Ground bees, also known as digger bees or miner bees, live deep inside the burrows. These bees are different from the honey bees, as they don’t have colonies and survive by creating volcano-like nests in the ground. Common species of ground bees include bumblebees, cellophane bees, sweat bees, etc.
They are most commonly seen during the spring season, and you may see them flying close to the ground. They are beneficial insects that help in pollination. However, no matter how important they are, they sting when threatened. Hence, some people prefer not to have them in their yard.
If you have ground bees in your garden, this blog will help you find the right remedy to get rid of them.
How to Know If You Have Ground Bees?
If you see bees and wonder if they are actually ground bees, here are some signs to look for -
- You can see piles of dirt as ground bees dig out the soil to build their nest. As a result, the dirt gets deposited around the entrance.
- There are an unusual number of bees flying over the ground, which indicates that you might have ground bees in the yard.
- You might find bees wandering around the dirt deposits, either trying to get inside or outside.
Should You Get Rid of Ground Bees?
These ground bees or miner bees are usually not aggressive. But the female may sting if provoked or if they feel unsafe, and males do not have stingers, so they chase you around. Though these bees are good pollinators and helpful for your garden, they should be managed if you have pets or children who love to play outside. This is because the female may sting them, or they might have allergic reactions.
To get rid of them, you don’t generally have to kill them, as there are several other options that can help you remove them from the garden.
Why Do You Have Ground Bees in Your Yard?
Even though you might find the burrows unattractive and annoying, these insects are very beneficial for the garden. They forage in search of nectar and pollen, and are responsible for pollination. Their burrow might look like a large colony, but each bee has its own nest that congregates together to seem like a single nest.
7 Ways to Get Rid of Ground Bees
There are several methods that can help you get rid of the ground bees, and here are some of them -
Reseed Bare Spots
If there’s little to nothing on the soil, it makes it easier for the ground bees to dig in. That’s the reason they only choose bare patches to build their nests. But if you reseed those areas mindfully, you can avoid the ground bee issues in the garden.
Cover the Nests
Cover their nest with stones or bricks so that bees can’t enter their burrows. Also, this method keeps the bees inside the burrows and doesn’t give any route to come to the surface. Once they are unable to get in or out, they will most probably look for another place to reside.
Soak the Lawn With Water
Ground bees love dry and sandy soil with little vegetation here and there. So, you can keep the area lush green and moist to keep the bees at bay. Water the lawn regularly during normal days. However, when the weather is hot, you may need to water more frequently to ensure the area becomes inhospitable for the bees to settle in.
Lay Landscape Fabric
To keep the ground bees away or prevent them from making shelter in your yard, you need to create a barrier between the soil and the bees. Mulching can be an option, but it is advised to use landscape fabric to cover the shrub beds.
Use Cinnamon
Ground bees hate the scent of cinnamon, which keeps them away from the garden. So, sprinkle some cinnamon on the ground where you see the nest, and you’ll notice them leaving your yard in search of a better shelter.
Vinegar Solution
Vinegar is another commonly suggested home remedy for discouraging insects. However, spraying vinegar around an active bee nest is not a reliable or recommended way to remove ground bees. Concentrated vinegar can also damage grass, ornamental plants, and soil organisms.
If you are considering vinegar for another stinging-insect problem, research the specific species first—for example, information about will vinegar kill cicada killers should not automatically be applied to ground-nesting bees because different insects have different behaviors and nesting habits.
Use Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a natural powder made of fossilized algae, and its particles are sharp on a microscopic level. When ground bees touch the powder, the sharp edges damage their exoskeleton and dry them out, which eventually kills them. It is safe for people and pets, but harmful to insects.
All you need to do is sprinkle the powder around the nest, and as the bees go in and out, they will pick up the powder, and it will start working. But, as this is an extreme solution, some homeowners may not like it. So, assess your needs and then decide on a solution.
Other Ways to Manage Insects Around Your Yard
Ground bees are only one of many insects you may encounter around a garden. Before treating an insect problem, proper identification is important because a method that works for one species may be ineffective or harmful when used against another.
For example, homeowners sometimes look for information on does pest control get rid of spiders when they notice spiders around their property. Similarly, identifying the insect correctly can help you determine whether management is necessary or whether leaving it alone is the better option.
Some garden insects may also be part of a larger food web. Rather than trying to eliminate every insect, you can sometimes support natural predators and maintain a balanced garden ecosystem. If you are interested in attracting beneficial wildlife, how to attract birds that eat wasps offers another example of using habitat management rather than relying solely on chemical control.
If you notice other pests in the garden, identification is equally important. For example, how to get rid of clover mites on plants requires a different approach from managing bees, while questions about what plants attract snakes involve habitat conditions and food sources rather than simply removing one plant.
Likewise, claims that household remedies such as vinegar will repel every type of pest should be treated cautiously. Information about does vinegar repel chipmunks should not be assumed to apply to bees or other insects.
