What attracts bees to your home?

Bees play a vital role in our ecosystem as pollinators, helping gardens flourish and contributing to the food supply. While they're beneficial insects, when they nest too close to your homes and businesses, they can become problematic, especially for those allergic to stings. Understanding what draws bees to your home can help you take steps to reduce unwanted encounters and know when it's time to call in professional help.

Why are bees drawn to certain properties?

Bees aren't randomly showing up at your home. They're attracted by specific environmental cues that signal food, water, or shelter. Knowing what catches their attention can help you understand why they keep coming back.

Food sources: flowers and sweet scents

Bees are naturally drawn to nectar and pollen, which they collect from flowering plants. If your yard is full of blooming flowers, especially those in shades of purple, blue, and yellow, you're essentially rolling out the welcome mat for bees. These colors are particularly visible to bees and signal a rich source of food. 

But it's not just your garden that can attract them. Bees are also drawn to sweet scents and sugary substances. If you're dining outdoors and have sugary drinks, fruit, popsicles, or desserts on the table, bees may investigate. They're particularly attracted to anything that smells floral or sweet, including certain perfumes, lotions, sunscreens, and hair products.

Water sources

Like all living creatures, bees need water to survive. They're attracted to birdbaths, pet water bowls, leaky outdoor faucets, puddles, and even swimming pools. If your property has a consistent water source, bees may visit regularly to hydrate, especially during hot, dry weather.

Shelter and nesting sites

Bees need safe places to build their nests and raise their young. Depending on the species, they may nest in a variety of locations around your home:

• Hollow trees or logs
• Eaves, soffits, and roof overhangs
• Wall voids and attics
• Sheds, garages, and other outbuildings
• Underground burrows (common for certain ground-nesting bees)
• Wood structures (especially for carpenter bees, which bore into wood to create nesting tunnels)

If bees find a sheltered spot on your property that's protected from the elements and predators, they may establish a colony there.

What attracts bees to people

Have you ever felt like bees are singling you out? There's usually a reason. Bees are attracted to certain visual and olfactory cues that can make some people more appealing targets than others.

Bright colors and patterns

Bees are drawn to bright, floral colors. If you're wearing clothing in shades of purple, blue, and yellow, bees may mistake you for a flower. They also tend to be attracted to symmetrical patterns, which mimic the appearance of blooms in nature.

On the flip side, wearing dark colors or red can also attract bees, but for a different reason. Bees may associate dark colors with natural predators like bears, which can trigger a defensive response. If you're spending time outdoors in areas where bees are active, neutral or light-colored clothing is your best bet.

Sweet and floral scents

If you're wearing perfume, cologne, scented lotion, or hair products with a sweet or floral fragrance, you may attract bees. They're hardwired to seek out these scents because they signal nectar-rich flowers. Even some sunscreens and body sprays can have a sweet smell that attracts bees nearby.

To reduce your chances of attracting bees, opt for unscented or lightly scented personal care products when you're planning to spend time outside.

Sweat and body heat

Bees can also be attracted to the salt in human sweat, particularly on hot days. While this is less common than attraction to sweet scents, it's another reason you might notice bees hovering around you during outdoor activities.

How to limit bee activity around your home

While bees are beneficial and should be left undisturbed when possible, there are steps you can take to make your property less attractive to them without causing harm.

• Cover food and drinks outdoors: When eating or drinking outside, keep sugary items covered. Use lids on drinks and store food in sealed containers to avoid attracting bees.
• Eliminate standing water: Remove or regularly refresh water sources like birdbaths, pet bowls, and plant saucers. Fix leaky faucets and hoses to reduce moisture around your home.
• Inspect your property regularly: Check for signs of bee activity, especially in spring and early summer when colonies are establishing. Look for bees entering and exiting a common location, which could indicate a nest.
• Seal entry points: Close gaps, cracks, and holes in your home's exterior, including around vents, soffits, and siding. This can help prevent bees from nesting inside wall voids or attics.
• Avoid wearing bright colors and strong scents: If you're working in the yard or spending time in areas where bees are active, wear neutral colors and skip the perfume.
• Plant strategically: If you love flowering plants but want to keep bees away from high-traffic areas, consider planting bee-attracting flowers farther from patios, decks, and entryways.

For more tips on keeping bees at bay, check out our guide on how to get rid of bees.

When to call a professional for bee control

Bees are important pollinators, and whenever possible, colonies should be left undisturbed or relocated by a professional. However, there are situations where bee control services are necessary to protect your family and property.

You should contact a professional if:

• Bees have built a nest in or near your home, especially in high-traffic areas
• You or a family member is allergic to bee stings
• The nest is in a dangerous location, such as near a doorway, play area, or inside your home
• You're dealing with aggressive species of wasps, like yellow jackets or hornets

At Ehrlich, our technicians are trained to safely assess and address bee and wasp issues. We can help identify the species, determine the best course of action, and, when appropriate, work with local beekeepers to relocate colonies rather than eliminate them.

If you're dealing with a bee problem, don't try to remove a nest on your own. Get in touch with our team to schedule an inspection and find a safe, effective solution.