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Pest control for bees
If you've spent any time outdoors during summer months then you know all about bees. They are yellow, black and often induce more fear into people than the situation warrants. Bees do sting, and people with allergies can be seriously affected. If a colony of bees builds a hive around your property, any outdoor activities such as children playing in the yard or mowing the lawn, near that hive can be seen as aggression and stings can occur.
Beehives should not be touched without the right equipment and safety measures. We at Western Exterminator are bee control and bee removal experts and we safely remove hives, prevent their return, and use environmentally sound methods that will not interfere with commercial hives and pollinators.
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Western Exterminator bee control experts
The professionals at Western Exterminator have years of experience in finding beehives and removing them effectively. We have the right equipment, training and methods to remove a beehive. After the hive is removed we will then work with you to find ways of preventing further bee infestations. Our approach uses fewer chemicals by stopping future bee problems.
We use methods that are environmentally friendly to other bees in the area and we work to protect pollinators. We always follow local, state and federal regulations for bee removal and prevention.
Contact us online or call 888-727-0454 today.
Different types of bees
There are over 4,000 species of bees in North America alone! But here are four main ones that you are most likely to come across:
Africanized honey bees
These bees look a lot like your standard honey bee, but they have a vastly different disposition. Africanized honey bees will defend their nests viciously and they guard a territory much wider than your average honey bee. These will attack in huge swarms around threats with the intent of stinging whatever these perceive to be threat to their lives. They will also chase after a perceived threat for much longer distances than the average honey bee.
Africanized honey bees prefer to the warmer climates and are located in southern states and western states that are warm year round.
Africanized bees look a lot like their European counterparts, but there are some key differences:
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This type of bee is smaller in size
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More likely to build hives in the ground than European bees
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Defends hives more aggressively and in larger numbers than average honey bees.
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More guard bees around their hive to look for threats
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Threat radius is much larger than those of European honey bees
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They will chase after threats much farther than European bees, up to thousands of feet in some cases.
Carpenter bees
Carpenter bees are large, hairy bees usually seen flying around on their own rather than in large colonies. Unlike bumble bees, these do not have stingers therefore cannot sting humans.
What these can do however is cause damage to wooden structures around your property by boring into the wood to lay eggs and leaving large oval-shaped holes.
Honey bees
When you think of a bee, you’re probably thinking about a big, buzzing bug that has yellow and black stripes and can appear scary as these can sting humans.
Honey bees are actually not usually aggressive.
Honey bees have been known to swarm around to establish new colonies as well as swarm when these encounter perceived threats to their nests.
Bee stings
Ouch! Bee stings can hurt, and if you are the 1 in 1,000 people who are fatally allergic to bee stings, the sting could be tragic. How does a bee sting? Whenever a bee feels threatened they will sting their barbed stinger into the skin. This stinger will have venom that has a protein inside of it which will cause the skin to pain and swell. For those who are allergic, a bee sting can provoke anaphylaxis or a more serious reaction to the body’s autoimmune system.
Type of sting
The type of sting will depend on the bee species; a honey bee for example, will leave their stinger in the skin, and if the stinger is not removed within 15 seconds of the sting, the severity of the sting will increase. It is rare for a person who is not allergic to bee stings to die from being stung multiple times from a single bee. The lethal dose for a honey bee sting is estimated to be about 8.6 stings for the average person that is not allergic.
DIY bee sting treatments
DIY treatments like creating a paste out of water and baking soda or even rubbing mud with a little water, will work with less serious stings. However it is always best to seek medical attention if you are stung multiple times or if the pain continues after a few days.
How to avoid bee stings
To prevent bee stings it is always best to
- Avoid wearing scents like cologne or perfume in a bee ridden area.
- Not walk barefoot in vegetated areas like clover covering.
- Avoid wearing brightly colored clothing
How to get rid of bees
Bees are essential for our environment; these insects help pollinate plants that help grow our ecosystem. If you or someone on your property is allergic to bees, there are safe ways to get of bees.
Identification
One of the first things you should do when trying to get rid of bees around your property is to properly identify the bee. Bees can be easily mistaken for hornets, which are a lot more dangerous and require other removal methods. The safest way to remove bees is to call a local beekeeper in the area to remove the hive or nest. Western Exterminator works with local beekeepers to help move hives safely from properties.
Call a professional
If you must get rid of bees by extermination, there are many DIY methods you can do like spraying a solution of vinegar and water on the hive. However, unless you have the proper equipment to handle swarm of bees, we highly recommend calling a professional. Western Exterminator have netted hats, specialized suits and bee poles to help eliminate bee swarms and hives.
If you have bees in or around your residential or commercial property, please contact Western Exterminator today to get an inspection.