We have had many call outs over the last few days due to the warmer weather which has triggered swarms of honey bees. As a rule we do not eradicate any bees but we can help our clients move them. In the video below in Lasswade, near Edinburgh, we gave the small caste a helping hand to go and join the rest of the colony further up by opening the window without destroying them.
Bees are often confused with wasps because they have a similar shape. However, wasps have distinct yellow/black bands around the abdomen whereas bees have a more non-descript light brown/brown-yellow colour. Bees tend to be ‘hairy’ to allow pollen to be gathered more easily whilst wasps tend to be bald and shiny in appearance.
Honey bees are social insects and live in a nest which may contain several thousand workers. Unlike wasps and bumble bees, the honey bees’ nest survives for many years.
If you are unsure as to whether you have a wasp’s nest or bee’s nest you should look carefully at the brickwork to see if they are going in or out of a single hole/air brick or investigating several holes over an area wider than one foot.
Wasps will use a single hole but masonry bees will investigate several. A further test is whether or not the activity continues on cold overcast days or just warm sunny days. Masonry bees will only be active on sunny days.
Bee Removal Services in Edinburgh
Anglo Scottish Pest Control can provide expert bee services for clients in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Whether you just need some advice on what to do about swarming bees or need a bee nest carefully removed, we can help you. We do not harm or exterminate bees.
Author - Gavin Lindsay
Gavin is the owner and founder of Anglo Scottish Pest Control. He has been a professional pest controller since 1989.
