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Is there anything better than a nice, sunny day? A light breeze, a bright blue sky and an excuse to take a trip to your favorite outdoor spot. Although many people may consider this weather the best, there are a few pests that enjoy being out in the sunny weather as much as we do, including bees. While they may be cute to look at and some are great at producing honey, they can also cause a lot of pain and are potentially dangerous to you and your family. Here are four great tips to effectively deal with bees around your home.
Determine if Bees are the Problem
Before you can take care of your infestation, you need to be sure that you are in fact dealing with bees. There are other types of insects, including yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets that look similar to bees. In order to deal with the situation in the correct way you need to know what type of pests you’re dealing with. Before getting too close, make sure you take every possible precaution and move very carefully around any hives.
The type of bee you’re dealing with may vary depending on where you live. Get a good look at one of them and compare what you’ve seen with images you find online. If the coat of the bee is fuzzy and brown/orange color then it’s a honeybee. Another way to know if it is a bee infestation is to watch their habits – bees often congregate around their nesting areas at dawn and at dusk.
Determine the Type and Severity of Infestation You’re Dealing With
After you confirm that you are dealing with bees, the next step is to figure out the severity of the situation. This will let you know if it’s something that can be handled on your own or if you should immediately call the professionals.
A single swarm of bees isn’t usually an immediate threat to you or your family. If possible, it’s best to just leave it alone. If you see a large cluster of bees in an outside area, they are often a swarm looking for a new place to create a new colony. In this instance keep your family and pets away from the swarm, and call your local beekeeping association who will likely come take the bees away.
If there is a hive in your backyard, this isn’t necessarily a reason to worry. However, if you or a family member are allergic to bees, you should go ahead and call a professional to have the hive removed. Otherwise, you can normally relax and let the bees go about their business. You should never attempt to remove a hive on your own, so if you aren’t comfortable living with the hive near your house, reach out to a professional for help.
Take Every Safety Precaution
You should always keep an eye out for bees and wasps during warm weather. If you or a loved one suffer from a bee allergy be sure to wear covered shoes at all times. If you garden, avoid doing so when bees are swarming around. Don’t approach a swarm or hive of bees for any reason. Although they aren’t naturally aggressive, they do attack when they feel threatened.
Call a Professional for Help
Don’t ever attempt to remove a large number of bees on your own. If you have an infestation that requires removal, call a professional. Attempting removal on your own could result in multiple stings, which are painful at the least, and potentially life threatening at worst. Professional pest control experts have the knowledge and know-how to safely and effectively eliminate your bee infestation without putting you or your family in danger.
