Bees

Bees are not technically a pest species; it was Albert Einstein who said “If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Bees are a beneficial and vital species of insect but because they can be extremely dangerous in the wrong location pest control measures regrettably have to be taken now and then to remove nuisance colonies. If you have a Bee problem call Verikill 844-866-5455.

Bee Biology

Honey bees are social insects that live in hives which contain as many as 80,000 individuals with varying work responsibilities. Each hive has one queen who lays all the eggs which are attended to by sterile females. The queen may live up to five years producing thousands of eggs in her lifetime. European honey bees are very docile and will not attack unless the colony is threatened. However, being in close proximity to hive can trigger aggression because proximity may be perceived as a threat to the colony. Or if one happens to come into contact with a single bee because there is a hive close by the reaction of the bee may be to sting. When a bee does sting it pierces the skin with a barbed stinger to which is attached a poison sack that continues to pump venom even though it is no longer attached to the stinging bee. When this occurs near a hive there is a danger that other bees may attack because a pheromone is released that indicates threat; which in turn may trigger other bees to jump into the fight.

When bees invade a structure a great deal of damage can be done. Swarming bees are on the hunt for a safe place to establish a colony and are the least aggressive during this interval. Once a colony is established bees guarding the new colony will become much more aggressive to any perceived threat. Bees that find their way into a structure, if suitable, will begin building a hive. At first this won’t be a major problem but as the hive increases in size the bee population subsequently increases and this is often when they first become noticeable and a nuisance. The key to preventing what in the beginning is minor problem from turning into a major costly headache is to destroy the hive in its early stages. If one waits too long then it becomes likely that going into the structure may be necessary to remove the hive and honey. Once the colony is destroyed the bees are no longer there to cool the hive so the honey and wax begin to melt staining walls and attracting other swarming colonies. Don’t wait call Verikill at 844-866-5455.

Treatment Strategy

Colonies are destroyed with the use of approved pesticides. However, if the colony is large and in a part of the structure that is difficult to access the process is much more involved and can be extremely costly. Typically this is not the case and hives can be destroyed without the use of structurally invasive measures. The key determining factor for cost is how difficult the colony is to gain access to and the level of danger associated with that process. If the bees are high up on a structure and only accessible with the use of a long extension ladder then one can assume that the cost will be higher because the risk is greater to the technician destroying the hive. Once again the key is to NOT WAIT until you have a very expensive problem.

In some cases cutting into the structure is necessary; this is when it can get costly because whatever is cut into must then be repaired afterward. Destruction of a colony can be as low as $80 and as much as several thousand dollars. Typically the cost is on the lower end with more complex and costly work being the exception to the rule. It may seem like I am trying to scare you into calling us, well I am because there is nothing worse than having a $100 problem turn into a $1000 problem.
One last thing; Africanized Honey bees (also known as killer bees) are in San Diego county and cannot be distinguished from European Honey bees without placing them under a microscope and examining their wing structure. Bees are not to be dealt with by amateurs. Call a professional to handle your bees, preferably Verikill. Call 844-866-5455 to solve your bee problem.
Bee Removal

Think you may have a bigger problem then just a couple of ants or roaches? We can figure it out easy. Contact us today and we will get back to you ASAP to schedule an appointment. Please note it may take up to 48 hours to get back to you, please be patient. Our services are in high demand!

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