How to get rid of bees

While removing or approaching an active hive on your own is definitely not recommended, here are some ways on how to deter bees, wasps and hornets from nesting.

You can discourage attracting these stinging pests near to your home and areas frequented by people especially at lawns, sidewalks and doorways by keeping them free of flowering trees and shrubs.

We can equip ourselves with some simple tips to prevent potential sting risks especially when you are outdoors:

• Avoid fragrance, or scented applications such as body lotion or mist and hair spray
• Bright colours or floral print attires might attract bees attention
• Avoid resting near high-risk bees area such as flowers and plants
• Stay calm and do not do dramatic actions that might provoke bees
• Loose fitting clothing might raise entry opportunities for these bees
• Ensure you wear proper closed up footwear to avoid feet being stung

Know the Do's and Don'ts when you encounter bees, stay calm, protect yourself, be aware and always seek proper medical attention should you ever get a sting!

Carpenter Bees often only attack wood that is unpainted. If you have wooden structures, landscapes and features, protect them with a layer of repellent material to discourage carpenter bees boring circular holes.

Professional help in controlling bees such as removal of bee hives are just a call away. You should never attempt to remove it on your own.

How to get rid of bees, wasps and hornets in your home and business

Firstly, proper identification of the type of species is required and then to find out the location of the hive. Removing the nest is done by pest control experts dressed in full bee suit. Safety is always priority in getting rid of bees, wasps and hornets to minimise any risk of getting a sting.

Identifying a bee hives

Note their flight paths; watch the worker bees leave and come back to the nest. This is what can be described as a flight path that most bee workers take.

Identifying a wasp nest

Wasps make their nests from chewed wood pulp and saliva, giving them distinctive papery walls. Nests are usually built in sheltered spots with easy access to the outside. You can often find wasp nests in wall cavities, roof spaces, under eaves, in bird boxes, sheds or garages. To locate a nest, carefully watch the flight path of the returning wasps.

What about hornets? It is often confused with wasps. Here are some differences to clarify your confusion:

• Size of the colony – wasps colony tend to be smaller
• Shape and placement of nest – hornets build large nests on tree branches
• Size or length of the body – hornets are on estimates 1 to 1.5 inches long
• Colour – Hornets are usually black and white with some brownish and reddish appearance
• Diet – Hornets do not like sweet consumption

How do we tell if that is a wasps or hornet nest? What is the difference between hornet and bee hives?

• Hornet nests are usually grey in colour, and it looks like paper-finishing appearance.
• They are often found very high above, such as trees or roof
• Within the nest, see if there is a huge colony present with up to 700 workers

The most effective way to get rid of wasps or hornets is to treat the main cause of the problem – the nest. Removing a nest can be very dangerous. Wasps inside the nest will feel threatened and often become aggressive. This could cause them to sting you and others as they defend their nest and young. To reduce the risk of stings to you and your family, arrange for a professional wasp nest treatment to keep you safe from threat of stings.

Pest control professionals may also recommend a nest treatment time to be in the evening when all worker bees fly back to the hive. However Rentokil will only remove hives and nests which pose immediate threat to residential and humans in near vicinity.

To find the right professional pest control company, you need to ensure the entire organization, as well as the pest control technicians are able to fulfill key criteria.

You should expect the same level of competence and duty of care as provided by any other professional service provider.

A good pest partner should be able to anticipate and answer all your health and safety concerns. Services and treatments should be tailored to suit your needs as much as possible.

Crucially a professional should also respect your home, property or business site and operate with the greatest care and attention. He or she should be able to voice any challenges or restrictions right from the start. Equally, as a customer, you should always feel able to voice any concerns and ask as many questions as you need to.

Key criteria for selection:

1. Certifications - licenses and certifications will demonstrate that your treatments are carried out to the highest industry standard practices.
2. Personal recommendations - even today, word-of-mouth and personal recommendations can be more powerful than a company’s own word. Speak to neighbors, peers, friends or family to find out about customer satisfaction.
3. Transparency - complete honesty and transparency early-on regarding the cost, level and duration of treatment required will help you see if the company is reliable.
4. Expertise & experience - a well established, recognized company can offer a peace of mind in the services provided and its relationship with customers.

With Rentokil Pest Control, you can be assured of complete pest protection.

Our focus on control solutions will ensure complete removal of your pest problem. At the same time, our approach to pest protection will help your home or business remain pest-free long-term.

We have been providing pest control services globally to both homes and businesses for more than 90 years, our expertise in the industry should reassure you of the quality of our service and our expertly trained pest control technicians.

• We tailor our products to target pests by species.
• We customize our solutions based on the uniqueness of your home, building or business premises - recognizing that every pest problem is different.
• We use advanced solutions approved by industry governing bodies - helping to ensure reliability and success.
• Our large network of entomologists and field biologists support the services and products used by our technicians on-site.