Bees
Contact your local bee keeper to remove a swarm at your home.
What are they?
There are lots of different bees, the picture is of a swarm of honey bees. Seeing a swarm can be quite alarming there can be 20000 bees in a swarm, if you leave them alone they will usually move within 24 hours. Bumble bees are quite harmless and should be left alone and not destroyed. It will take a lot of aggravation before a bumble bee will sting.
Solitary bees which are masonry bees, which appear to drill holes in your south facing walls, mining bees which bore minute holes in your garden, and carpenter bees which drill holes in old woodwork are all beneficial bees and DO NOT have a sting strong enough to penetrate human skin they should not be destroyed.
What should I look for?
Honey bees will sometimes take up residence in chimneys and properties where a hole and void behind it allow a hive to be set up. Look for bee’s arriving and exiting a particular hole, at this point though a lot of people mistake a solitary bee making her nest for a bee colony, rule of thumb is if there is not a constant stream of bee’s it probably not honey bees.
Will they harm me?
Yes honey bees will sting you if you get too close to the nest although they are not as aggressive as wasps.
Do I need Professional help?
Professional advice is always a good idea if you are concerned with any type of bee. Bee swarms can be collected by a local bee keeper if they become a problem.
Can South Northamptonshire Council Pest Control help me?
We can not treat bees but we can advise you on all matters concerning them.If you have a problem and would like advice please call us on 01327 322323 or complete our online form.