How to Prepare for Bees in the Spring: A Homeowner’s Guide

Spring brings warmer weather and beautiful blooming flowers, but it also brings increased bee activity. Although bees are crucial for pollination and crop growth, bees in the spring near Phoenix area properties can be problematic. Established nests can contain thousands of bees, which may attack if they feel threatened. With some preparation, you can avoid unwanted bee infestations and keep your family safe. 

How to Prep Your House for Bees in the Spring

Bees might be a vital part of our ecosystem, but you don’t necessarily want them taking up residence on your property. The following tips can help you prepare your home and protect it from bees this spring. 

Limit Flowering Plants

Spring flowers can make your yard look incredible, and many homeowners love the sight of brightly colored flowerbeds. However, many of these same plants attract worker bees in search of food. 

While you don’t necessarily have to avoid flowering plants altogether, limiting how many you keep can help minimize the number of visiting bees in spring. Integrating plants that act as natural deterrents, such as basil, thyme, and citronella, may help keep unwanted visitors away. You may also want to keep your garden beds at a distance from your home to reduce the risk that bees decide to set up a hive nearby. 

Bee-Proof Your House

Along with a source of food, bees need water and shelter for survival. Swarms will look for dark places when searching for a place to set up a new hive. Along with trees (particularly those with holes in them), overturned pots, crates, and other abandoned items in your yard, bees can also make their way into the walls of your home, even in late spring. 

Some ways to bee-proof your house include:

• Patching holes in your door and window screens to ensure they’re secure
• Checking for and repair gaps in your windows and doors
• Caulking cracks in your foundation and around exterior fixtures
• Placing screens in drains, attic vents, and dryer vents

Outdoors, clean up debris in your yard to limit potential hiding places for bee food stores. Inspect structures such as sheds for signs of damage and fix any issues you find right away. Limit sources of standing water, too, including pet water bowls and bird baths. Be sure to check your exterior faucets and hoses for leaks as well. 

Don’t Beekeep Near Your Residence

Beekeeping might sound like a great way to provide bees with a place to live and enjoy the benefits of pollination, but it isn’t something you should do in your backyard. You may quickly end up with too many bees, which could pose safety risks for your family. Your neighbors also might not take kindly to the idea of you setting up beehives nearby.

Keeping bees requires plenty of open space away from homes and other structures. You need to have the right equipment and ensure you take proper safety measures to protect yourself and your bees. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about bee activity after late winter. 

Why Do Bees Go Wild in the Spring?

Spring is swarm season for bees. It’s the time of year when growing colonies divide and expand. Small groups of workers take off with a queen in search of new homes. As such, there’s a drastic increase in bee activity. Once they find suitable locations for new hives, the activity settles down. 

When Do Bees Come Out in the Spring?

Bees don’t hibernate during the winter, but they are less active. However, the arrival of spring brings warmer temperatures and causes numerous flowering plants to begin blooming. When this happens, bees start coming out to swarm, reproduce, and gather food for their growing colonies. In the Western states, bees are most active from May to June. 

What Kinds of Bees Come Out in the Spring?

Phoenix and the surrounding areas are home to all kinds of bees that become more active during spring feeding. Some of the most common are honey bees (both European and Africanized), bumble bees, and carpenter or black bumble bees. Wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets also come out in spring. 

Will Bees Hurt Me?

In general, bees will leave you alone if you leave them alone. However, they will attack if provoked or they feel their hive is in danger. Stings can be quite painful and may cause allergic reactions in some people. 

One thing homeowners should keep in mind is that Africanized honey bees, which make up a large portion of the bee population in Arizona, are much more aggressive than their European cousins. They’ll send more bees to attack and chase perceived threats longer distances, which can result in more stings. 

Leave Bee Removal to the Professionals

If you notice bees around — or in — your Phoneix area home this spring, don’t try to tackle them yourself. Instead, leave it to the pros at Budget Brothers. Our team has the training and experience to identify and remove bee infestations from your property. Contact us to learn more about our bee removal services today!