Bee repellent?

luckydude

luckydude

GreatGrady Captain
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Santa Cruz Mountains, CA
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I have honey bees wanting to hang out behind my bolster. Is there anything I can spray on there to make them unwelcome? It's honey bees, not yellow jacket wasps, so I don't want to kill them, I just want them gone.
 
glacierbaze said:
How many at a time are we talking about, 5, 20, 100? On the surface, or going in a hole?
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Probably about dozen in there, they go between the bolster and the back rest of that rear seat. I think it is sort of a safe place for them. Has anyone else had this happen or am I just "lucky"?
 
Use a spray bottle of water, with a little cayenne pepper, and peppermint oil or soap. Cinnamon is good, but may stain your boat. Just keep hitting the spot. Plug the hole when they are out.
There is a commercial product, Honey-B-Gone, that bee keepers use to quickly remove bees from the super, to harvest the honey, but you only need one squirt. It also works if you get bees in the siding of your house.
 
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glacierbaze said:
Use a spray bottle of water, with a little cayenne pepper, and peppermint oil or soap. Cinnamon is good, but may stain your boat. Just keep hitting the spot. Plug the hole when they are out.
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Funny, I use peppermint oil to chase rats out of my barn (and the engine compartment of everything), I thought about it for the bees and figured they would like it. I'll give it a try, thanks!
 
luckydude said:
Funny, I use peppermint oil to chase rats out of my barn (and the engine compartment of everything), I thought about it for the bees and figured they would like it. I'll give it a try, thanks!
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It seems to help a bit with spiders too. They are terrible at my storage facility and their crap stains badly.
 
luckydude said:
I have honey bees wanting to hang out behind my bolster. Is there anything I can spray on there to make them unwelcome? It's honey bees, not yellow jacket wasps, so I don't want to kill them, I just want them gone.
Click to expand...
As a retired beekeeper I can tell you there are many beekeepers around that can help. Call your or email the local beekeeping association for help. If the bees established a full working hive on your boat you may have a lot of honey and honey comb stashed away in hollow places throughout the hull and deck. Could be a nightmare if you kill the queen and all that stuff rots and gets mouldy.
 
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