Bees are vital for our environment. But they’re also obnoxious neighbors. In Tucson, they’re not just obnoxious. Since our bee population is abundant with Africanized bees, these neighbors can also be deadly. The danger of their stings isn’t your only concern. Their hives also add weight, pressure, and decay that threaten your property structures. Their honey can also attract other pests, snowballing your bee problem into a potential pest catastrophe. The solution to this is bee removal.
You might wonder if you can do it yourself. But despite potential urges to cut costs, novice bee removals in Tucson will likely result in a medical emergency.
If you’re still tempted, read on to understand why we warn against DIY bee removal. Understand why the effort is not worth the risk, and why you should call an expert to remove Africanized bees from your property.
The Danger of Africanized Honey Bees
Tucson, Arizona has a “killer bee” problem. Considered an invasive species, Africanized honey bees are not native to the US and will kill an entire European bee colony to take its place. Almost all bee colonies you’ll encounter in Tucson are Africanized honey bee colonies.
They’re called killer bees because of their persistent aggression and quick reactiveness. As opposed to western honey bees, who will stop chasing intruders after a reasonable distance, Africanized bees can chase a person for a quarter of a mile.
These bees also look a lot like their western counterparts, and won’t let you take a closer look to make sure. So while an Africanized beehive in your yard is hazardous, you should never try to handle it on your own.
Africanized honey bees have killed around 1000 humans and other animals. Victims also receive 10x more stings than victims of European bee attacks.
No novice should ever attempt to remove an Africanized honey bee colony. A professional bee removal service will use measures that are aggressive and safe enough for both them and the bees.
Hazard to the Bees
Doing no harm during bee removals is vital. Bees, even Africanized killer bees, are crucial environmental aides that pollinate and help agriculture thrive. They’re also endangered, which makes their safety even more important.
Even if you’re careful, you could still harm the bees you’re removing. Certain bees will also die if they sting, resulting in lost lives and injury to you.
If a beehive is on your property, call an expert so they’re safely relocated. They’re experts for a reason — they know how to prevent injury to themselves and to the bees they’re removing.
Not a Permanent Solution
Somehow, you got lucky and got rid of a killer beehive scot-free. But rookie bee removals are still usually temporary solutions. That’s because all traces of the bees and their honey/honeycomb byproducts must be completely removed during a removal.
This is difficult because they might have stored their honey in surrounding, hard-to-see places. The bees’ pheromones can also linger, which would thwart your hard work. These pheromones will attract other bees, creating another killer bee colony in the place of the one you displaced.
Your bee removal might also create another, worse problem. Residual honey/honeycomb will attract hungry insects and pests that aren’t warded off by defensive bees. Then you’ll have a pest problem that does more damage to your property.
Preventative Measures
You shouldn’t try to remove bees on your own, but you can prevent them from nesting on your property. The honey bee, carpenter bee, and ground bee are some of the most common bee types you’ll encounter in Tucson. We’ll cover preventative methods specific to each type below.
Africanized Honey Bee
All these measures require the disposal of sweet, sugary food sources. Make sure your backyard mealtime habits don’t create conditions that necessitate an Africanized honey bee removal.
- Throw away sweet foods as soon as they’re finished
- These include: ice cream, fruits, juice, etc
- Rinse out containers before disposing of them
- Take out outdoor trash cans diligently
- Hose them down afterward
- Keep open food containers covered when not consuming
- Eliminate open water sources outdoors
- Install a running water feature for landscaping accessories such as fountains, birdbaths, etc
- Fill all cracks and crevices in outdoor walls
- Clean up refuse and debris
- Fill up holes in the ground
- Bees will nest in open cavities
- Avoid planting strongly sweet-smelling and/or brightly colored flowers
- → if you do, plant aromatics such as lemongrass, mint, thyme, fennel, and hyssop next to these areas
- Eliminate open water sources outdoors
- Install a turbulent water feature for landscaping accessories such as fountains, birdbaths, etc
- → if you have open water sources, plant aromatics such as lemongrass, mint, thyme, fennel, and hyssop next to these areas
- If you cannot plant aromatic vegetation, use essential oils with those scents and spray/apply them onto your plants daily
- You can add essential oils to your watering system
Africanized honey bees can travel miles and miles from their hive to search for food. Even if you don’t see any near your property, careless outdoor food handling can result in a killer beehive in your backyard.
Carpenter Bee
Carpenter bees are attracted to untreated, unpainted wood. Homes with lots of outdoor wood are carpenter bee magnets.
- Treat and paint all outdoor wood
- Check fences, doors, furniture, windowsills, etc
- Fill or cover crevices in wooden surfaces
- This will prevent carpenter bees from establishing their colony in hard-to-reach wooden openings
These bees like old, soft trees to tunnel in the best. So if you’ve been meaning to cut down that old, rotting tree in your backyard, do it as soon as possible. If you don’t want to treat/paint any remaining trees, call an expert for a carpenter bee removal if they end up homing their colony there.
Ground Bee
Ground bees like making themselves at home by burrowing in dry, open ground. With these tips, you can also pressure present ground bee colonies from sticking around for long. Of course, if you’d like to speed up the process, call a professional ground bee removal service.
- Cover open ground
- Use tall grass, flower beds, landscaping ornaments, etc
- Water your yards more often
Out of all bees mentioned here, they’re generally the least obstructive and stay in place the shortest. They may even make your backyard’s flora even better-looking through pollination. So you might not mind their presence until they decide to seek a new home.
Call a Professional for a Bee Removal Today!
Do not attempt to remove bee colonies from your home alone. Though you may want to deal with your pest problem as soon as possible, you might end up in danger.
Looking for a local bee removal expert in Tucson, Arizona? Then contact us at Gecko Pest Management today! We’ll make sure that your hive is removed with a confident guarantee that no one is stung.
