Early spring brings new flowers, budding leaves, and even a host of critters. Once it starts to warm up a little, you will start to see a variety of birds, deer, bats, and even butterflies. Spring also comes with stinging insects like yellow jackets, wasps, and bees.
Bees are important to our ecosystem. While you might be afraid of getting stung, they pollinate our trees and flowers. This allows other animals that feast on plants to survive, creating a domino effect of nourishment and the enrichment of our ecosystem. As a result, you shouldn’t go around killing bees. However, if you have found bees in your yard, there are some measures you can take to get them to move on to another area.
One type of bee that is commonly found in yards is referred to as a ground bee. If you are dealing with ground nesting bee infestation, there are a few ways to get rid of them. You should water your yard frequently, plant grass in any dirt patches, remove debris piles and call a professional.
In this article, you will learn:
- What ground bees are
- Why digger bees take over your yard
- How to get rid of ground bees
- Why you should call Nuisance Wildlife Rangers for help
What are Ground Bees?
Ground bees are simply bees that nest in the ground. They tend to be solitary, nesting by themselves instead of with a hive. Additionally, they often lack stingers, which means you do not have to worry about bee stings.
Male ground bees can be aggressive, however, they lack a stinger. This means they will only bump into things in a frenzy when they feel threatened. Females tend to have ovipositors in place of stingers.
There are many types of ground bees, including:
- Leafcutter bees
- Digger bees
- Sweat bees
- Mason bees
- Cellophane bees
- Miner bees
- Plasterer bees
All ground bees are usually around three-quarters of an inch long. You can find them in a wide range of colors, including blue, green, copper, black, and even metallic red.
They nest underground and fly low to the ground, pollinating nearby plants and flowers. Typically, their nests are found in dry soil and have everything they need to survive, including sticky pieces of pollen for their young to consume.
Why Do Ground Bees Live in Your Yard?
Ground bees nest where the conditions are best for their burrows. They like areas with thin grass, exposed soil, and good drainage. If your yard happens to have those conditions, they will begin creating their burrows in your soil.
If you find multiple nests in your yard, that does not mean you have found a colony of ground bees. They are solitary, which means your yard is just the perfect spot, attracting several ground bees at once.
While having them in your yard can be a nuisance, it is important to remember that they are a vital part of your ecosystem. In other words, do not attempt to kill ground bees. Instead, call a pest control company that can use a humane removal method to protect the species and provide you with relief.
Easiest Ways to Get Rid of Ground Bees
Ground bees are pollinators, making them important for our ecosystem. If you can stand having them in your yard, it is best to leave them alone. That said, it is understandable to want to remove them, especially if someone in your household is allergic to bees.
If you are looking to remove ground bees from your yard, try the following tips:
Water Your Yard Consistently
Ground bees need dry and sandy dirt to dig their nests, as this type of soil is easier for them to tunnel through. If you see a lot of burrows in your yard from bees, you should install sprinklers to flesh them out. Once the soil becomes too moist for them, they will likely go elsewhere in search of dry conditions.
Avoid Patches of Dirt
When you have patches of dirt in your yard that do not have any grass growing, it’s easier for the bees to create their nests. By looking at the burrows in your yard, you will probably notice that they are all in places that lack grass. To prevent ground bees from staying on your property, make sure to fill in patches of dirt with new grass.
Remove Debris
If your soil is too hard to dig, ground bees might use your rock gardens or bricks as their nests. By removing debris like piles of wood, bricks, or a rock garden feature, you can prevent ground bees from nesting on your property.
Contact a Professional
Lastly, if you are dealing with a significant ground bee infestation, you should consider calling a professional. Companies like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers will trap, remove, and relocate the bees to an area far away from your home. Additionally, it will be completed humanely to protect the bees and our environment at the same time.
Get Connected to a Ground Bee Removal Service
If you are struggling with ground bees in your yard, it’s time to contact Nuisance Wildlife Rangers. We offer wildlife removal services across the state of Florida, whether you are dealing with rodents, birds, or insects like bees.
Contact us for more information on our bee removal and relocation services.