S & W Pest Management Inc : Insect Guide

Pest Guide » Stinging and Biting » Honeybees:

Honeybees
Apis nekkufera Linnaeus
Color: Predominantly golden-yellow with brown bands
Legs: Six
Shape: Oval; bee shape
Size: 1/2"
Antennae: Yes
Flight: Yes

Honey Bees are one of the most important insects on the planet. They are an extremely important beneficial insect because of their role in pollination. Honey bees pollinate more than 100 crops in the U.S. The European Honey Bee is the species most prevalent in the United States though the Africanized Honey Bee seems to get all the press.

Honey bee nests are active all year. Nests can become quite large, most average 10,000 to 20,000 bees, but it is not uncommon for nests to have more than 50,000. Honeybees produce honey from nectar of the plants they pollinate. They store the honey in honeycombs in their nests. Honeybees do sting, but they only sting once. The sting can be extremely painful if the stinger is not immediately removed from the sting. Persons allergic to insect stings will have a more severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

In the wild, honeybees most often nest inside cavities of trees, caves and cracks in rock formations. But occasionally, a colony will nest inside in a home in places such as a crawl space, an attic, a wall void, or a chimney.

Prevention:

Because of the aggressive nature of Africanized Honeybees and the large of their nests, a pest control professional must address any bee infestation. If you are chased by bees, run in a zigzag pattern and seek shelter in a house or car.

Be alert for bees coming in and out of an opening such as a crack in a wall, or the hole in a utility box.
Listen for the hum of an active bee colony.
Look for bees in holes in the ground, trees or sheds.

It is important to seek professional pest management services to address an infestation.

If you would like to make an appointment with S & W Pest Management, please fill out the online appointment form or call 1-877-989-BUGS.