Bees are drawn to sweet smells, so keeping food covered until it is time for consumption will reduce the number of bees you encounter. Furthermore, clothing with smooth textures reminiscent of natural predators’ fur may deter bees from approaching you directly.
Drops of distilled vinegar placed around a picnic area will also deter bees, while dryer sheets emitting scents bees dislike are another effective deterrent.
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Soap and Peppermint Spray
Use of soap and peppermint spray is an effective way to deter bees from accessing your picnic food, and is safe to be applied directly onto skin as well as sprayed throughout the picnic area.
Create your own natural home bee bait using soda, sugar water, fruit juice or maple syrup and place it several yards from your picnic area to lure bees and wasps away from their food sources.
Wearing light-colored clothing can help protect yourself from bees. Avoid perfume, flower-scented body lotion and highly fragrant shampoos, deodorants or suntan lotions which release strong scents that could attract bees to you. Hats with bright flowers or patterns could confuse bees for enemy hives; marigold plants planted in your garden could provide another effective means of repelling bees with their strong aroma that they cannot stand.
Dryer Sheets
Many have reported using dryer sheets to keep bees at bay when eating outdoors, offering an effective and nontoxic alternative to using chemical bug repellents. Bees and other stinging insects possess extremely sensitive senses of smell which could deter them from coming near food items containing scents they find offensive.
Mint or marigold flowers scattered around your picnic table will help mask the smell of your food while discouraging bees from coming near it. When hosting outdoor gatherings, select foods with mild aromas such as grilled chicken or unseasoned vegetables to minimize bee issues.
To avoid attracting bees to your food, select a location for your picnic that is far away from trash cans and pools of water that attract bees naturally. Also avoid brightly-colored tablecloths and picnic blankets which attract them as well.
Cucumber Peel
An outdoor picnic with family and friends is one of the highlights of summer, but bees and wasps can become an issue when trying to dine outdoors. They can sting anyone who disturbs their food source or their nests.
Natural ways exist for keeping bees away from your picnic table, including peppermint scent and lavender flowers that repel them, light colored clothing and forgoing perfumed products to reduce scent aversion and more.
Bee bait made at home can also help keep bees away from your picnic area. Simply set out a bowl filled with flat soda, sugar water or fruit juice several yards from where you plan on dining; its sweet aroma will draw bees and wasps away from their food source and keep them away. Pepper powder may also serve as an effective deterrent.
Banana Peel
Outdoor picnics on your lawn or in a park with friends and family are an enjoyable part of summer fun, but unwelcome guests like bees and wasps can ruin it quickly if they enter your party space.
Bees are very territorial creatures and will tend to avoid what they perceive to be enemy hives or perceived rival hives. Try blowing up some brown paper bags and hanging them around your eating area as this should dissuade the bees and cause them to stay away.
Banana peel is a natural bee repellent containing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Additionally, its use may improve hair health, skin and gums as well as purify water supplies. Furthermore, banana peel can even serve as an effective mosquito spray!
Mothballs
Bees are essential components of our ecosystem, but that doesn’t mean they should come spoil your summer picnic! There are a few simple steps you can take to keep bees away from your food, letting you enjoy a stress-free picnic experience without worry over buzzing, stinging insects.
Avoid bringing open foods or drinks, such as soft drinks or alcohol, that attract bees. Also try to stay away from foods with strong aromas, such as garlic.
Bees are inherently territorial creatures that will avoid attacking enemy hives at all costs. To deter bees from visiting your picnic site, blow up several brown paper bags and hang them from trees around your site; bees have an instinctual fear of smoke so will do their best to stay clear!
