According to the Museum of the Earth, over 70% of bees build their nests by digging into the ground. Bees can make their nests on wood or create them using mud or resin.
However, for some bee species like mason bees, wool carder bees, and leaf-cutter bees, instead of making their own nest, they take over existing spaces. These bees can use cracked stones, worm burrows, snail shells, gaps in window frames, and even inside an air conditioner.
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Why are Bees Attracted to My Air Conditioner?
An air conditioner makes for a perfect site for bees to nest. This is because it provides a warm environment and secure location away from predators that enjoy a savory meal of bee brood – honey. An air conditioner cools down a room and releases warm air outside. This warm air, especially during cold days, helps to keep the nest warm.
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Apart from providing a warm and safe haven, the inside of an air conditioner condenser offers ample space for the colony’s growth. The interior of the condenser is usually hollow with a few parts like condenser coils, fan, and compressor. Bees find building a nest around or near the condenser coils easy.
How to Keep Bees out of Air Conditioner
Using harmful pesticides or insecticides close to your home can be dangerous. If you want to keep bees out of your air conditioner, try these alternative methods.
1. Use Natural Repellents
The best alternative for pesticides is to use natural bee repellents to drive them away from your air conditioner.
Sprinkling garlic powder around your air conditioner can help keep them at bay. The smell of garlic repulses bees. However, don’t sprinkle too much if you’re not looking to kill them.
Apart from garlic powder, you can also plant peppermint around the air conditioner. Because of its strong scent, peppermint interferes with the bees’ sensitive sense of smell. Thus it forces the bees to buzz off. You can also dab peppermint essential oil on the air conditioner.
2. Clear the Area Around Your Air Conditioner
If you have plants or other objects lying around your air conditioner, then it’s time to tidy the area. Flowers, garbage, and water points around the site should be cleared to help manage the bees.
3. Anti Bee Net
If the bees nesting inside the air conditioner is a problem, insect netting barrier cover is a great option. Use an insect barrier, like this one on Amazon, to cover the air conditioner and keep the bees from going past the vents.
4. Water Traps
This is one of the easiest ways to deter bees from making your air conditioner their home. Just hang water traps around the air conditioning unit. Water traps use floral scents to attract and drown bees. This is a great way to get bees out completely.
However, if you’re not looking to kill the bees, using a clear plastic bag with metallic coins filled with water will deter them without harm.