Three Tips For Keeping Your Store Bee-Free

When you have a bee allergy, avoiding these troublesome but necessary insects is paramount. While you can't eradicate all the bees in the world (at least not without catastrophic consequences), you can minimize the risk they'll come buzzing by your company. Here are three tips for creating a safe bee-free zone in and around your store.

Eliminate Bee-Friendly Plants

Flowers look and smell nice, but it's those exact traits that bees find so appealing. Since they require the pollen produced by flowers to make honey, you can expect a gang of bees to regularly show up in spring, summer, and even fall to pilfer the substance from nearby flora. Thus, if you want to keep these insects away, it's probably best to eliminate all bee-attracting plants from around your business, such as pansies and zinnias.

Be aware that bees aren't just into flowers. Herbs such as thyme, oregano, and mint can draw them to you. If you need fresh herbs but don't want to entice your local bee population, then keep herb plants indoors behind screened windows.

Use Natural Repellants

Pesticides can be effective at eliminating a bee infestation. If children or pets will be around your business or you just don't want to harm the insects, you can use natural repellants to keep bees away. These insects find a number of smells objectionable and will avoid any areas that contain those scents, and you can use this information to keep your store and surrounding area fairly bee-free.

For instance, bees don't like the smell of peppermint, so replacing flowers with these plants can provide some measure of defense against them. Placing cinnamon and crushed garlic in places that bees hang out will also drive them away without harming the critters. Setting bowls of white vinegar around will also make bees take a detour around your place of business.

Spray Your Trash

Bees are attracted to sweet scents. Since residue from trash often builds up in the storage cans, it's common to see bees buzzing around them looking for the source of whatever smells good to them. Keep your trash cans clean as much as possible. At minimum, spray the inside with insecticide or pour a natural repellant inside. Make sure your trash is completely covered when you place it out for pick up.

For more tips on keeping bees away from your business or to enlist the help of a professional, contact a local commercial pest control company.