If there are two insects that strike fear into people, it is the yellow and black striped bodies of the wasp and the bee. It is the sting in their tail that most of us are wary of, aware that for some, the sting could prove to be fatal at worst, incredibly painful at best.
Wasps
The mated queen in the autumn will find a safe place to hibernate over winter. It could be a dark corner of the garage or a crevice in your porch or garden shed.
With the warmth of spring, she will start to strip material from wooden fences and other materials and build a small nest. She will lay her eggs and spend a few days fetching food to feed the merging young. Once they are able to fly, she will then take up residence as the queen, continuing to lay eggs whilst her ‘soldiers’ fly back and forth with food.
Once the coolness of autumn arrives, a mated queen will leave the nest and the colony will die off.
If you can live with a wasp nest for the summer, it will eventually empty and you can remove it. But, you need to be sure that there are no live or drowsy wasps ready to sting you.
Bees
There are 250 species of bees in the UK. Although they can still sting, we tend to be more empathetic toward a bee because we know it performs an important function.
Bees pollinate crops. Without them, our world would be a much poorer place.
However, despite this importance and the concern around declining bee numbers, the bee is not a protected insect in the UK.
As a pest control company with a keen interest in sustainability, we will always endeavour to relocate a bee colony although, this is not always possible. Honey bees will be found a new home with a local bee keeper, if possible.
In peak season, a bee’s nest can reach a population of 50,000. You don’t want 50,000 bees buzzing in or around your property for the summer and thus, the safe option is to have a pest control company deal with the nest.
No Call Out Charge, No Hassle
Being inundated with wasps or bees is not pleasant. You have your safety to think about and that of your family. Pets can be at risk of being stung by a wasp or bee too.
We respond quickly to calls relating to bees and wasps. DO NOT attempt to deal with the problem yourself.