[jcline871]

So, all of a sudden, a large volume of bees have become intensely interested in a specific spot at the edge of my jacuzzi just above the water. I don't have anything against bees but my family would like to use the jacuzzi and under the current circumstances, that's not possible. I'd like to deter the bees as I don't want to kill them. I have tried various organic concoctions based on youtube videos, etc... including peppermint, cinnamon, etc... it works temporarily, but as soon as it dries, they are back...

Hoping all the expertise here may provide a suggestion that will work to deter these guys permanently.

See loom vid: Loom | Send a video. Not a thousand words.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and sorry that this might be off-topic for a beekeeping forum. I didn't know where else to go after googling this and finding nothing.

 

[Rod]

So, all of a sudden, a large volume of bees have become intensely interested in a specific spot at the edge of my jacuzzi just above the water. I don't have anything against bees but my family would like to use the jacuzzi and under the current circumstances, that's not possible. I'd like to deter the bees as I don't want to kill them. I have tried various organic concoctions based on youtube videos, etc... including peppermint, cinnamon, etc... it works temporarily, but as soon as it dries, they are back...

Hoping all the expertise here may provide a suggestion that will work to deter these guys permanently.

See loom vid: Loom | Send a video. Not a thousand words.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and sorry that this might be off-topic for a beekeeping forum. I didn't know where else to go after googling this and finding nothing.

Option 1 - Birdbath filled with whatever so the bees don't drown (rocks, corks, leaves) and a chlorine tablet. Give them a better option.
Option 2 - "Honey Bandit" (this is used to keep honey bees away when you are stealing honey from the hives) I spray it on my neighbors "spa cover joints" this time of year. it helps some but not as well as option 1... similar to your experience
Option 3 - Wait... this only goes until the ragweed blooms... then they have a better option.

 

[Gypsi]

And ragweed is blooming in North Texas, my allergies let me know before I walked around the block. My bees are bringing it in. They visit my ponds, which have no salt, to bring water to the hives

 

[jcline871]

Option 1 - Birdbath filled with whatever so the bees don't drown (rocks, corks, leaves) and a chlorine tablet. Give them a better option.
Option 2 - "Honey Bandit" (this is used to keep honey bees away when you are stealing honey from the hives) I spray it on my neighbors "spa cover joints" this time of year. it helps some but not as well as option 1... similar to your experience
Option 3 - Wait... this only goes until the ragweed blooms... then they have a better option.

Thank you for the suggestions. Weird, I was thinking that increasing the chlorine content in the water would dissuade them, but you suggested including chlorine in the birdbath. I guess bees like clean water too. I wish I understood why they are so interested in that one spot when there is an entire pool and jacuzzi.... not to mention the 5 other pools at my neighbors within 100 yards.... I've just assumed they have marked it as a phermonal waypoint and that coding is hard to break. Though funny enough, I noticed a subset of the bees departing in the opposite direction now (different hive?).

Even after I spray that spot over and over with peppermint oil, they disappear for a while, then come back again a few hours later or the next day.

And I am in North Texas too so hopefully that means this will be curtailed by the 'ragweed' blooming.

Thanks again!

 

[Rod]

Once they find a "spot" they stick to it for sure... Also they actually prefer stinky water, but once they are on the scent of chlorine another close by source is the only way to divert them.