Here's How Your Trash Can Might Be Attracting Unwanted Bees

It's common knowledge that bees are important pollinators for crops and gardens. Consequently, when they become a nuisance around your home, it's important to not harm them because they are dying faster than ever. So when they're buzzing around, increasing the possibility of a sting, you want to encourage them to stay farther away without completely getting rid of them from your property. 

Bees are drawn to food sources with sweet odors and sugary substances, and uncovered trash bins may cause them to investigate. When they find nourishment in your garbage, they will almost certainly come back in greater numbers the next time. Being careful with how you handle your garbage is the key to encouraging these insects to look for more natural sources of food rather than swarming close to your home. In the latter case, the bees may even build a hive in a nearby location, giving them easier access to the food. They don't necessarily construct a hive inside the dumpster, which makes keeping them away or performing safe removal more challenging, as the pest control expert must determine the location of the hive.

The best way to avoid having swarms of bees around your trash cans is to secure the garbage tightly. If these stinging insects don't ever find sources of food in the area where you store your garbage, they won't keep returning to the same location. Covering your trash cans with lids is the best option — these insects cannot work their way around a tightly secured lid or even a heavy flip lid. The tight covering also prevents odors from escaping into the surrounding air and attracting bees. You don't need to use a locking mechanism or a bungee cord like you may have to use to keep raccoons out of your garbage bins, as the weight of the covering itself should be enough security. Lids can become bent or cracked as you use them, so when you notice damage to the cans or lids, you may need to replace them to keep the bees away.

If you're using a dumpster with a heavy covering or a large plastic trash bin that has a flip lid, bees should not swarm around the garbage storage area — as long as the covering fits tightly. Be sure that you don't overfill the dumpster or place items inside that will prop the top covering open, as this will allow the bees to gain access to the trash.

To reduce odors that draw bee swarms to your garbage cans, start by placing all trash inside heavy-duty trash bags and securing them with twist ties or by tying the end of the bags tightly shut. Cans and bottles that contain soda or fruit juice consistently draw bees, even when they're mostly empty. These sugary and sweet odors attract these insects to the garbage area, where they may find other sources of food. This could be a significant problem when you're recycling cans and bottles and storing them in the same area as the garbage. The best option is to rinse out your cans, cups, and bottles before placing them in the trash or recycling bins to reduce their attractiveness to bees.

If you're still struggling to control bees near your garbage storage after taking all these steps, apply natural bee repellents to the area. You don't want to harm these important insects, so use natural repellents — spray some peppermint oil and citronella liquids around your trash cans to drive bees away without harming them. Just keep in mind that you may have to apply them in large amounts to overpower the odors inside the garbage that are attracting the insects.