What Attracts Ground Bees? Benefits, Repellents & More

Ground bees have a lot of benefits for our ecosystem. Also, sometimes they can become a problem for you. So, we should know “what attracts ground bees and what repels them”.

Having ground bees in your garden will increase flowers and fruits. Because most ground bees are excellent pollinators. So, attracting them to your garden will increase its beauty.

Also, there are ground-nesting bees that are aggressive. So, if you have such bees, you have to get rid of them.

So, this blog post is going to be helpful for both of these purposes. If you know what attracts ground bees, you can either attract or will be able to get rid of them too. So, this blog post will mainly help you in the following ways.

1. Providing information about what attracts ground bees.
2. How to repel ground bees.
3. I will also share some tips on how to attract ground bees in your garden.

 

 

Why To Attract Ground Bees

The contribution of bees to our ecosystem is undeniable. Having them around will bless you in plenty of ways. Not just they pollinate plants, they also help in balancing our ecosystem.

Because of their countless benefits, we should attract them to our garden. Because they will increase the beauty of our garden. Also, provides food sources for a lot of other beneficial predators.

 

Moreover, they are not aggressive at all. Also, they won’t last long in your region. They will live only for a few weeks, up to 8 weeks. 

 

 

Benefits Of Ground Bees

The benefits of ground bees can’t be counted in numbers. The following are their most significant benefits for our ecosystem.

1. Pollination: Most of the ground bees contribute to pollination. So, having ground bees in your garden will increase crop production.
2. Seasonal Fruits: There are a lot of seasonal fruits which unable to be produced without pollination by ground bees. Such foods include cherry, blueberry, strawberry, etc. Thus, having ground bees around will increase the seasonal fruit production.
3. Improve Soil Quality: Ground bees usually create their nest in the ground by digging soil. They pour ground cavities with pollen and nectar collected from flowers. By doing so, the soil quality is improved.
4. Natural Pest Control: Ground bees can prey on some harmful pests like caterpillars, aphids, etc. 
5. Provide Food Sources to Predators: There are a lot of helpful predators that prey on ground bees. So, having ground bees around will invite other helpful predators, too.
6. Nutritious Food For Your Pets: Ground bees are rich in protein and nutrients, making them a potential food source for certain pets like bearded dragons, birds, and even cats. However, only the larvae should be used for feeding. Adult ground bees have stingers and may be harmful if consumed.

 

Pro tips: Having ground bees inside your house may invite woodpeckers. This could be harmful to your house. So, make sure ground bees are in your yards on garden not inside your household.

 

 

 

What Attracts Ground Bees

Ground bees are attracted to a place where the soil is perfect for nesting and enough food sources around. So, ground bees will be attracted to a place where enough plants, water sources, and nesting sites are available.

 

I personally did not like ground bees in the past. Because once ground bees have damaged several furniture in our house. Those ground bees were found chewing through wooden materials. For this, my mother doesn’t like them at all.

But last spring, I noticed some ground bees in our yards. I let them be there and didn’t disturb them. Surprisingly, after a few days, I noticed a blast of production of different fruits in my garden.

I love strawberries and different types of cherries. So, there are different types of such plants in my garden. After having ground bees in my garden, I have seen 30-50% more production of such fruits than the previous year.

I also noticed that at the end of the summer, all the ground bees have gone. So, I didn’t require anything to do to remove them.

Then I decided to invite them in next sprint to my garden. I have started researching “what attracts ground bees”. I found some tips and applied them. Here is what I got working on attracting ground bees.

1. Flowering Plants: Pollen and nectar are bees’ primary foods. So, having flowering plants is the first step in attracting them.
2. Sandy or Loose Soil: Ground bees select sandy or loose soil for their nesting site. So, such soil will attract ground bees.
3. Rocks & Wooden materials: Rock piles, and old and poor-quality wooden materials are great for nesting. So, ground bees will be attracted if they find such things around.
4. Sunny Spot: Ground bees are most active during sunny days in sunny areas. So, obviously, they are attracted to such gardens where sunny spots are available.
5. Seasonal Flower and Fruit Plants: Ground bees are especially more active during spring. That is because of spring plants. So, if they found such plants around, they would be attracted more than anything else.
6. Less Disturbance: Ground bees don’t like to be disturbed by others. Most of them are solitary in nature and not defensive. So, they will prefer such a place for nesting, which is far from humans and other predators.
7. Sweet Odors: Sweet odors are very attractive to bees. The smell of lemongrass oil is very attractive to bees.

In brief, ground bees will be attracted to a place where a nesting site, flower plants, a water source, and sunny spots are available.

 

 

Natural Repellents to Get Rid of Ground Bees

Despite their benefits for our ecosystem, ground bees can also be disturbing in some cases. If they come indoors, they will damage wooden furniture and other things. That’s why we must keep ground bees outside.

If you find ground bees inside, you must try natural ways to get rid of them. You can use vinegar to get rid of ground bees without killing them. There are plenty of other ways to safely get rid of ground bees. But never think of killing them.

If ground bees are becoming a nuisance in your yard, here are some effective natural and chemical repellents to discourage their presence:

 

Repellent Plants

Ground bees are not attracted to all plants. They also don’t like a few plants. If you have such plants in your garden then ground bees won’t live there. 

The following are the effective plants to keep ground bees away.

1. Cucumber 

2. Basil

3. Lavender

4. Eucalyptus

5. Lemongrass

6. Marigold

7. Citronella

These plants act as a natural barrier and can help discourage nesting. 

 

Essential Oils

Ground bees dislike strong-smelling essential oils. You can mix a few drops with water and spray the mixture around nesting areas. Effective oils include:

• Peppermint oil
• Cinnamon oil
• Lavender oil
• Tea tree oil
• Clove oil

 

Citrus Oils

Ground bees are sensitive to citrusy scents. Citrus Oils like lemon, orange, and grapefruit work well to deter them. Apply these oils around entry points or areas where bees are active.

 

Vinegar Spray

A simple vinegar and water solution can act as a natural deterrent. Spray it directly on known nesting sites, especially during the evening when bees are less active.

 

But if you want to invite ground bees into your yard, make sure these repellents are not present in your garden.

 

 

Tips On How To Attract Ground Bees In Your Garden

I am trying different methods to attract ground bees to my garden. Some of those methods really worked, and some didn’t work at all. Also, I have done sometime wrongs for which the bees left my gardens a few times over the year.

So, after learning over the years, I came to know what actually attracts ground bees. So, here are some tips that you must follow to attract ground bees to your garden.

• Plant Different flowering plants in your garden.
• Don’t use insecticides everywhere in your garden. If you need to use pesticides you may apply it to the plants. Try not to spray in the ground.
• Leave some sandy and lossy soil in your garden.
• Make sure there are small water sources that can be used by bees.
• Don’t plant ground-repellent plants.
• Don’t use chemicals like bleach, vinegar, cleaner, etc.
• Make sure your garden has enough sun-exposed spots to attract ground bees.
• Try to keep diversity about selecting plants for your garden. Plant different colors, types, and shapes of flower and fruit plants.

If you can follow these tips you will see ground bees in your garden soon. Also, you will see a blast in the crop production in your region.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Ground Bees

 

 

 

 

Final Words

Hopefully, now you have a clear concept of what attracts ground bees and what repels them. Also, you learned how you can attract ground bees. Plus, if ground bees become a problem, you can easily get rid of them using ground bee repellents.

You also learned the benefits of ground bees. So, if you think of helping our ecosystem, you must help these tiny creatures.

Have you heard about blackjack bees? They can be a nuisance to your home and garden. Learn how to identify and get rid of blackjack bees safely.