Bee Proofing
How Can I Prevent African Bees From Infesting My Home?
What is bee proofing?
Bee proofing is a methodical process of inspecting your home, commercial building, or property for possible places that Africanized honeybees can infest and colonize, then developing a plan to deny them access to those places, and then following the plan to eliminate access to those places using methods derived from beekeeping experience.
Who needs bee proofing services?
Generally, anyone who believes they may be exposed to Africanized honeybee colonization.
For example, people that have already had an active colony, and continually get re-infested, and are tired of paying exterminators over and over again for the same problem. An active bee colony quickly develops honeycomb. If the honeycomb is left at the site after an extermination or bee removal and not removed, it can cause tremendous structural damage to building materials and it will melt down spreading the damage. Honeycomb is a constant source of attraction for passing swarms to recognize, be drawn to the area and re-colonize the same area or nearby. Also, dripping and fermenting honey deposits will attract other insects and vermin to the area. Honey and rotting brood is a very rich food source. A less known fact is that an active colony deposits a pheromone (scent) that infuses the cavity they have occupied. Unless the pheromone is treated during the removal process, it is long lasting and will act like a beacon over the general area and attract passing African bee swarms to the site of the previous African bee infestation or areas nearby.
Another example is when a homeowner knows that their neighbor's have had bee problems, or is allergic to bee stings, or has seen stories on the news and just wants the peace of mind knowing that he has minimized the risk of having a bee problem.
What areas around your house can Africanized Bees occupy?
Realistically, any cavity with at least 2 cubic feet of space and an opening entrance of a ¼" inch or more. That includes many places, just not on a home or commercial building, but on property as well. We have found them in hot tub surrounds, rock features around swimming pools, wood pecker holes in trees, and even animal burrows in the ground. They are very opportunistic. In many cases, they will find a quiet place that is not often visited and develop to the point where they can be very dangerous. We strongly advise homeowners and property owners to walk their property and their building structures frequently and look for signs of infestation. If you see even a few bees going in and out of a cavity, you have an active colony. Awareness is crucial, and so is prevention. Bee proofing gives you your best chance of avoiding future African bee infestation.
What are the best practices in bee proofing?
As discussed above, bee proofing is an art and requires a great deal of attention to detail from a knowledgeable beekeeper and bee removal specialists who knows what he is doing. Bee proofing may require minor structural repairs, cosmetic repairs, a thorough seal up, filling cavities or restoration of damaged materials among many other factors. If your past bee problems with bee infestations have been particularly severe, you may want to consider a regular inspection and preventative treatment program.
Contact an Arizona company licensed with the Office of Pest Management that specializes in bee removal services, and has vast beekeeping experience. Or, just call Bee Control Pima County!