Ouch! You just got stung by a bee. Or did you?
A Bee Or Not A Bee
While we are quick to call anything that stings a “bee” there are many types of stinging insects. Some we want to save, like the honeybees that produce honey and a wax that is used in many types of products from lip balm to candles. Honeybees also pollinate crops making them a favorite of farmers and a critical part of the food chain.
Less valuable in pollination and more detrimental to humans are insects like the bald-faced hornet which is carnivorous and so protective of its nesting area that it aggressively seeks out nearby intruders and stings them multiple times. NOT an insect you want to interact with!
And while there are other bee type insects that pollinate, they are more aggressive and more destructive to things like fruit crops so most people do not feel as obliged to protect them.
Swarm Management
No matter if the buzzing comes from bees or yellow jackets, no one wants to be stung. A sting can be an isolated incident–that wasp just happened to be buzzing near the flowers you were picking–or become a big problem when you have a full-blown nest or swarm living in your yard.
A swarm is a large cluster of bees or similar insects that is attached to an object like a tree, or the eaves on a house. When not disturbed, a swarm goes about its business and doesn’t pose a threat to nearby humans or animals. But if it’s in an area where contact with people or pets just can’t be avoided, or if you find a nest, it’s time to call in the experts.
Beekeepers
The Oregon State Beekeepers Association, a nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of honeybees, maintains lists of beekeepers who will collect your swarm. To help identify if the removal is for honeybees or something more menacing, you’ll be asked questions like the height of the swarm, how large it is and how long it’s been there, what it’s hanging from and if it can be easily reached.
If that nest or swarm you find is not honeybees, but rather wasps that almost seem to enjoy targeting unsuspecting people, call in the experts. NW Pest Control is happy to assist you with nest or hive removal or destruction and help assure you of an ouchless summer.
Bugged By Bees?Contact Northwest Pest Control in your area by phone from this page. More information on bees and the Oregon State Beekeepers Association can be found here.