Got the spring cleaning bug? Time to spruce up the inside and outside of your house? While you’re at it, you might also want to plant some flowers, but don’t forget to bee proof your home.
From now to July is prime swarming time for bees in North America. What does this mean? Honey bees are collecting pollen for next winter. The hive is growing, and it becomes too big, so it splits into two different colonies. The colony that leaves the old hive behind is looking for new digs – and you don’t want that to be your house! Now is an excellent time to bee proof your residence, so the hive that split doesn’t pick your wall or eave to make their new residence.
Bees pick North Texas houses to move into every day. Many of the calls Little Giant Beekeepers receive are from homeowners that suspect a hive has moved into their house. The unfortunate news is by the point they realize a colony has picked their home as a location, the hive is already established in an eave or wall of their house.
Bees can move into a structure through a hole that is only a quarter of an inch. So, the first step in spring bee prevention is to go around the outside of your house with a caulking gun and seal any holes in the structure. Metal screening also works well for more significant entries. You want to do this before you see any bees on your property because by then it could be too late.
If you see scout bees buzzing around your house, or bees flying inside the house, you should start sealing your holes immediately. If the swarm is already on your property, scout bees may have picked your house for their next hive. The idea is to act quickly because when they find the perfect location, bees move fast!
Another essential spring cleaning item is to remove clutter from your yard. Bees love to move into grills, lawn equipment and unused junk on your property…anything that might provide shelter for a hive. So, it is a great idea to get rid of the junk laying around, so they move on to a better location.
You might be reading this blog for information because you have previously had problems with honey bees. If you had a honey bee infestation in your house, you need to make sure all the honeycomb is removed and the area cleaned out thoroughly. Often the hive is located behind an eave or wall, and people do not go to the trouble to remove the honeycomb after the bees are removed. This is an essential step of the honeybee removal process because leftover honeycomb can attract new bees and colonies. Bees smell the pheromones from the previous bees and move back.
Little Giant Beekeepers provides a turnkey service – from removal, clean-up, and fixing any carpentry after. We make sure there are no leftover honeycombs and pheromones that come with them.
If you suspect a swarm has moved in, please call Little Giant Beekeepers to talk about the next steps to take to remove the bees. We can come safely remove the swarm for a fee and relocate them to an apiary. Call 972-316-9135 for a free consultation.
Photo by Alturas Homes from Pexels
