There are a lot more common pests around the house than bees, but when a bee infestation strikes it’s not only a nuisance but can be very dangerous.
Most people experience a minor reaction such as localised pain and a small white spot around the sting. Around ten percent of people have a stronger reaction such as extreme redness or swelling over a number of days. A severe allergic reaction – anaphylaxis – occurs in approximately three percent of the population. This can be life-threatening and requires emergency treatment, so bee infestations in and around your home should be taken seriously.
One of the telltale signs of a bee problem is the smell. It has been described as a smell similar to the odour of garden mulch.
A problem with bees is not just something that only happens to bee keepers,
it is a very real suburban problem in neighbourhoods across Australia.
Frequently bees decide to congregate and build hives in dark, dry
and sometimes tight little crevices around your home or office.
Bees like places that are not often used – like chimneys – and other extremely darkened areas where they can build their hives and reproduce.
Sometimes just finding the nest or hive to begin with is the toughest part of treating
a bee infestation. When the hive is well concealed the only evidence may be a large number of bees flying in a common area. If you can safely keep your distance without getting stung you will probably be able to see where bees are entering and exiting a wall or roof space.
Unfortunately you may not even realise you have a bee infestation problem requiring pest control until someone has
already been stung.
Signs of bee infestation
A strange smell or seeing more bees than
you normally would are usually the first signs of a bee problem.
The smell is similar to that of cut grass which has been left laying in the
sun, or a mild backyard mulch heap.
The backyard mulch heap smell is not pleasant to live with too close
to your home or your office and it usually means there are lots of bees very close by.
Some ways of checking an area for bees hives include:
- Smoking them out, if you think there is a bee hive in your chimney you
can simply slight a fire inside – but be careful to ensure the flue opening
is closed in an open fire place so that the swarm of bees does not fly elsewhere
in your house. If the hive is not in the chimney, light a piece
of newspaper and place it just outside the area you think is infested. When
the paper begins smoking put the flame out and standby;
- A common supermarket brand surface spray can be used to test indoor and
outdoor areas you suspect bees may be breeding. If you do spray, just don’t stand around waiting to see if the bees come out.
If the infestation is small the bees may die inside the hole, but if the
hive is large don’t want to be in the past of angry bees.
If you are allergic to bees you should definitely call in a professional pest controller to help you eradicate the problem. Even if you’re not allergic, if you cannot locate their hives or confidently remove the bee infestation yourself then it also time to get a bee removal expert in to do the job.