Having ground-nesting wasps and mining bees in your garden is beneficial: they're predators to harmful garden pests, pollinate your plants and their underground burrows aerate the soil. This said, if a large number of them are living underground in your yard, it can be disturbing, and although they're generally not aggressive toward humans, there's always the fear of getting stung. If you feel that they're a nuisance or safety hazard, get rid of them in a safe, effective manner.
Watch the bees or wasps in your garden from a window during daytime to determine the location of the nest. You might notice some of them flying close to the ground in one particular area or see them entering and exiting a small hole in the ground.
Plan to eradicate the nest at nighttime, because this is when bees and wasps are less active. Avoid carrying a flashlight, because it might attract them. Alternatively, direct a light from a distance toward the nest to light up the area or cover a flashlight with red cellophane, because they can't see red light.
Wear a bee suit or thick clothing that fully covers your skin to avoid getting stung. Put on long pants with boots over them, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a bee mask. Ensure that there aren't any holes in your clothes that the bees can use to get to your skin.
Apply insecticide dust that's registered for use on ground-nesting wasps and bees on the soil at and around the nest opening. For quantities, go by the instructions on the manufacturer's label. Then, run the back of a rake or a hoe over the soil and try to destroy as many tunnels as you can. Apply some more of the insecticide dust to the area. When the pests attempt to restore the damage, they'll step on the insecticide, which will sticks to the hairs on their legs. Then, when they groom themselves, they'll ingest it and die.
Spread a layer of mulch over the soil, or use sod or ground cover to hide the soil. Apply the material after fully eradicating the bees or wasps, and if you're planting, wait at least two weeks after applying the dust before doing so. Wasps and bees make their nests in exposed soil and by covering the soil your property becomes less appealing to them.
Water the soil in your garden regularly. The moisture can make these pests think twice about creating a nest in the soil, since they prefer dry soil.
Things You Will Need
- Bee suit or thick clothing
- Red cellophane
- Insecticide dust
- Rake or hoe
- Mulch, sod or ground cover
- Avoid getting rid of the nest if you're allergic to bee or wasp stings. Instead, consult a professional pest control service.
- University of Maryland Extension: Mining Bees and Ground Nesting Wasps
- Illinois Department of Public Health: Prevention and Control: Bees and Wasps
- California Master Gardener Handbook; Dennis R. Pittenger
- University of Illinois Extension: Ground-Nesting Wasps
- Washington State University Extension: Mining Bees
- Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities: Garden Pests: Insect Pest Management in the Home Vegetable Garden
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images