Bees

Bees are less aggressive than wasps and much less likely to sting.

They are generally fatter and rounder in appearance than wasps, which are very hairy and have a longer, thinner body.

As bees are highly beneficial to the environment and it is believed that some species are under threat, they should not be killed and bee hives should be left undisturbed whenever possible.

All steps are taken to avoid harming bees, however, there are cases when a bee hive might be removed:

• If bee hive is in the home and poses a risk to occupants
• If hive is near to people known to be allergic to bee stings

How To Identify Bees

There are many different species of bees, but the species people are most familiar with are probably Bumble bees, Honey bees and Solitary bees.

Bumble bee

Although Bumble bees (Bombus sp) can sting you, they are very reluctant to use their sting. These bees are very important for pollination of food crops. There is no need to treat Bumble bees as they are not considered a pest and are very valuable to the environment.

Honey bee

A common species of honey bee is the Apis mellifera (endangered in Ireland). Honey bees are maintained by beekeepers to produce and store honey.

Solitary bee

These bees live as single bees and they are fairly harmless. Solitary bees will only sting if provoked. The best example of such a bee is the Masonry bee, e.g. Andrena spp. Masonry bees can cause damage to pointing in external walls.

Getting Rid of Bees

Contact your local beekeeper if you have a problem with Honey bees and need the hive to be removed.

Beekeepers often use a method of smoking, which calms the bees down, to remove and relocate the hive.

Contact Rentokil Ireland on 1890 666 444 for further advice about bees.