Honey Bees

Identification

• About ½” long

• Hairy appearance

• Orange-ish brown color (usually striped looking)

• Females have stingers which they may use if provoked

• Hindmost set of legs flattened to help carry pollen

Environment

• Swarms start out on a tree branch before moving to a permanent site

• Permanent sites include bee hives, hollow trees, hollow walls, attics, etc., essentially anywhere that is sheltered from the weather

Threats

• May sting if provoked, harming the bee directly, or approaching the hive

• May build nests inside structures, which if not removed properly can lead to damage (due to cooling honey seeping through sheet rock) or a secondary pest infestation

Treatment

• Treatment is only done if the bees pose a threat, for example someone with extreme allergic reactions to stings, or if they are inside a structure

• Treatment is generally removal of all of the insects and the hive, including the honey comb

• Prevention is the best method, limit available nesting spaces and limit the number of attractive flowering plants in the area to discourage bees from entering the area at all

• Bees are protected as pollinators, so treatment is only enacted when the bees are deemed a nuisance, and removal is always the first choice over other treatment options