Does normal pest control affect bees?
Depending on where you live in the great state of Florida, your property may be besieged by multiple types of bees such as honey bees, bumble bees, and carpenter bees. Even if you’re not allergic, the fact that these bees can sting is definitely enough to warrant their removal from your home or business.
Unlike many pests, however, it’s important that we protect bees and opt for live removal over extermination whenever possible. Today, we’re going to explain why such protection is essential and then provide common techniques that are used by professional removal services.
The World’s Prolific Pollinators
Many different types of animals, including birds, bats, and even rodents help with pollination, but in most areas, the bee is numero uno. These small winged insects provide the majority of pollination efforts between flowers, vegetables, fruits, trees, and all other types of vegetation. With some vegetation – such as blueberries and cherries – as much as 90% of their pollination is conducted by bees.
The Power of Co-Evolution
Co-evolution doesn’t get talked about a lot, but without it, pollination could be a lot more difficult. As you’re probably aware, bees have basically been around since the dawn of time. What you might not realize is that as bee species have evolved in shape, size, and other attributes, so have plant species. Many plants have evolved depending on their particular pollinators so that the process is more efficient and effective.
Extinction Would Be Devastating
Yes, what you’ve probably heard is true – if bees were to become extinct, we would be in a world of hurt. Our planet exists due to an intricate and delicate ecosystem that is dependent on certain animals filling very specific roles. Without bees to pollinate a large variety of fruits and vegetables, much of our food supply would quickly be dwindled to the point of potential starvation around the globe.
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)
Colony collapse disorder occurs when there is a lack of healthy adult bees inside a particular hive, which is also referred to as sudden colony death. Most researchers believe that this disorder only affects European honey bees, but they haven’t been able to determine the precise cause. The most likely explanation is that a bee’s ability to navigate is compromised, which means that once they’ve left the hive, they’re unable to find it again after collecting pollen.
Human Pollination Not As Effective
The number of bees has dwindled over the past several decades, which has led researchers to look for alternative methods of pollination. One method that’s been used for a very long time is to have human workers paid to pollinate plants, but this isn’t nearly as effective as pollination done by bees. Technology is now taking a whack at it thanks to the creation of pollinating drones, but we’re a very long way off to it being effective enough in the event of a bee population catastrophe.
Bees Provide Two Food Sources
Honey bees are unique because not only do they pollinate vegetation, but they also provide two food sources as they do their part for the ecosystem. The first is honey, which is a food source used not only by humans but by a variety of animals such as birds, bears, small mammals, and other insects. The second is themselves, because bees are often eaten by birds, rodents, and other creatures. We’re guessing that food source number one is more to their liking.
5 Safe Bee Removal Techniques – Pest Control for Bees
Although only 5 to 7.5 percent of the population is allergic to bee stings, this is often the biggest reason why people want to get rid of bees when they’re discovered near a residential or commercial property. The scary thing is that most people will never know they’re allergic until they get stung – and since that can lead to a severe anaphylaxis reaction, which can be fatal, it’s best not to have them around. What you should do is call a professional who may use one of these bee removal methods:
Smoke
Perhaps the most effective method of removing honey bees from your property is with the use of smoke, which is why professionals will often use it. Not only are honey bees sensitive to smoke but they’ll typically evacuate because the smoke makes them think that there’s a forest fire.
Garlic Spray
A bee’s strong sense of smell comes in very handy when you’re attempting to remove them. Mix two crushed garlic cloves with water and then spray the concoction around your property and their hive. This is very often a surefire way to get the bees to leave.
Citronella
Lighting a few citronella candles may not work immediately, but the bees will typically leave after they’ve been burning for a few days. Just be sure that it isn’t windy or raining outside, because the bees will opt to stick around instead of going out into inclement weather. As an added bonus, citronella works on mosquitoes, too.
Peppermint
Honey bees really don’t like the smell of peppermint, so homeowners who want to get rid of them should set up a few peppermint plants around their home, both inside and outside, wherever the bees seem to go. These plants have a pleasing odor to most people and you’ll be able to use the peppermint if you so desire.
Cinnamon
If you want the bees to avoid a certain area but not leave your yard entirely because of their pollination efforts, then cinnamon is the best choice. Spread it in areas where you want to repel the bees and they’ll stay away from these particular locations. To make the effect last longer, spread the cinnamon every day for approximately one week.
Contact Prohealth If You Need Pest Control for Bees
Prohealth Pest Control has many years of expertise in dealing with ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, rodents, arachnids, and all other pests. If you have any questions about pest control in Tampa or would like to schedule an appointment, reach out by calling (727) 308-3470 to schedule a free consultation.
