees are drying.

With that in mind, its important to provide bees a mix of sugary water that can bring bees back from near death - with additional time needed so they can recuperate.

Get rid of bees in your bird bath that will prioritize their well being only, whilst setting up their own water source elsewhere with possibly a bowl or dish of sugar water that is sure to grab their attention, whilst at the same time diverting bees away from your bird bath.

Bees can carry pathogens and so can other insects like ants, so its imperative to clean the bird bath as often as you can to keep it safe of bird killing bacteria, with the area around it kept clean to starve off unseen germs.

Focus on providing honey bees their own fresh water source alongside a much needed shallow plate of homemade nectar, which includes 1 part sugar to 4 parts fresh water.

You could pack away a bird bath setup to deter a swarm of bees, which in turn might see most of the swarm go elsewhere in time for you to set up the bird bath a day or two later.

Shift water source to hive

When bumblebees of any kind have already moved into your bird bath on a daily basis, its now to time find ways to get rid of bees in a bird bath, as oppose to deterring bees even before they arrive.

What can be quite an effective way of keeping bees off your bird bath can rely on their own water source.

Bees, insects and even nuisance animals like squirrels or raccoon's will be happy to drink out of a bird bath; although with bees you don't often get the opportunity to provide their own water source, situated in their own area in within your yard.

How you will go about this method is by simply placing a water source in the direction of their hive.

Now, a bees hive would unlikely be located in your yard as you may know, or in an area of the neighborhood you will know about.

Its vital then for this technique to work, is to simply get an idea of which direction the bees fly to your bird bath daily.

Only then would you provide a saucer of fresh water in a shallow dish or bowl where the bees will naturally come to without delay.

Setup your bee water source between the area where they fly from and your bird bath.

This water source can also be hung or if no hummingbirds are in your area, you can attract bees to plain water in an unused hummingbird feeder, setup specifically for bees to utilize.

Nectar which is essentially sugary water is a big draw for bees or any bugs really, thus you can fill an unused hummingbird feeder with nectar, just as it was designed for - but in these circumstances its replenished for bees.

Never cut off water supply

Meanwhile, never ever cut off the water source in a bird bath as it will only effect wild birds, rather than bees themselves.

You can absolutely get rid of bees in a bird bath by delaying your bird bath use for a short while - and only if the bee infestation is a big issue - but you'd really want to find a way to continue to operate a bird bath as normal.

Do supply bees their own water source at a distance from the bird bath, then in time bees will be seen to disappear from the original bird bath location - which will probably be situated in a prime location in your yard.

Sunlit area is a primary focus for a bird bath location thus bees are sure to find it without delay.

Notwithstanding, you can think about disturbing the bird bath water in a way that will kick off bees, thus will be kept exclusively for your wild birds.

What you can do it setup one of several bird bath running water technique that can include a bird bath dripper; dripping hose pipe or if you like; you can rely on what is a fountain bird bath feature.

Fountain features are great for attracting birds to a bird bath but can be made harder to use for bees or other insects that swarm a bird bath water source.

Continue to use your bird bath then even if bees are swarming it daily, as its still possible to get rid of bees with time and patience.

Direct bees to sugar water

While bees must drink plain water once in a while to hydrate to stay healthy, sugary water could be the answer to your problem.

What you can do then to get rid of bees in a bird bath is to divert bees to an area of the yard that features a dish or bowl of sugary water.

What will be an homemade nectar mixture, you'd want to follow a strict nectar ratio to keep it safe for birds, who will continue to drink this open sugar water source. Safe nectar mix then will be 4 parts water to 1 part sugar only.

In other words, you'd need 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water to make a safe nectar mix.

Where you can put this sugar water is in a bright yet visible shallow plate in the yard near to the ground, or put it on the roof of a garage or shed within your yard.

Locate the nectar-filled bowl or plate of nectar before bees can get to the bird bath; only then will bees be attracted to the sweet smell of sugar, or else it will go unused if you don't position it in a way that will get their attention.

For safety reasons, its imperative you clean your bird bath as often as you can to prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens. Much as you would when cleaning or replenishing a hummingbird feeder; to keep it safe for delicate birds who will become unwell if it isn't kept clean with fresh nectar almost every day.

Postpone bird bath use

I have previously mentioned to never stop offering your birds a much needed source of fresh water, but times can get difficult with bees thus its vital to stop use once in a while.

Its not just bees either, a bird bath water source can attract anything from mosquito's to snakes unfortunately; thus its vital to delay bird bath use for these animals, just as its important to delay use if a bee infestation is getting out of control.

Postponement of a bird bath during super hot summer months is never a good idea, as birds can suffer as a result.

Birds can come to rely on your water source just as they are attracted to your garden when you supply them a reliable source of food in the bird feeders.

For a bird bath to disappear can have an effect on wild birds as it means more energy is used up to source a water source elsewhere.

Postpone your bird bath for only a couple of days to at least send bees to a new water source.

When a day or two has elapsed you can then continue to use your bird bath setup again, where hopefully this time birds will find the bird bath in use again with no issues, while bees have completely disappeared.

What will probably be a good method to deter most of the bees that swarm the bird bath daily, you still may receive some bees but far fewer, who will return with the birds.

Summary

You may not be able to get rid of bees around your bird bath all together - as its in their nature to keep coming back on a daily basis - though you can find ways to reduce the bee swarm if it continues to deter birds.

How to get rid of bees in a bird bath of any kind is to first shift their own, brand new water source in the direction of the hive.

You probably won't know where the hive is at any time, as it will likely be beyond your property boundary, but you should be able to determine which direction bees arrive at the bird bath.

To put a shallow bowl or dish of fresh water between where bees arrive in your yard and before the bird bath location, will simply divert bees to their new water source.

Bees are either sipping water to collect for the hive or they could be appearing to be bathing, of which they are probably dying.

We must do everything we can to save our honey bees, thus its vital you don't deprive bees of plain water or sugary water as it can save their lives.

With that in mind you can divert bees to a sugar water source in addition to plain water only, which will be an effective method. You are guaranteed to attract wild birds also, thus its vital to make up a safe nectar mixture made up of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.

If all else fails then you'd have no option but to pack away your bird bath setup, to then put it back out in the yard a day or two later.

What will probably happen is a dramatic reduction in bee numbers, with much of the swarm going elsewhere. Although it must be said some bees will return, especially if the hive is close to your yard.

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