I have an area of my yard that I am converting to a xeric landscape. I mulched it heavily and left it dry to kill off the weeds there. Last week we notice a large opening with bees swarming out. Several neighbors are having problems with wasps or bees in their walls. These are absolutely small bees (I think ground bees) and not wasps or yellow jackets.

I read that they are not aggressive and the best way of dealing with them is to water the area so they will leave. Three straight days of watering and there are still hundreds swarming up out of the opening.

Two years ago, the neighbor on that side nearly died when she was gardening and was stung by several yellow jackets or wasps that swarmed her when she was planting raised brick gardens that surround the mailbox. Her son in law poured gasoline on them and I never saw the wasps or bees.

I have zero interest in killing any bees, but I am highly allergic to honey bees. What else can I do to encourage them to relocate?