Bees - potential invasion

[stewartingram]

We appear to be infested - if that is the word - by bees. I live in a bungalow, and have noticed bees appearing to go into the roof area underneath the tiles, above the gutter. May not be the loft but possibly inside the wooden box section located behind the gutter. I've been in the loft for a quick look but haven't found anything yet, difficult to see because of loft insulation and overflow frow the wall insulation.

I had a look on the local council website for pest control (Fenland District Council). They don't provide any service themselves but have a contractor signed up to do the job, and suggest contacting them. There are charges involved. Advice is that bees are not considered a pest and it is best to leave alone as they are beneficial to the environment. However in certain circumstances they will assist by getting a beekeeper to take them away (again with charges, basically if "vulnerable people" are affected.

We first noticed the problem when we seemed to be getting regular visits by bees in the conservatory (when windows and doors open) and the kitten started catching them, actually involving 2 costly trips to the vets! Since then the neighbour has pointed out the bees congregating around the bottom of the tiles. I shall probably have a closer inspection when I've finished this night shift tonight.

In the meantime can anyone advise? Whilst I take on board the council comments - have a read on their website - do I leave them alone and will they just go or what? Is there likely to be any damage or side effects to them being there? Bear in mind I do use the loft, it is wired and partially floored, mainly for magazine storage in boxes. Also son-in-law is mid way through upgrading our central heating plumbing so will be working up there.

[Harbottle]

"... as they are beneficial to the environment."

But the bungalow is your home. Are they beneficial to YOUR environment? Get rid of them.

As for potential dangers to your kitten. A dog breeder told me some years ago that she keeps a length of small rubber tube at home, and when they take the dog out in the car, in case the dog gets a bee or wasp in its' mouth and is stung. A sting can cause an animal's throat to swell and block it's airway. A length of rubber tube eased into the animal's airway can enable it to breathe until the swelling goes down.

[PhilH]

Normally a local beekeeper will be glad to come and get the swarm to put into his hives.

[Welchester]

Could you find a local beekeeper and contact him directly? We found this very helpful when a swarm started to make a home in one of our trees; and the beekeeper was glad to increase his stock.

[bertiedog]

We appear to be infested - if that is the word - by bees. I live in a bungalow, and have noticed bees appearing to go into the roof area underneath the tiles, above the gutter. May not be the loft but possibly inside the wooden box section located behind the gutter. I've been in the loft for a quick look but haven't found anything yet, difficult to see because of loft insulation and overflow frow the wall insulation.

I had a look on the local council website for pest control (Fenland District Council). They don't provide any service themselves but have a contractor signed up to do the job, and suggest contacting them. There are charges involved. Advice is that bees are not considered a pest and it is best to leave alone as they are beneficial to the environment. However in certain circumstances they will assist by getting a beekeeper to take them away (again with charges, basically if "vulnerable people" are affected.

We first noticed the problem when we seemed to be getting regular visits by bees in the conservatory (when windows and doors open) and the kitten started catching them, actually involving 2 costly trips to the vets! Since then the neighbour has pointed out the bees congregating around the bottom of the tiles. I shall probably have a closer inspection when I've finished this night shift tonight.

In the meantime can anyone advise? Whilst I take on board the council comments - have a read on their website - do I leave them alone and will they just go or what? Is there likely to be any damage or side effects to them being there? Bear in mind I do use the loft, it is wired and partially floored, mainly for magazine storage in boxes. Also son-in-law is mid way through upgrading our central heating plumbing so will be working up there.

 

Try to find a local bee keeper, and ask for help, bees are in declining numbers and they should be interested. It depends of the species of course.

 

 

The bees cause little damage etc, but the nuisance is large. With the conservatory try US style wood edged fine mesh screen panels, and a screen door, full ventilation and light, but no bugs in the house.

If the house is sufficiently dry and warm in the roofing edge, the conditions will attract them, along with local food from gardens and nearby farms and orchards.

 

The roof space can have screen material added to keep them from access to the whole roof area. Nylon net curtain can be used along each eave, about 6 inch in from the edge, simply tacked with a staple gun to secure.

 

With screen fitted no further attention should be needed. Do check that the species is not a type that bore in to soft masonry or mortar.

 

Stephen.

 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

Beekeepers around your area - http://www.city-listings.co.uk/chatteris/entertainment_media/pets_and_animals/beekeepers/

[Ragtag]

Advice is that bees are not considered a pest and it is best to leave alone

 

That's probably the best option. Certain species will burrow into wood to nest but these are generally solitary bees, and it sounds like you have a good number in a social nest. That being the case there shouldn't be any risk of structural damage. Can you provide a more detailed description, or even better, a photograph? "bee" covers a wide range of species

 

I'd hazard a guess based on the location that its a species of bumblebee, but it's also possible that they're feral honeybees (though these are becoming increasingly rare). Certain native bumblebees are known to nest in old bird boxes, roof spaces etc. Generally bees only pose a problem if they swarm, but it sounds like this is just general nesting behaviour. They should be harmless unless you actively disturb them near their nest. If that's the case try to leave them alone and by September/October they should be gone - if you don't want them to return look to block their access then. If their nest is impeding work on the house, contact your local Wildlife Trust first - they should be able to advise on local contractors able to move the bees to a safe location. Having a contractor destroy the nest should always be a last resort as there is a national decline of native bumblebees - largely due to a diminishing number of suitable nesting sites (their preferred sites being old rodent nests).

 

I'll be able to tell you more once you've described the bees

 

 

 

Stu

 

 

EDIT: It's worth noting that many beekeepers will only be interested in removing honeybees (they 'transplant' them into artificial hives and use them for honey production - effectively charging you to take something they'd otherwise buy elsewhere). I'd still make your first port of call the Wildlife Trust.

[Arthur]

I had an infestation in a capped off chimney a while back where they had chewed a small hole in the concrete cap. They would sometimes return and drop down the wrong chimney so I had quite a few appearing in the sitting room. I contacted the local council who sent their man round and though, as he said, it was a pity to kill them, having fairly large numbers of bees in your house is not a good thing. He basically poisoned them with the kind of white powder you can buy in supermarkets. I went up on the roof with him as he spread it around the chimney cap. Bees not very happy I can tell you!! If we'd fallen off the roof we wouldn't have got down any faster than we did!

 

Comment has been made here that they are not a problem but you've already had two large vets bills because of them, sounds like a problem to me.

 

Local beekeeper sounds like a good first step but if that fails I think you may need to resort to more drastic measures.

[Ragtag]

you may need to resort to more drastic measures

 

You must identify the bees before taking any action of the type Arthur is suggesting. This is for your own good. If your bees are indeed bumblebees they are protected and it is illegal to kill them yourself. If you are found to be doing so you can face a £25,000 fine in a Magistrate's court.

[Robert]

I am not a bee expert, but I would be surprised if these are bumble bees. Bumble bees don't swarm in the way that honey bees do - a large bumble bee nest won't contain more than about 50 bees.

 

Several years ago, my parents had a swarm of honey bees in their cavity wall - local beekeepers were contacted, but weren't interested due to the risk of introducing disease from the wild bees into their own hives. They recommended calling pest controllers. As it turned out, it was unnecessary - the bees moved on after a couple of days.

 

Last summer, I had a wasp nest in the garden. I did my best to try and live with them - after all, I figured they didn't have any less right to be there than I did. However, when my son and I got "attacked" (for want of a better word) and stung by a large group of wasps while watering the garden I decided enough was enough. It sounds like you are in a similar position, already having had two vets bills.

[Ragtag]

The OP has not described a swarm, or swarming behaviour, though. It sounds to me like a few foragers returning to their nest site.

 

 

[PrestburyJack]

Have you actually seen the bees, or do you just hear them when the football is on?

 

Quote: Wikipedia: 'The vuvuzela .............. Commentators have described the sound as .............. "a giant hive full of very angry bees".

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuvuzela

 

[cromptonnut]

Just tell them to buzz off?

 

I'll get me coat...

[45156]

Whatever you decide, do be careful, as the laws about protection of some species are very strict indeed - we had a roost of pipistrelle bats in our loft space at our last house, and spoke to the Nature Conservancy people, who passed our details to the Bat Conservation Trust, who offered a visit from an expert, and who then kept in touch with us for over a year afterwards - they also supplied a plastic warning notice to be put at the entrance to the area stating that this was a bat roost - they also warned us that we could only get building work carried out with their consent. I was fascinated by them, but one night they all disappeared and never came back. BUT - this illustrates what can happen if you disturb a protected species.

[Gwiwer]

We are licensed beekeepers and although we are in Australia we keep European honey bees.

 

Are you SURE you have bees and not wasps or hornets? My advice relates ONLY to bees and the correct action would be different for other insects. Bees have an almost placid drone sound in flight, wasps sound rather more angry with more "buzz" and hornets produce a distinctive and angry-sounding hum.

 

If you do is almost certain that you have honey bees of one kind or another. It sounds as though they have swarmed at some time and decided to make a home in your loft. This is perfectly natural behaviour for bees who are for the most part colonial. It is also almost certainly harmless to you provided you do not need to come within a metre or so of them at any time. They will not "just go"; it is now their home and they need to be expertly removed.

 

The best advice is to not interfere with or get close to the bees at any time.

 

Bees natural predator is the bear. The more you resemble a bear the more likely it is that the sentry bees may follow you and - if they feel it necessary in the interest of their hive - attack you. That is in the form of the well-known sting.

 

If you must get close to where the bees are then try not to look like a bear; it might sound silly but you are far less likely to be of interest to them wearing white than brown. Why do you think many beekeeping suits are that colour?

 

Bees also have moods and tempers the same as any living thing; they are more active on warm sunny days and are grumpy on cooler and especially windy days. Grumpy bees are more likely to defend themselves.

 

It is very probably in your best interests to contact a local beekeeping society or individual beekeeper and ask that they be removed. There will probably be a fee for this but given the urgent need to maintain bee numbers any healthy colony will be of interest. Do not get involved in the collection process and follow any directions given in terms of your personal safety.

 

Once a colony has been removed they will not return.

 

Until they have gone always check that none has followed you into the house including being attached to your clothing; sentry bees will pursue a predator for a considerable distance and are known to settle on clothes and enter homes with you.

 

If you or anyone else is stung then follow these procedures:-

 

1. Try not to panic or worry - sitting calmly down is the best first response;

2. If you have a known allergy to bee stings use an epipen or if you don't have one available arrange to be driven to your nearest medical treatment centre or hospital A&E department with the sting still present if possible;

3. If you know you do not have an allergy and the sting is still present tease it gently backwards towards its point of entry but do not press on it; if it won't come out easily seek medical assistance;

4. If the sting has dropped out or has been removed sit quietly with someone who has not been stung and bathe the affected area in a solution of bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder); one teaspoon to a pint of water.

5. It is normal to feel a hot stinging sensation which usually reduces to a warm burning feel within an hour or so and may be accompanied by slight redness and slight swelling but if the symptoms do not subside or if there is ANY sign of greater reaction then assume the reaction is an allergy and arrange to get medical help. DO NOT drive yourself - if you are having an allergic reaction there is a risk that your control and judgement will be impaired or suddenly lost.

6. Drink water in preference to any form of stimulant such as tea, coffee or alcohol until the initial stinging has subsided.

 

It is normal for bee stings to be felt for 24 - 48 hours afterwards and for the swelling to take a day or more beyond that to reduce though in many cases the effects are much shorter.