Bees are widely known for their work as pollinators, but understanding the conditions and substances they actively avoid is useful for managing their presence in certain areas. This knowledge allows for coexistence, such as keeping them away from swimming pools, patios, or outdoor dining spaces without causing them harm. By examining their sensory biology and environmental preferences, we can identify specific smells, colors, and physical conditions that naturally deter them.
Olfactory Aversions
Bees possess an extremely sensitive sense of smell, which they primarily use to locate nectar and pollen sources. This reliance on floral fragrances means that any strong, pungent, or non-floral aroma can disrupt their foraging signals and cause them to divert their flight path. The compounds in many essential oils and strong spices do not resemble natural food sources, effectively creating an invisible barrier in the air.
Certain essential oils, such as eucalyptus, citronella, and clove, are especially effective deterrents because their intense chemical profiles overwhelm the bee’s sensory receptors. Citrus scents, particularly from lemon and orange peels, contain natural oils that bees find unpleasant, and these can be placed near entry points to discourage hovering. For practical use, these oils can be diluted with water and sprayed around outdoor areas, such as patio furniture, to create a short-term repellent zone.
Strong culinary spices and herbs also serve as effective aversions due to their sharp, volatile compounds. Garlic and cinnamon powder, for instance, are known to repel bees, likely because their odors signal a lack of forage or the presence of non-plant material. Sprinkling a small amount of cinnamon near a potential nesting site can make the location unappealing, prompting the bees to seek a different spot. Peppermint oil is less reliably used as a deterrent than harsher oils like clove or eucalyptus, as it can sometimes be an attractant when diluted.
Visual Avoidance
The way bees perceive color is vastly different from human vision, which leads them to actively avoid or ignore certain visual cues. Bees are trichromatic, but their color spectrum is shifted, enabling them to see ultraviolet (UV), blue, and green light, but not the long wavelengths of red light. Because they lack the necessary photoreceptor, pure red appears black or a deep dark gray to a bee, making red objects or flowers largely invisible unless they also reflect UV light.
Dark colors, including black, brown, and the red that appears black, are generally avoided because they are associated with natural predators like bears and skunks that raid hives. When a bee perceives a dark object, it can trigger a defensive response or a lack of interest, leading to avoidance or a failure to recognize the object as a potential food source. For this reason, beekeepers traditionally wear white or light-colored clothing, which bees tend to ignore.
Bees also rely heavily on UV patterns, which act as “landing guides” on flowers, directing them toward nectar. Surfaces that do not reflect UV light, such as many artificial materials like glass and polished metal, fail to provide the visual signal bees need for orientation, resulting in a lack of attraction. Planting flowers that strongly reflect UV light, such as certain shades of blue and yellow, will attract bees, while choosing flowers that appear dark (like true red varieties) will result in visual avoidance.
Environmental Deterrents
Bees are sensitive to atmospheric and physical conditions, and they will avoid areas that interfere with their ability to fly, forage, or maintain body temperature. High winds are a major deterrent, as air speeds exceeding 6.7 meters per second significantly reduce their flight efficiency and prevent them from foraging. Similarly, heavy rainfall and water spray obstruct flight and can cause bees to cease activity, leading them to stay sheltered within their hive.
Temperature extremes also dictate avoidance, with bees generally halting foraging flights when the ambient temperature drops below 10°C or rises above 40°C. Optimal foraging occurs within a moderate range, typically between 20°C and 30°C, and temperatures outside this window cause the bees to avoid the discomfort of cold or the threat of lethal overheating. In very hot conditions, some bees will remain in the nest to fan their wings and ventilate the colony, actively avoiding external heat.
Physical instability and a lack of suitable nesting material also cause bees to avoid an area. Ground-nesting species, which constitute the majority of bee species, require patches of bare, well-drained, and uncompacted soil for digging their nests. They will actively avoid areas covered by thick mulch, impervious concrete, or overly dense vegetation. Constant high-frequency vibrations in a localized area can also disrupt their natural communication signals.