How To Prevent Unwanted Pests From Crashing Your Summer BBQ Party

Where there is a summer BBQ, you have to take it for granted that there are bees. Bee removal professionals in Orange County say that bees love a good grill party just as much as they adore nectar, and who can blame them, right? When the weather is warm and right, and all you want to do is get outside and enjoy the fantastic weather while you share a meal with close family and friends. It’s harmless fun, especially with many of us cooped up in our homes due to the current pandemic. So, enjoying al fresco dining within the perimeters of your own home is a common theme for many households across America nowadays. 

Although having a tasty meal outdoors is the best thing on earth, bees are notoriously well-known for ruining a good BBQ party. They make their presence known very quickly as they annoying buzz around the food and bring fear to all around, especially those who are sensitive to bee stings. However, many people ask Orange County professionals if there is anything that can be done to remove or keep bees away? 

Although it should be known that there really isn’t anything that can be done to totally get rid of bees from our BBQs, and we shouldn’t want to either. The reason being is that bees are important for the ecosystem and provide a lot to our agricultural systems. So much so that if bees did not do this vital work as pollinators, BBQs and picnics would not be the same. A large amount of the foods we eat on an everyday basis is directly linked to the arduous pollination work that honeybees accomplish. 

How Do You Keep Bees At Bay At Your Next BBQ? 

Before Orange County bee removal experts delve into a few methods to keep bees away from all your outdoor summer events, you have to remember that bees don’t have a set vendetta to sting you. For the most part, the bees you probably come across are worker bees who have the crucial task of collecting nectar and pollen to bring back to their hive. 

They don’t want to pick a fight with you unless you pose a threat to them or the hive. That is why it is common knowledge to leave the bees alone until they leave on their own, instead of the immediate reaction of swatting at them or trying to shoo them away. When they come to grips that you are not a tasty flower, they will go their own way and leave you, your guests, and the food alone. 

Choose A Good Spot

When you have a good understanding of how honey bees behave, you can make a wise decision on the best place to hold your picnic or BBQ. Even though you can’t completely eliminate these party crashers, you can do your research and select a location that won’t bring a mob of bees to the area.

• Keep away from places where trash cans are at hand since they usually give off sweet smells that draw bees.

• Examine your probable party location and look out for any traces of a hive. Bees prefer to build a nest that is hidden, in unuse places, and that usually includes under your picnic table. A hive nearby smells disaster for your BBQ!

• Do away with flower pots and plants from your deck, patio, or picnic area since they are the likely culprits that attract bees for pollination. 

Make Yourself Less Attractive To Bees

It’s common knowledge that bees are attracted to flowers and plants. However, they are also allured to things that smell and look like plants and flowers. Here are a couple of things you can do to make yourself smell and look like a delicious flower!

• Don’t wear florally patterned or other brightly colored clothing that you make you seem to be a flower to insects. 

• Don’t use floral scented lotions, perfumes, and skincare products. 

• Don’t put on shiny jewelry since this grabs the bees’ attention towards you. 

Create An Unattractive Eating Space For Bees

• When you make a less inviting eating area, the fewer bees you will allure to the location. Think about these tips when you prepare your food and the dining area: 

• Arrange the buffet area away from where you and your guests will dine. If bees do arrive at the spot, they will most likely not be attracted to where everyone is congregated. 

• Only bring out the food when you are ready to eat. The more it just sits outside, the more time bees and other unwanted bugs have to sense that it is around. 

• Place food in tightly-sealed containers. This will help to reduce the food odor and attract fewer bees to your BBQ area. 

• Avoid leaving soda cans or bottles of any sweet beverage open.  Bees usually go inside the can, which can lead to a very nasty surprise for your thirsty guest!

• Bees love the scent of flowers, but there aren’t big fans of marigolds. So, think about using a big pot of marigolds as a centerpiece to your picnic table. Not only do a pot full of marigolds serve as an attractive decoration, but they also naturally repel bees and other bugs without causing any harm towards them.  

• Another smell bees aren’t very fond of and do their best to avoid is cloves. Try to place 4 to 5 cloves on your picnic table and watch the bees fly away from you and your guests. 

• Placing mint leaves around your eating location can also greatly reduce the number of bees inviting themselves to your next BBQ. Mint does a good job of masking the sweet smell of your food to prevent bees from smelling all the tasty treats they are missing out on.

Hopefully, you consider these helpful tips as you plan for your next al fresco dining experience. Keep in mind that we need bees as they are necessary for our environment, so although a typical knee jerk reaction is to swat at them, please don’t. Alternatively, do your best to discourage bees from inviting themselves to your next outdoor do in the first place!