Bees & Wasps

Each colony of bees and wasps consists of a queen, male drones, and sterile female workers. The queens can give birth to between 1,000 and 30,000 offspring, depending on the species and the environment of her surroundings. If the environment is favorable, the number of offspring will be high. The queen is the only member of the colony that can reproduce. Colonies reach peak size in September before frosts kill off most of the colony and the queen’s attempt to survive and overwinter until the next spring.

The areas surrounding residential, recreation/cottage and commercial properties provide a number of ideal nesting areas for bees and wasps. Some of these areas include verandas, ceilings, attics, walls, trees and shrubs and in the ground.

Bees are beneficial to humans because they pollinate plants, whereas wasps may help out by eating other insects. However, both can be extremely hazardous to humans as their sting can cause severe pain and reactions and may also be potentially fatal to those allergic to their venom. Although bees and wasps will not typically sting unprovoked, if threatened or if they feel that their nests are in danger, they will attack.

Honeybees lose their stinger and die after they sting and most often, the stinger is left behind in the victim’s skin. Unlike honeybees, bumblebees and wasps will not die after they sting and can sting multiple times. Wasps also produce an “alarm pheromone” that stimulates a general state of alarm in the colony and may cause other wasps to aggressively swarm the “intruder”. Also, if there are hundreds or thousands of bees or wasps nesting around your property, there is a higher likelihood of getting stung accidentally.

To eliminate and reduce the risk of bees and wasps build invading your residential, recreational/cottage or commercial properties, treatment and exclusion is the best prevention.

Solace Pest Solutions can provide you with removal, exclusion, and prevention solutions.