Apr 25, 2023 | Pest Control
Bumblebees and honeybees are both important pollinators that play a critical role in our ecosystem. However, they are different in several ways, from their physical appearance to their behavior and habitat. Let’s explore the differences between bumblebees and honeybees.
Physical Appearance
One of the most obvious differences between bumblebees and honeybees is their physical appearance. Bumblebees are larger and hairier than honeybees, with rounder bodies and more robust wings. Their bodies are covered in dense hair, which makes them look fuzzy, and they have a distinct black and yellow striped pattern.
Honeybees appear smaller and have slimmer bodies. These insects have a distinctive golden color and a more pronounced abdomen. Their wings are also narrower and more translucent than bumblebees.
Behavior
Both types of bees also differ in their behavior. Bumblebees are social insects that live in small colonies with a few hundred bees. They are active during the day and prefer to forage on flowers that are close to the ground. They are also excellent pollinators for plants that require a buzz pollination technique, such as tomatoes and blueberries.
Honeybees, on the other hand, are highly social insects that live in large colonies with tens of thousands of bees. They are active during the day and prefer to forage on flowers located higher up. They are also known for their ability to communicate with each other using a complex system of dances, which helps them find food sources.
Habitat
Honeybees and bumblebees have different habitat preferences due to their distinct nesting behaviors. Honeybees prefer to nest in cavities such as hollow trees or rock crevices; whereas bumblebees prefer to nest in underground burrows, such as abandoned rodent holes, or in above ground areas like abandoned bird nests.
If you believe you have found a honeybee or bumblebee nest on your property, give our team a call today for a safe bee relocation and removal.
Mar 31, 2023 | Pest Control
Honeybees play a vital role in our ecosystem, as they are responsible for pollinating various crops we eat daily, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts! Unfortunately, sometimes these insects will build their colonies in inconvenient places, such as inside our walls, eaves, and roofs. Luckily, there is a safe and sustainable solution when these situations happen for both our home and the bees with Honeybee Relocation Services. Learn more about honeybee relocation services and how they can support your home!
What is Honeybee Relocation Services?
Relocation services involve carefully removing honeybees and their colonies from unwanted locations and relocating them to more suitable environments for them to produce their honey and live. This service must be performed by a certified beekeeper who has the knowledge, skills, and equipment required to handle these insects safely and effectively.
What are the Benefits of Honeybee Relocation Services?
Relocation services help the preservation of honeybees. These insects are essential to our food system, making it important to continue efforts to maintain a healthy bee population! Instead of eliminating these insects, their preservation will help continue their pollination of our crops and sustain our environment.
How Does Honeybee Relocation Services Work?
A certified beekeeper will arrive at your home to inspect and locate the honeybees and other factors before removing the colony. On the day of the relocation, your beekeeper will begin accessing the colony if it’s found in walls or attics. Once the beekeeper has access, they will carefully remove the honeybees from their current location, which may involve physically removing the bees from their colony or using special tools to place them into the bee box. Once they have been safely removed, the beekeeper will transport them to a new location where a hive will be set up to provide a suitable environment for the bees to thrive!
Honeybee relocation services aim to safely remove and relocate these insects without harming them or damaging your home. If you’re interested or would like more information on Honeybee Relocation Services, reach out to your local pest control company.
Mar 3, 2023 | Pest Control
It’s a little-known fact that every good garden needs a pollinator and bee. Without the help of these friendly pollinators, there would be fewer flowers and vegetables. If you want more visits from honeybees, follow these simple tips.
Bees are interested in two things when visiting your garden:
- Nectar: loaded with sugars and a bee’s main source of energy
- Pollen: provides a balanced diet of protein and fats
An effective way to attract bees into your garden is to plant flowers that offer these two main food sources. Try to plant non-hybridized flowers in your garden, as they typically do not produce enough pollen or nectar for our helpful pollinators.
Here are some other helpful tips to keep the bees around:
- Don’t use pesticides
- Use local, native plants
- Choose a variety of colors to plant
- Have a diversity of plants flowering all season
- Plant where it’s safe for bees to visit
We hope these tips help bring the honeybees back to your garden, so they can do what they do best: pollinate! If you discover an active colony near or around your garden, then reach out to your local certified honeybee removal company to safely remove these colonies and relocate them to a safer location.
Feb 23, 2023 | Pest Control
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon that occurs when the majority of working bees in a colony disappear and leave behind the queen, and the rest of the colony. Hives cannot sustain without worker bees and the colony would eventually die. Fortunately, what was once thought to be a major long-term threat to bees, CCD has been reported to have dropped over the last few years.
Some of the best tell-tale signs of CCD are discovering a few dead bees around and near the colony and a lower population of a colony. Another is discovering the queen and young bees remaining with an abundance of honey and pollen reserves. Colony Collapse Disorder isn’t the only reason for a declining colony; here are some other reasons as to why a hive has died:
- Certain pesticides are harmful to bees. Most pesticides have labels that indicate if they are harmful to pollinators. You must always read instructions of a pesticide before usage.
- The bees starved to death. A true indication of this happening is if you discover bees inside their cells with their butt pointing out. This occurs mostly in the winter and a big reason is due to the weather being too cold or a beekeeper harvesting too much honey, which is why honey should be harvested in the springtime.
- The hive was impacted by a disease. Varroa mites can infiltrate a hive and spread many diseases that impact the health of the bees. Over time, if left untreated, the bees will begin to die. A telltale sign of a mite infestation is discovering a dead colony inside of a hive that’s full of honey.
The honeybee community understands how detrimental it is to discover a colony collapse no matter what the reasoning is. As a homeowner, there are some ways for you to get involved with helping the bees:
- Plant a bee garden that encourages pollination. They typically include bee-friendly plants like lavender, cosmos, bee balm, butterfly bushes, geraniums, marigolds, and so many other options.
- Support local beekeepers and organizations by purchasing honey, beeswax products like soap, lotions, and candles, and you could also donate your time to volunteering for local beekeeping societies.
- Creating a bee bath is a simple way to give back. Use a bird bath and place pebbles or rocks in shallow water to allow bees to take breaks and drink water.
If you discover a beehive on or around your property, be sure to reach out to your local certified honeybee removal company to ensure the safety of the hive and colony.
Apr 19, 2022 | Pest Control
When you’re planning and planting your garden this year, every homeowner should consider adding some plants that attract honeybees to your yard. Allowing honeybees to enter your yard can help assist them with the very important job they have – pollinating. Honeybees alone can pollinate up to 80 percent of all flowering plants, including fruits and vegetables. It’s vital to give them the space they need to complete this task.
Honeybees have incredible ultraviolet vision. They are unable to see the color red but can see colors that are on the ultraviolet spectrum. They can also use odor cues to locate flowers nearby. Many flowers attract bees, including bee balm, echinacea, snapdragon, hostas, and evening primrose. Continue reading to discover which flowers you should plant in your garden next.
- Bee Balm: This fragrant foliage is also known as wild bergamot and will attract these little pollinators to your yard. Keep these planted in a sunny spot for spring and summer blooms.
- Marigold: These golden flowers are typically planted alongside food-producing plants to keep unwanted pests away, but they still attract honeybees to the area. This will help aid in the growth of your other plants.
- Mint: This is a great herb that any gardener should keep in their garden, but it is also a good attractant for honeybees. Don’t forget to place this herb in a pot by itself, as it is known to choke nearby plants.
- Pansy: These year-round flowering plants love the cool weather, so it’s best to plant them in early fall and spring. They are great for an added touch of color and keep the bees happy.
- Lavender: Bees love this fragrant plant and will make a beeline for it. Lavender also provides many other benefits for your health and can be used in many recipes.
- Sunflower: These flowers are best planted in the spring for summer blooms. They can be placed in the back of the garden or dispersed throughout, but they supply a great place for honeybees to work.
These are just a few of the flowers that attract honeybees to your garden to help elevate pollinating. Making sure honeybees have a place to work is important for all humans and the environment. Even planting just one of these plants in your yard is enough to assist the bees.
If you notice a bee colony is nearby and needs to be moved to a safer location, then reach out to your local pest control company that can provide a safe bee relocation.
