A swing set in the yard is often a magical escape for kids and sometimes adults. However, since these swing sets are outdoor structures, they can get infested with pests like bees and crawling insects.
But are there any foolproof ways to keep these stinging insects away from swing sets? Absolutely, yes! Keep reading to learn eight practical strategies.
Nobody wants to deal with bees stinging their children and friends while having a fun play session.
While these insects benefit the ecosystem, they are sometimes dangerous, especially when disturbed. Bees can turn a seemingly harmless swing set into a hideout, placing vulnerable children at risk.
To keep them at bay from your swing set, here are a few tips:
- Mow your lawn regularly.
- Clean the swing set after every use to remove forgotten lollipops, spilled soda, leftover snacks, and other things that can attract bees.
- Use natural bee repellants.
- Remove stagnant water sources or relocate the swing set to a water-free environment.
In the following headings, we will walk you through eight effective strategies to keep bees away from swing sets. Besides the eight-method guide, we will also answer some questions about handling bee infestation in yards.
8 Ways To Keep Bees Away From Swing Set
Bees typically swarm around the swing set, looking for a safe nesting spot in cracks and gaps between the wooden slabs. Swing sets are dry and shaded from the harsh sun rays, and bees love a cool environment.
However, swing sets are for children to enjoy, free from stings and other risks. Here are some ways to bee-proof your swing sets:
1. Apply a Sealant to the Wood
Most swing sets are made from wood. If the one in your backyard is one of these, rub a sealant on it at least once a year.
Sealants preserve the wood quality and can keep your swing set around much longer. It also prevents bees and other flying bugs from building nests within the cracks in the wood.
Ensure you check in with the manufacturer to know the best sealant for that particular swing set. Some manufacturers may have specific recommendations on how often you should apply fresh sealant.
If they don’t, once a year is enough.
2. Mow Your Lawn
Bees and other bugs are likelier to come around bushy areas and lawns with tall grasses. These offer them a haven to hide and gather nectar from the surrounding flowers.
Bees are attracted to pollinating plants as they grow. Even if you don’t have a garden, overgrown bushes can have wildflowers growing in them.
Schedule regular lawn mowing sessions to keep the grass level low and unattractive to pests.
3. Clean the Swing Set
Bees are naturally drawn to sweet things, like nectar, forgotten lollipops, popsicles, and spilled soda. Children may drop their snacks while playing on the swing. These wild bugs will be happy to come around such things.
If your children are fond of leaving snacks on the backyard swing set, you can expect always to have these unwanted visitors around.
So, make it a duty to clean the swing set after each use and pick up trash like food rappers. Without crumbs and food spills, bees will not be interested in your swing set as much.
Provide a lid for outdoor garbage cans around the play area and wipe down the swing set after use.
4. Move the Swing Set to a New Location
Do you have beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers littered across your backyard? Is your children’s swing set positioned near these flowers to create a beautiful garden view?
If you answered yes to both questions, this could be the reason why bees are always happy to come around your swing set.
Agreed, having your swing set near beautiful flowers in the yard is always a great sight from the kitchen window. But it is an irresistible calling card for bees.
Bees love to pollinate sweet-smelling flowers and will trace them wherever they are. Swing sets may stand in the way, ending up as a temporary or even permanent bee shelter.
So, if you want to keep bees away from your children’s swing set, it is advisable not to grow flowering bushes near their playing area. That way, you can protect unsuspecting children from being stung.
5. Remove Stagnant Water Sources
Like humans, bees need water to survive and often build their nests near water sources.
Move any water sources around your swing sets to stop bees from coming around. Or, take the swing set to a water-free environment.
6. Use Natural Bee Repellants
One of the best ways to get bees off your home is to make them leave voluntarily. That is where the importance of repellents comes to play. They irritate bees and make your environment uncomfortable for them.
You can apply the same strategy to keep these flying insects away from your swing set.
There are various store-bought chemical repellants and natural homemade alternatives in the market. However, chemical repellants are not advisable because they are too potent and can harm kids and pets.
So, instead of applying chemical-based bee-repellant sprays, it is best to look for natural alternatives. For example, you can use their sense of smell against them.
Bees hate the smell of plants like peppermint and basil – you can plant them in your yard to repel bees. Grow some of these bee-repellant flowers around the swing set to drive bees out of the area.
Alternatively, you can use natural oils and scents to create a unique homemade bee repellant.
- To make a DIY spray solution, you can mix garlic, thyme, lavender, vanilla extracts, and other bee-repellant herbs with water.
- Use generously on the swing set and spray on the grass around it for better results.
7. Fill Up Holes
Carpenter bees are most active in the summer and like to leave half-inch holes in wooden structures. They bury their larvae in these holes and leave them until it blooms the next summer.
These bees love unpainted bare wood like pine, redwood, cedar, and more. During winter and fall, they are less active after nesting their eggs.
This is the best time to fill their deserted holes with caulk, aluminum foil, wooden dowels, etc.
Closing up these holes prevents the transformed larva from emerging during spring. Other bees cannot return to the hole for the next nesting season.
However, sometimes, it is possible for bees to still be in these holes long after summer. In that case, it is advisable to first treat the holes with insecticide before sealing.
Boric acid or any chemical insecticide for flying insects will do. The best time to use these insecticides is at night when the bees are resting.
Pour some boric acid powder or spray insecticide in the carpenter bee hole. Ensure you have protective gear because when bees feel attacked, they fight back.
Once you have eliminated or driven away all the bees, apply a sealant and paint over the wood.
But if you discover that the bees have a large nest you can’t manage on your own, call an expert.
8. Invite a Beekeeper
When everything else fails, you can turn to the experts – beekeepers. For people interested in preserving the ecosystem, this is a better alternative.
Instead of killing the bees swarming around your swing set, turn them over to expert beekeepers. Beekeepers will relocate the bee nest to a safer location, protecting the bees and keeping your family safe from stings.
This option is, sometimes, even cheaper than extermination.
Conclusion
Although bees are useful to the environment, they are sometimes dangerous, especially when disturbed. They can turn a seemingly harmless swing set into a bee hideout, placing vulnerable children at risk.
Nobody wants to deal with bees stinging their children and friends while having a fun play session.
Follow the tips above to ensure this never happens or reduce the possibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Things That Attract Bees?
Bees love anything sweet, like soda, flowers, and sweet-smelling food.
They also love bare wood, garbage, and dirty water. Masking the smell of these sweet things is one way to keep bees off your home.
Can I Remove Bee Nests Myself?
We don’t recommend removing bee nests without expert guidance.
The reason is that bees can get nasty once you try to move them and attack you. It is best to leave them for professionals to handle.
