Safe chemicals to deter bees from nesting in a wall for a client

[Kit Prendergast]

Hi Beeple,

Firstly, Hap-Bee New Year! 

I wanted to ask some opinions regarding chemicals that deter, but in no way harm, solitary bees.

A lady contacted me and was very unhappy that Amegilla (solitary, but often gregariously nesting, ground -nesting bees) were nesting in the hundreds in the mortar walls of her old Heritage-listed house. If it were me I'd be absolutely delighted and it would add to the 'biotic heritage' values. But she was not delighted at all. At least though she didn't want to poison them. 

I suggested installing some alternative bee bricks (clay and brickies sand in blocks) and removing if possible some of the heavily used bricks in the building, and then relocating them (I suggested to my house because yay bees, and also it's far enough away that there's no way they will try and fly back 50 km away). I also suggested that she put some deterrent on the wall.

This is where I want some advice please. I know Xylocopa can be considered a 'nuisance' in many parts of the world (weirdly they are more shy here and I don't know of any cases of them nesting in people's houses). I know quinone deters bees - but tonic water would do way more damage to the bricks plus it's sweet so they bees would be attracted to it. Hoping there's some product available over the counter that she can use so the bees that remain will avoid her wall and use the alternative nests.

A pest control site states for honey bees that they avoid essential oils like 'spearmint, eucalyptus, and thyme.' but I don't know how accurate that is especially for native bees (where everything smells like eucalyptus in the bush here!)

As I am in no way in the pest control arena and am always trying to attract rather than discourage bees I'm not that clued up in this area.

Thanks!

--

Dr Kit Prendergast

Native bee scientist, conservation biologist and zoologist

University of Southern QLD Postdoctoral Researcher (Pollination Ecology)

Adjunct Curtin University and Forrest Scholar Alumni

Find native bee resources and more on my Patreon The Bee Babette: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheBeeBabette

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Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kit-Prendergast/research

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