There are few things in life that can fill the heart with such view as the sight and sound of a flower filled meadow on a summers day filled with the sound of industrious bees going about their business. However, sometimes bees need to move homes – and this is when they depart for pastures new. Unfortunately modern homes and their surrounds offer bees the perfect place to take a breather on their journey – or to set up a permanent home for the colony. Homes are filled with nooks and crannies that are sheltered from the elements, as well as gardens, some with large trees that attract the attention of swarms and many are drawn to these. The result of having a large concentration of bees on your property is potentially devastating. Bees are highly territorial and will attack anything that disturbs their hive. This can be extremely dangerous forpets and anyone who has an allergy to bee stings – and even grown men and women who have not been able to get to safety have been severely injured or even killed by an aggressive swarm.
The first thought to cross the homeowners mind when faced with a swarm is simply to eradicate it. However, it should be noted that bees are an incredibly important part of the ecosystem. Aside from wildflowers and plant pollination, bees also pollinate around 70 of the world’s crop species – and thesespecies feed 90% of the world’s population. It is no exaggeration to say that if bees are eradicated life as we know it would simply cease.
So, where possible bee relocation should be undertaken. The question is what do we do when faced with a swarm – and is it necessaryto call in a professional in bee relocation to deal with the challenge?
Firstly, it is extremely important to keep pets, small children and those with allergies away from large concentrations bees. As fascinating as a swarm can be the danger of severe injuries simply too high to take any chances. Keep them indoors. If the hive is inside the house makean effort to isolate it from the rest of the living space.
As tempting as it might bedon’t use widely available insecticides or traps. There is so much that can go wrong. As an added disincentive – the EPA bans the use of many insecticides near bees. Traps will just end up with you handling a container full of extremely angry insects – and that brings a whole host of problems as well. Problems which you may not be fully equipped to deal with regarding Kendall Bee Removal.
The best bet is to call in a professional. If you are lucky enough to face a new hive of Honey Bees it’s likely that a local beekeeper will be more than happy to take them off your hands. However, there are other bee species that are considerably more aggressive than the widely known Honeybee. If you are in doubt as to the exact species – or the hive is indoors – call a professional pest management and stipulate that you would like the bees relocated, not destroyed. Ask for their advice. For instance if you are unlucky enough to be faced with these called ‘Killer Bees’ (a hybrid of bees from southern Africa and Brazilian honey bees) which can be today found across wide swathes of the United States, it is essential that a professional be called in immediately – and that the premises be vacated without approaching the hive or disturbing the bees in any way.
When in doubt, call in a professional. You might just be helping the natural world – or preventing a tragedy.