Wasps & Bees In Your Pool? Here’s How To Keep Them Away

It’s a hot summer day, and all you want to do is cool off in the pool between soaking up the rays. Now imagine doing this with a swarm of wasps and bees accompanying you. Doesn’t sound fun, does it? Not only can these insects be a real buzzkill (pun intended), but they can pose a serious health risk too. If anyone in your family or friend group is allergic to bees and wasps, being stung can result in fatal consequences. 

There are a few things you can do to avoid an array of stinging insects and enjoy cannonballing off the diving board in peace:

Keeping Wasps Away 

Decoy Nest

Did you know that wasps are extremely territorial? In fact, they’ll stay away from an area that already has a nest to avoid confrontations with other wasps. That’s where a decoy wasp nest comes in. 

There are a lot of decoy wasp nests you can find in stores, but there are also some DIY variations you can make out of a brown paper bag, newspaper, and tape. Once you have a decoy wasp nest in your possession, hang one or more of them around the pool. 

Wasp Traps

There are traps you can create to get rid of those annoying wasps. Take a piece of cardboard or wood, and place some sweet syrup or sugar water over it. The sweet liquid will attract the wasps, and they’ll end up getting stuck to the board.

You can also try the bottle trap method. This may require some inspired creativity and work, but it can be very effective if done properly. Cut the top off a soda bottle and grease the inner opening of the bottle top. Next, fill a quarter of the bottle with sugar water, lemon juice, soda, syrup, or diesel fuel. Yes. Believe it or not, wasps love diesel fuel! Place the removed top upside down in the bottle. The end result should almost look like the top of the bottle is a funnel. As the wasps climb into the bottle, they’ll have a much harder time crawling out because of the grease. You can use this method to trap bees as well.

Raw Meat 

Another alternative to the bottle trap is to use raw meat as bait instead of sweet substances. Wasps love raw meat—that’s why they’re always trying to ruin your barbecues! 

You can nail the meat to a piece of wood at a distance away from your swimming pool area. The bait should draw the wasps away from your pool. As the meat rots, the wasps will begin to die. Make sure you have a bucket underneath the bait so that when the wasps fall, they’ll land in the bucket.

Remove the Nest

You could attempt to remove the nest yourself, but it’s crucial to proceed with caution. Firstly, you should wait until it’s dark outside as wasps are less active at night. Secondly, you’ll want to purchase some wasp killer spray and spray the nest from as far away as possible. This will require more than one application. Continue to spray the nest each night until there aren’t any wasps occupying the space. Once the wasps are gone, you can physically remove the nest from the pool area. 

Keeping Bees Away 

Add New Plants

Add some plants around the pool that repel bees. Yes, it’s a real thing. Certain plants will repel bees, such as mint, eucalyptus, and lemongrass. Using lemongrass or mint can effectively repel the bees that are keeping you from your swimming pool. They hate the scent of mint and lemongrass, so if you plant them in pots and place them near your pool area, you’ll begin to notice their absence. 

Dryer Sheets

As we mentioned above, there are specific scents that bees can’t stand, and dryer sheets are one of them. You can use this easy repellent method by placing dryer sheets around your swimming pool. Remember that the scent of the sheets will fade after a while. Try and replace them as often as you can until the bees flee. 

Add Vinegar 

Bees are attracted to water for the same reasons we are. They need a water source to keep themselves cool. Adding vinegar to your pool is a surefire way to repel bees. The taste will be too bitter for them, meaning they’ll fly to a new water source. However, this is only a temporary solution, as you have to regularly clean your pool water with proper pool chemicals purchased from local pool stores in Winnipeg.  

Soap & Water Spray

An easy method of keeping bees away from your pool is dishwashing soap mixed with warm water. You can take a spray bottle, fill it, and use it to spray the swarming bees around the pool. Keep spraying for a few days until you don’t notice any more bees by your pool. 

Alternative Water Source 

The bees are most likely using your pool as a water source because it’s the nearest option. Adding a new water source to the area can help keep bees away from your pool. It can be something as simple as a bird fountain or pail of water. The goal is to gradually draw the bees away from the pool. 

Pool Care & Maintenance 

Drain the Pool

As a last resort, you could drain your pool temporarily. Bees and wasps won’t come near the pool if there isn’t any water or chlorine to attract them. Give it about one to two weeks before you fill it again. The bees’/wasps’ flight patterns should change by then, and they’ll have likely found another source of H2O.

Pool Cover

You can always invest in a pool cover that can separate the bees and wasps from your pool water. It can be pricey, but it’s better than dealing with a bee or wasp sting. Just make sure the cover extends to the edges and corners of your pool so that the vexing insects can’t sneak into the water. This method will also keep other insects away, like mosquitoes. 

Algae Control 

Adding an algae control product to your pool will not only keep it clean but can also take care of your bee or wasp problems. This product lowers the surface tension in the water, which means that the bees and wasps won’t be able to land on the surface.