Apart from someone who relieves themselves in the water, nothing can spoil a good time of swimming or sunbathing faster than a bee sting .
Bees buzz around your pool for good reason. It is a huge reservoir of water and, like us, they need water to live.
And if there are bees, there is a good chance that there are also a few wasps .
It may be tempting to want to kill them, but it really isn’t the right thing to do. Whether you already know it or not, we remind you that they are beneficial and essential for the environment – even in your garden.
To quickly summarize, you just need to show them a better place than your pool to drink or cool off.
Given the importance of bees to the environment, destroying them should always be the last resort, after trying everything else at least twice. It is very serious.
Bees are dying in record numbers all over the world. Killing an extra handful, or worse, an entire nest will primarily destroy your local agriculture and your own food security.
It is more relevant to help them and to protect them from your pool, as the pool itself is a danger to bees. By landing there to drink, they usually become unable to escape and eventually drown.
It is therefore for your safety and theirs that they should be kept away from the swimming pool.
Provide an Alternative Water Source
Bees fly around your pool looking for a place to drink. By providing them with another source of water, they will find your pool less attractive.
A birdbath or shallow container placed a good distance from your pool, will do the trick. If you decide to use a regular birdbath, or something a little deeper, place a few stones or a small piece of wood that the bees can climb on if they fall into the water. It also gives them a place to rest and drink.
If you install this water source before you open your pool for the season, the bees will already have an established water source and will be less likely to buzz in the pool.
Keep this water source filled all summer. It will likely evaporate faster than bees can drink it, especially if you live in a hot climate.
Floral, Vegetable and Landscaping
Arranging or reorganizing the natural environment of your swimming pool is, of course, an element to consider in order to keep bees away.
Close to the pool, you can for example plant, in pots or in the ground, repellent plants such as aurones, woodruff, alliates, or geraniums.
Conversely, certain types of flowers, spices and fruit trees attract pollinators en masse during spring blooms. They use their natural charm to attract bees to soak up their pollens and transport them.
They must be planted or moved away from the pool, not far from your birdbath for example. Ditto if you have a vegetable garden. This is the case of cherry, lavender, dandelion, black locust, clover, lime, fennel, oregano, aster, mint, etc.
Other Factors to Consider
- Keep your food and drinks covered. Things that smell good and sticky, like soda, can attract them. If possible, cover your food and drinks.
- Avoid wearing bright colors. Colorful swimsuits, towels, and inflatable toys also pique the curiosity of bees.
- Get the water in your pool moving. For a bee, turbulent and moving water is synonymous with danger. They avoid landing nearby. You can use a pool cleaner or direct your pool jets to move and ripple the surface of the water.
- Try repellents. These can be essential oils, sprays/creams to apply to the skin or dedicated swimming pool products.
Call a Local Beekeeper
If you rarely see a bee flying around the pool, that’s not a big deal. But if your pool attracts significant numbers, there may be a nest on or near your property.
In this case, the best solution is to find a beekeeper near you to remove the nest for you, without damaging it or killing the bees. He can then relocate the bees to more comfortable accommodation. Everybody wins!
If you can’t find a beekeeper, an exterminator may also be able to move the nest. Just make sure you tell him that’s what you want to do, instead of spraying insecticide on the area where your kids and pets are playing.
How To Keep Wasps Away From Your Swimming Pool
Unfortunately, wasps are a bit more difficult to eliminate than bees and are also scarier to humans.
Wasps are usually associated with terms like “dangerous”, “annoying”, sting “. In comparison, the cute, fluffy little bees that collect pollen and produce honey have a much more positive image.
This scientific study has shown that it is mainly out of ignorance that people are afraid of wasps. They also have a beneficial ecological role. Carnivorous, they regulate the populations of insects, which has the effect of reducing vectors of diseases for humans and harmful to crops.
So, before you start crushing or spraying them, get to understand better how wasps work and think of a few alternatives to keep them away from your pool.
Put Up Wasp Nests
Wasps are very territorial and do not like living near other wasps . You can make sure you use this to your advantage to keep them away from your pool.
You can buy imitation wasp nests and hang them in different places in your yard, preferably away from your house and the pool.
Place them at the start of the season, before they start building their own nest. That way, you’ll keep them where you want them to be.
Try Raw Meat
Apparently, wasps like raw meat . You might have noticed if you’ve ever barbecued. They try to land on the meat that you are going to put on the grill. Again, you can use this to your advantage.
On days when you anticipate a heavy use of your pool, hang some red or white meat, raw, uncooked, in a secluded spot in your garden. This can keep wasps away from your pool that will prefer to head for this treat.
Be careful to put a piece big enough that they don’t eat it too quickly, but small enough that it doesn’t attract other problems, such as flies and maggots.
Call a Professional
If a large group of wasps have settled in, a few fake nests and some raw meat may not be enough. Or maybe someone in your home is allergic to wasp (or bee) stings.
In this case, do not take any risks and contact a company specializing in pest control. And be sure to tell him that you want the wasps to be moved, not sprayed with insecticide.
The last thing you need is for toxic chemicals to be blown into your pool water or land on the grass and surfaces where you, your children, and your pets are walking around in bare feet.
To Conclude
The sooner you find a way to keep the bees away from the pool or a way to encourage the wasps to move elsewhere, the sooner you can enjoy your pool without worry.
Remember that every being has a place in the ecosystem, even wasps. And the more you are able to coexist peacefully with all the creatures in your garden, the happier you will be.
How can I prevent insects from entering my pool?
Covering your pool is the only way to prevent insects from landing (and drowning) in your pool. At night in particular. Like us, insects need water to survive. You can also provide them with an alternative water source far from your pool or keep your pool water moving to dissuade them from going (moving water = danger).
How do I remove insects from my pool?
A landing net allows you to skim the surface and to collect and remove insects from your pool. In natural swimming pools, you can implant koi or melanotic ides to eliminate floating insects.
