There are many types and species of bee in the UK so the first step if you think you have a bee problem is to identify what type of bee it is. The most common types of bees that nest are bumble bees and obviously the honey bee.
Honey bees tend to swarm in late spring and summer months and can nest in trees, hedges, houses and buildings. Honey bees are small and vary in colour from golden brown to almost black. Bumble bees are easily recognised and are rounder, larger and furrier than other bees with pronounced yellow stripes on a black body.
Nest sizes vary greatly in bees and with honey bee hives are able to reach sizes of over 80,000 bees in the summer months it is important that you talk to the experts if you find a nest in your house, shed or building to arrange professional honey bee hive removal.
At Pestway our first step in honey bee removal will be trying to relocate the nest where possible. If it is not possible to move the nest we will help you establish whether the nest is causing any problems and if so then it may be necessary to look at pest control solutions. The usual treatment for bees is an insecticidal dust that is applied to the nest and around the entrances to the nest. A liquid surface spray can also be used indoors and for treating localised areas.
Honey bees form a highly organised society with the different bees having very specific roles during their lifetime. Each hive has one queen bee, worker bees and drone bees, nearly all the bees in a hive are worker bees.
During the winter months a honey bee hive is largely inactive with the bees clustering together to maintain warmth, at this time there are around 20,000 to 30,000 bees in the hive. In the active summer months the number of bees expands to 80,000 or more as the bees work to build up their store of honey.
Bumble bees are social insects and live in a colony with a queen. Their nests are normally found underground or close to ground level under decking, in holes or abandoned burrows but they will also nest in cavity walls, roofs and chimneys. Their nests are much smaller normally only containing between 200 and 300 bees during the summer months.
Both honey bees and bumble bees are able to sting and this sting is often more painful than the sting of wasps. Around 1% of people may suffer an allergic reaction to bee stings and in severe cases they can cause anaphylactic shock. If you do suffer an allergic reaction to a bee sting it is important that you contact a GP as soon as possible.
Like wasps, bumble bees are able to sting multiple times while honey bees have a barbed sting which detaches when you are stung. Honey bees and bumble bees will normally only sting when they, or their nest is threatened so if you do find a nest you should leave it alone and contact Pestway team of bee pest control experts on 0800 043 0047.
For bee hive removal speak to the experts at Pestway. Our bee pest control specialists will help you identify the type of bee that you have and will work with you to quickly and safely remove the nest. Give us a call today on 0800 043 0047 to discuss our honey bee removal service.