Why does sliced cucumber drive wasps and bees away?

Cucumbers contain chemicals called [appropriately enough] cucurbitacins. These are bitter, and only insects that specialize on cucumber, like the cucumber beetle, will feed on food containing them. read more

These are bitter, and only insects that specialize on cucumber, like the cucumber beetle, will feed on food containing them. Interestingly, though lots of websites mention cucumber as a repellent, I only found one paper on the subject, which confirms certain insects won't lay eggs on a surface covered in cucurbitacins. read more

Rather than killing or trapping bees, consider utilizing some natural bee control methods like cucumber peels to keep bees away from your home and garden. Use cucumber peels as a natural bee deterrent. read more

Hang the bag up to create the appearance of a hive. Bees refrain from entering the territory of other bees. Use cucumber or cloves. Slice up cucumbers and keep them nearby, because bees do not like the scent of cucumber. The strong smell of cloves also acts as a deterrent. Keep cloves in a bowl, or scatter them around the area to keep bees away. read more