Bees are fascinating creatures to watch and study. One thing you do not want to observe is a bee colony moving into your house.
With the extra time spent at home this year, it is an excellent time to bee-proof your home to avoid bees from moving in.
Why Should I Bee-Proof My Home?
In the spring and early summer, bees are busily expanding their population. Once a hive gets too big, the colony splits. Half leave with a queen to find a new place to live.
One would hope they would find a charming abode in an abandoned tree trunk in a wooded area far away from humans; unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Many bees find a nice place to live much closer to humans – your home. Perhaps they choose a nice nesting site inside the voids and empty spaces of your house.
Roof eaves are a particularly popular hive area. Honeybees like small entrances that have space behind them. So bees can enter a hole you didn’t even realize you had and create a hive.
How to Bee-Proof Your Home
1. Seal the house up
The first step you must take to bee-proof your home is to make sure all crevices, cracks, and small holes are filled. Bees can enter through a crack as little as 1/8 of an inch. Bees like to nest in the bigger area that lies behind these small holes. So if you close the entry, there is no way in. Armed with a caulking gun, walk around your house with a sharp eye looking for tiny holes. Be especially vigilant about the spaces by windows and the outside walls. Remember, it is much easier to seal a hole than remove a whole nest that settled behind a wall.
Another way to stop bees from entering is the simple use of weather stripping and door seals. Not only will you save on energy, but you will decrease the chance of bees and other bugs entering your home.
If you have a larger area that needs protection, then you might want to attach metal screening. Screens to cover vents around attics and under the house can go a long way to protect your time. Bees and other insects have a hard time penetrating the metal.
2. Clean up
Little Giant Beekeepers often get calls about beehives located in a yard in an old grill or other junk piled up. An easy remedy to get rid of this problem is to simply keep the yard clean. Get rid of debris and trash. A good clean up will deter bees from moving into tantalizing homes in your yard. There is nothing scarier than running across a beehive as you head out to explore the junk you’ve collected in your backyard. At that point, you will probably have to throw the junk away anyway as bees can return to a nesting area again if not properly treated.
3. Get rid of excess water sources
Just like us, bees need water to survive. We often get calls from people with pools who see a lot of bee activity. Bees love an easy water source, like a leaky faucet. Get rid of the water, get rid of the bees, and other summer bugs like roaches – ick. You can also save money when you fix a leaky faucet.
4. Confront the problem
Another important note is if you do see a bee, address the problem quickly. Bees are small, but they are mighty in numbers. If you happen to see a bee coming in and out of a hole around your house, think fast. If you hear buzzing, it might be too late for preventative measures, and it is time to call a bee removal specialist.
Don’t let bees moving in bring your summer down. Call Little Giant Beekeepers for a free phone consultation at 972-980-0923.
