Pools are a great way to relax and cool down on a hot summer day. Don’t let bees and wasps ruin your time outside. When they are buzzing nearby, it is almost impossible to relax. Instead, you worry about getting stung. That is not an unreasonable fear. While many bees are peaceful and will not sting you unless you bother them, some wasp species can be very aggressive. Instead of relaxing, you end up dodging bees and wasps all day.

Several people suggest DIY fixes to keep your pool area free from bees and wasps. You might be surprised that we encourage you to try them. None of the popular DIYs will make your bee or wasp problem worse, so it may be worth your time, effort, and money to try them.

Please provide them with another source of water. The reason they are buzzing by your pool is because they are thirsty. Consider setting out a freshwater fish daily for bees, wasps, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife.

Hang a crinkled-up paper bag. It looks like a wasp nest. Wasps are territorial and will not build nests in the same territory as other wasps. This is a short-term solution because they will discover it is not a nest. However, it may help give you relief for a weekend or so.

The one DIY we discourage is the widespread use of insecticide. Insecticides are broad, and they will kill beneficial bugs, as well. Given the declining bee population, it is important not to kill them. When professionals use insecticides, we apply them in the safest way possible.

At Flick, we can help keep these flying pests away from your pool. We assess the problem, then develop a program to keep bees and wasps from your yard. We employ traps to help remove bees and wasps without targeting other pollinators. We also remove bees, saving the bees while still making your yard safe.