Popularly known for their role as pollinators, bees are essential to mother nature. However, that doesn't mean it's a good idea to have their nest inside your home.
If your first instinct is to pick up a can of expanding foam to prevent the bees from flooding your home, then take a moment to read through this article. We have conducted in-depth research on whether expanding foam can stop bees.
Expanding foam to stop bees from entering your home can do the opposite of what you intended.
Instead of sealing them away, the bees will look for other means of entry and exit. This could cause them to flood your home via other spaces and available cracks.
In this article, we will further explain why expanding foam is not the solution to stopping bees.
We will also discuss other often used methods and if there's a way to prevent bees from making a nest inside your home in the first place. So, continue reading to find out more.
Is It A Good Idea To Seal Up Bees Using Expanding Foam?
As we mentioned earlier, using expanding foam is not a good idea when trying to stop a bee infestation in your home. For one, bees can chew through the expanding foam, eventually leading to their escape.
While it can temporarily control the situation, it's not a solution to the problem. Additionally, it brings in a new wave of problems that we will discuss in this section.
Will Force Their Way Inside Home
If you use expanding foam to seal away the bees' only way in and out, it only leads to them finding new crevices to escape into. And as we stated earlier, bees can chew their way out of the expanding foam.
The bigger problem is if they chew their way into the wooden portions of your home, like the ceiling.
Naturally, sources of light can attract bees. So if they see bright light inside your home while crawling around the inside of your ceiling, they will eventually flood your home.
The last thing you want is a swarm of irate bees dancing around your home's lighting fixtures.
Will Cause Agitation To The Swarm
Sealing bees away will cause irritate and agitate them heavily. And when this happens, a few stings is not the only issue you will face.
Bees that are returning to their home, only to find it sealed will cause them to fly around frantically, looking for ways to get in.
The scary part is that it's not just a couple of bees but hundreds or maybe thousands at a time. You do not want to witness such a sight as a homeowner.
Raises The Difficulty For A Bee Removal Expert
If your only option is to call a bee removal company or expert after trying to seal the bees away with expanding foam, know that the task has become significantly harder.
That's because the bees had created multiple entries and exit points.
A bee removal expert's job starts by inspecting the original opening where the bees come and go. Finding the hive from there is much easier because it's nearby.
But if there are various openings to deal with, then it's difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the hive.
Additionally, the bees will create multiple nests closer to those entryways, making removal much more difficult. In the end, it ends up wasting a lot of time and money.
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Does Soapy Water And Commercial Spray Work?
While soapy water and commercial sprays are effective when dealing with only a couple of bees, that drastically changes when facing a hive. That's because these products need to come into contact with every bee.
When facing a hive that houses thousands of bees, using these products is not feasible. Instead, the situation could turn for the worst if you force the use of these products on a hive. The agitated bees will swarm out and sting those within the area.
Also, the only way to truly destroy a hive is by killing the queen bee. And since the queen bee doesn't leave the hive, the use of commercial sprays becomes moot.
As such, only use commercial sprays and other products when dealing with a few. But when dealing with a hive, call in a professional.
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Is Smoking The Bees Out An Option?
Contrary to popular belief, smoking the bees out of their home doesn't always lead to them leaving. Because of how much the hive means to them, bees will continue to stay there despite the smoke.
All the smoke does is temporarily confuse them. Bees communicate with one another through the use of pheromones. And smoke disables that for a short period.
What could happen, though, is that they become agitated enough to attack you. So, smoking is not a good option and is not one you should try at home.
Will Doing Nothing Be The Better Course Of Action?
If you think that the bees will leave after a certain amount of time, then that's the wrong route to take. That's because the longer you let the bee infestation be, the more established they become.
Additionally, this will cause other parts of your home to suffer. Honey and wax can ruin your walls and ceilings. Not only that, but the wirings and circuits hidden behind the walls may also suffer.
On top of that, bees won't be the only problem you'll have to deal with in the future. The honey that bees create will attract other pests to your home, including other bees.
So waiting doesn't resolve the issue at all. Instead, it prolongs and makes it worse. And the more time passes without you doing anything about it, the more money it will cost you.
Are There Other Ways To Get Rid Of Bees At Home?
While there are plenty of ways to prevent bees from settling into your home, getting rid of them is another matter.
If it's only a few bees and you are positive that there's no hive inside your home, then the use of products with strong smells will get rid of them.
These products include mint, garlic, chili peppers, eucalyptus, and citronella, among others. Spraying a solution made out of these products will help force those couple of bees out of your home.
But when it comes to a hive, calling in a bee removal expert is the best course of action. They know best how to handle such a situation. And they help relocate the bees elsewhere where they could be more helpful.
How To Prevent Attracting Bees?
As they say, prevention is better than cure. And that advice is worth putting into practice when it comes to bees.
First, make sure to maintain your home properly. Repair any holes or entryways that can lead bees inside. Also, keep your yard clean from any wooden sticks, scattered leaves, and any other clutter, as these could serve as an invitation for bees to move in.
Another thing to take note of is if the house previously experienced a bee infestation. Ensure to destroy old nests or hive remains, as these could attract other bees into your home.
If you want to start your garden at home but worry that it will attract bees, don't fret. Start by landscaping the garden away from your home. This way, the bees won't get anywhere near the place.
Additionally, consider planting marigolds, mint, lemongrass, and the like, especially when you already own a garden. They act as natural bee repellants.
One other thing to take note of is the importance of water. During the hot, summer days, bees will start looking for places with water nearby. So, any water leaks or drips can attract bees into your home.
But, you can use this to your advantage. Simply filling up a container with water and placing it somewhere far will help lead bees away from your home.
Do you wish to know more about this section? Worry not, as we included a link that details more about this topic:
How To Keep Bees Away From Your Porch [6 Actionable Tips]
To Wrap Up
So, if you're planning on using expanding foam to stop the bees, the best course of action for you is to put that can down and call in a bee removal company or expert.
They know better how to deal with the situation you're facing. In doing so, you're not only protecting your home, but the environment as well by not harming the bees.
Do you have any other pest problems at home? If so, check the links below for more information. These could be the ones you're looking for: