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Honey Bees

What do honey bees look like?

Honey bees are social insects; different members of the colony work together in an organized manner to ensure the health of the colony. The worker bees are usually the only members of the colony that are seen by people, the queen is located safely inside the hive laying her eggs, and the drones (reproductive males) also remain in the hive. Worker honey bees grow to between ½ and 5/8th of an inch in length; they are generally light golden brown in color with a darker brown banding, their body is oval in shape. Honey bees are covered in fine hair and have a barbed stinger that extends off of the back of their thorax.

honey bee

Are honey bees dangerous?

Honey bees can become dangerous to both people and property. If honey bees create a nest in a home or other building, the nest can attract other insects and pests that can cause structural damage to your property. Honey bees are not a very aggressive species of stinging insect, but they will sting if they are being directly threatened or if they are accidentally touched or stepped on. Because of their barbed stinger, each honey bee can only sting their victim once. The venom injected from a honey bee sting is strong enough to cause a severe allergic reaction in some people. Care should always be taken around any species of stinging insect, including the honey bee.

What do honey bees eat?

Honey bees feed on the nectar and pollen that they collect from flowers, fruit, and vegetable plants. They need the nectar and pollen to create the honey that the colony feeds on all winter long.

Where do honey bees nest?

When living outside, honey bees can be found nesting in trees, woodpiles, hollow logs, piles of rock, and other similar areas. It is common for honey bees to enter homes and other structures where they nest in “hollow” places like attics, wall voids, crawl spaces, and chimneys.

How do you get rid of honey bees?

Honey bees are an environmentally beneficial pests and an important pollinator; because of this, they should always be assessed by a professional to ensure that removal is necessary. Spencer Pest Services can remove a dangerous honey bee nest from your property through our bee and wasp control services. Our pest control professionals have the experience and training needed to safely remove the honey bees that have become a danger to you and your family. Our professionals will also offer advice on how to prevent future problems with honey bees on your property. Contact us today for specifics about our bee and wasp control services.

Honey bee prevention tips

There are a few steps that you can take around your property to try to prevent honey bees from becoming a danger to you, your family, and your pets.

  • Try not to plant a lot of flowering plants and vegetation in close proximity to your home.
  • Place fruit and vegetable gardens a distance away from the exterior of your home.
  • Place woodpiles a distance away from the outside of your home; honey bees often create their hives in woodpiles.
  • Remove fallen trees and piles of organic debris from your property.
  • Make sure that outdoor trash cans have tight fitting lids on them to keep honey bees out.
  • Keep food covered when it is outside.
  • Quickly clean-up outdoor eating areas after the meal is over.
  • Make sure that chimneys have tight fitting caps on them; repair holes found along the roof line.

To see how Spencer Pest Services can remove honey bees from your Greenville, Upstate of South Carolina, or northern Georgia property, call us today.