So it's winter slowly heading for spring here, and the neighbour has just been to see me at work.
After three days of heavy rain (storms over most of the country), the girls were out in force drinking from the concrete outside our back door yesterday and today, and, as it turns out, from the neighbour's deck as well.
I'll be setting up a salted drinking station for them tonight to draw them away, but I'd like to offer him something to actively repel the girls from his deck - he's been being a 'good neighbour' and not complaining though they've been visiting his place for a while, so of course they're pretty well attached to his deck now.
Keep in mind he has a toddler and a dog, so solutions need to be as safe as possible for both of them.
On a quick google search, I've come up with spraying Clorox, bleach, orange oil, listerine and/or hanging mothballs.
The listerine is the most appealing to me, both in terms of safety for child and dog and odour, though I don't know how or if it will hurt the girls.
Can anyone recommend something that is safe and actually works?
Oh, and just how much salt should one add to drinking water for bees to be attractive to them?
i think it would be easier to attract them to your water than to repel them from your neighbors. one day i pored a little of my extra sugar water and lemon grass oil into my water source. the bees flocked to it. i think once you have them retrained to your water, the problem would be less. still, it seems that once them find a place, they tend to go back.
I agree, Kathy, but half the purpose of a repellant is simply them seeing us actively doing something to remove the bees, rather than just waiting for them to move home.
He's already pulled out the "I'm allergic" card, because he swells up. I restrained myself from saying 'duh, so does everyone', and will do what I can to keep him happy.
Actually I would be curious also to know this because my bees have found an alternative water source this summer and it is not in a good place. Last few summers they were good little girls and stayed on the pond, but this year they went to a leaky pipe near my friends solar outdoor shower and people have been complaining about the bees flying around them. Not a bad vibration, but they are telling me, so I would like to do something to help the situation.
I know in my case, we just have to get the plumber out to fix the leak, but also with the bees all over the pipe, I do not believe I can convince any plumber to even go near the pipe.
How can I draw them back to the same pond they were always happy on??
Bee-go, but providing water source w/ a little sugar or honey will reorient them to new source quickly.
Quote from: KONASDAD on July 28, 2008, 11:38:16 AM
Bee-go, but providing water source w/ a little sugar or honey will reorient them to new source quickly.
Thanks for the info Konasdad.
If you put Bee-Go on my deck you would be buying a new deck :shock: :-D ;)!
Quote from: sc-bee on July 28, 2008, 12:48:46 PM
If you put Bee-Go on my deck you would be buying a new deck :shock: :-D ;)!
Correct. You will have the place to yourself! Not necessarily a bad thing. One of the robber solutions smells good, it must be bee-quick then. Almonds if I recall.
is there a way to eliminate the water from the neighbor's deck? You have concrete decks?