Are Those Bees Or Yellow Jackets That Are Residing In Your Walls?

Do You Have Bees or a Yellow Jacket Hive In Your Walls or Attic?

Is That Buzzing You Hear in Your Walls a Sign That Bees Or Yellow Jackets Have Invaded?

Bee Catchers Southern California

Have bees taken up residence in the walls or attic of your house or business location? The incessant humming you hear might be a signal to take action, depending on whether it requires getting rid of bees, yellow jacket eradication, or another pest or problem not yet determined. Before you do anything definitive, it would be smart to decide precisely what, if anything, is in fact sharing your space.

First, of course, you have to be mindful of the target. Do you hear buzzing almost continually in a particular location or do you suspect an invasion because you see a bee flying aimlessly throughout the room? If it’s just one bee flying into windows, it probably just lost its way and got into your abode by accident.

However, if you see a single or several bees moving back and forth from a specific spot, the chances are you have a hive that needs to be addressed. The first course of action is to just watch it quietly and locate the gap through which it enters and exits. Since these spaces can be minuscule, a flashlight is a big help in finding the exact spot. Conversely, it is possible that you never see any critters flying about your space, but you do hear that tell tale humming that seems to be coming from the walls. Once the precise location is determined, do not start poking around; there’s a reason the phrase “don’t disturb a hornet’s nest” is a cliche. Getting rid of bees is always best left to professionals.

When pinpointing which insect you’re harboring, you can start by checking the season. Generally speaking, if it is fall or winter, you probably have honey bees since yellow jackets seldom spend the colder months inside walls in most regions of the country. An in depth look at the visitor is also in order. Honey bees are about 2/3 inch long, are covered with hairs and have a form of basket on their back legs in which they collect yellow or dark green balls of pollen. They vary in color from yellow to black and have black or brown stripes across the abdomen.

Yellow jackets, however, don’t have the same thick hairs or the pollen baskets. They are somewhat smaller than honey bees and sport alternating stripes of yellow and black. If they build a nest in your residence, it will be invisible and the only clue you will have is to see them flying into cracks or crevices from the outside of the house. The ground bee is a variety of yellow jacket that creates nests in holes in the ground. They are often painfully hostile if disturbed by oblivious pedestrians or lawn mowers.

No one wants to share living quarters with stinging insects, so whether you’ve been invaded by bees or yellow jackets, there are experts one can call. Removal requires far more than “killing” the offending creatures. Eco-friendly bee removers will take care to remove the complete hive, repair any damage the invaders may have caused, and in the case of honey bees, find a bee keeper to take in the hive, thus doing their part to sustain this essential species. Calling an eco-responsible bee catcher is the recommended solution to rid your home of annoying, potentially painful, possibly lethal insects.

Bee Catchers provides immediate service 7 days a week, and have over 15 years experience in bee removal and relocation.  Call us today @ 866-544-0074 or 818-987-7477

Visit us online @ www.BeeCatchersSoCal.com

Bee Happy!

JAPANESE GIANT HORNETS

In the last article we wrote about Honeybees and how extremely crucial they are too
human and plant survival. Included in the article was a brief description of what an active
Honeybee hive consists of. For those who have not read the last article. Refer to……

Why Honeybees are so important and should not face extermination.
Offered is a recap, and short commentary explaining how an active, thriving Honeybee: hive
with 30.000 to 80,000 bees, survives and the responsibilities of the different bees within the hive.
1) There is only one Queen Bee in a hive. Responsibility; to lay up to 2000 eggs per day.
2) Worker bees are the most abundant in the hive. All are non-reproductive females. Duties, act
as nurses, builders, protectors, and nectar and pollen gatherers for the hive.
3) Drones are all males, less in numbers then workers. Only duty is to mate with the Queen Bee.
Note: Only Queen Bee and worker bees have stingers. Worker bees die after one sting. Queen
Bee can sting over an over without dying.

In the previous piece, we tried to make the public aware of how important it was to save
honeybees. Unfortunately, an unknown cause is decimating the honeybee population. Civilian
and Military Scientist are working feverishly to find the source, but unfortunately they have not
been successful. The good news is that they might be on to something. Lets all hope for the best.

Since the Honeybee was introduced to the United States from Europe, there are many
natural enemies of the honeybee, just to mention a few, parasites, mites, birds, frogs, wasps,
hornets, and bears, which love honey and destroy thousands of wild bee hives in wooded areas.
God knows that the honeybee does not need more enemies, especially man made or imported.

However, one enemy of the Honeybee does not reside in the United States. It resides in
Eastern Asia. Specifically in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Indochina. China. India.

It is the Asian giant hornet, or a subspecies known as THE JAPENESE GIANT HORNET!!!,
that has captured our interest.  It is the largest and the most fearsome hornet in the world. It is approximately 2 inches in  length, with a stinger approximately ¼ inch long. Its head and eyes are large and orange in color
with a banded brown and yellow abdomen. It uses its large mandibles, rather then its stinger to
crush its prey.  The reason why there is interest in this hornet is that the Japanese have a native
honeybee, but that specie does not produce the volume of honey that European honeybees
do. Therefore, the Japanese have imported European honeybees. Unfortunately the European
honeybee has very little or no defense against the Japanese giant hornet.
The native specie of honeybees unlike the European kind, have over time developed an
effective defense to combat these giant hornets. When a solo giant hornet lands on its nest, the
native honeybee forms a large ball and engulfs the hornet, causing its temperature to rise and in
turn kill it, thus not allowing it to leave a scent for others giant hornets to follow.
The European honeybee has no such defense. When a single giant hornet ( or scout) finds
a European honeybee hive, it secretes a pheromone that attracts other hornets. Once the giant
hornets discover a nest, a large number of them attack the beehive.

In a matter of hours, 30 giant  hornets can kill a honeybee hive of 30,000. Once a nest (or hive) is decimated, the giant hornets  remove the honeybee larvae and dead bees and return to their hive to feed them to their young.
As we first stated in this article, the Japanese Giant Hornets resides in Eastern Asia’s
warm and humid tropical areas but just as so many non-native species of plants, insects, and
animals have found their way into the United States and unfortunately survived. We certainly do
not need another enemy of the European honeybee. Let us keep hoping that this monster insect
remains in Eastern Asia.

Bee Catchers will continue to save bees. If you have questions about bees and before
you think of exterminating a beehive, remember how important they are to your survival, please
Call Bee Catchers at 866-544-0074 or visit our web site at www.BeeCatchersSoCal.com

Bee Happy!

Honeybees are one if not the most important insects alive. They are responsible for pollinating 80% of our fruits, vegetables, nuts, plants, grains, and most of the vegetation that grows in our forests and fields. Honeybees are most important when it comes to pollinating trees.

 Without Honeybees two-thirds of our citrus, nuts and some fruits would disappear in the coming years. Some scientist’s believe that the reduction of the Honeybee population is as serious a problem as global warming. 

 Someone said, (but not verified) that the late Albert Einstein once remarked that, “If all the Honeybees disappear through-out the world, mankind would exist for approximately four years.” It is so important that we do all we can to save the Honeybees, because a great number of Honeybees and their hives are dying at a rapid pace.

 The Honeybee population has shrunk from approximately 5.9 million to approximately 2.4 million in the last 50+ years. Since 2006, 20/40% of the hives have suffered “colony collapse.” The problem is so dire in California that local beekeepers are looking to import Honeybees from other states and foreign countries. The sad fact is that scientists have yet to discover the cause for the Honeybees rapid decline.                                                                                                                   

                          A SHORT HISTORY ABOUT THE HONEYBEE     

                      The Europeans introduced the Honeybee, to the United States, during the colonial period because of their ability to create large hives, pollinate crops, and produce large quantities of honey. The great Aristotle referred to honey, as nectar from the Gods. An active hive consists of a Queen, and anywhere from 40,000 to 80,000 worker bees and drones. There is only one Queen in the hive at any given time. Her responsibility is to lay approximately 2,000 eggs per-day. The largest number of bees in a hive is worker bees. They are all females and lack reproductive capabilities. At the early stage of their lives, they act as nurses, builders, and protectors of the hive. After they mature, their duty is to scout and retrieve nectar and pollen. The Queen and the worker bees are the only ones who have stingers. Worker bees only die when they sting humans because they have a barb on the end of their stinger that will not allow it to retract it from the thickness of human skin. Queens can sting repeatedly because their stinger does not have a barb and is therefore smooth. Drones are males and their only function is to mate with the Queen. There are far fewer drones then worker bees in a hive.

                              Think carefully before you consider exterminating the Honeybees on your property.    

BEE CATCHERS is a state licensed, family owned company, with more than fifteen years of experience, committed to saving, and relocating Honeybees, so that we can all continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

At Bee Catchers we give all of our bees away to people and organizations that can use them.  They are saved, rescued and relocated! They are given to backward beekeepers, hobbyists, farmers, orchards and apiaries!                                                              

                                Contact Bee Catchers at 866-544-0074 or at 818-987-7477                                                                                                                                                  

                                         Web Site – www.BeeCatchersSoCal.com

Bee Happy!!

If you have found that you have an active beehive on or near your home or business, your first instinct may be to simply grab a can of bug killer and start spraying away, or perhaps to call an exterminator. There are, however several reasons why that is the last thing on earth that you should do. The most obvious reason for this is that you probably don’t have the right equipment or know-how to safely, properly and permanently dispose of or remove a beehive without getting yourself stung and doing more harm than good. Here are some other reasons that, when you need some help getting rid of bees, you should call in the experts to have them removed.

1. Bees should not be killed. Simply put, there is no overstating the importance of these creatures to the sustenance of life on earth. Yes, you read that right. Bees do the vast majority of the work of pollinating the crops that grow the plants that feed all of us, and that feed the animals we raise as well. Due to many factors, including pesticides, the number of bees and active beehives is already decreasing at an uncomfortable rate. So, if at all possible, these valuable creatures should be safely removed from your property by hiring a qualified bee removal service. The best of these services practice eco-friendly bee removal, and have deals with professional beekeepers to move the entire colony to a farm where these creatures can continue to do their valuable work.

2. Hives Need To Be Removed Completely. Beehives are, naturally, full of honey, and if they are not removed completely from your premises along with the bees, they will attract other pests such as ants, wasps, flies, and vermin. There is also a much greater chance that bees that are not captured, or a neighboring colony, will attempt to re-colonize the hive if it is not properly and professionally removed.

3. Hives Can Leave Structural Damage. And the best bee removal experts will repair this damage as part of their services.

4. Removal is Pesticide-Free. So it doesn’t leave any toxic or poisonous residue behind. Bees are removed in perfect health, and are relocated to a place where they can happily go about their business without disturbing yours. And, of course, no poisonous fumes seep into your home or business potentially compromising the health of all residents and workers.

So if you are having trouble with a beehive, do the right thing and call in the experts to have them removed safely and in an eco-friendly manner.

Bee Happy it’s Friday!!!!

Mention the word ‘wasp,’ and an anxious audience is likely to look around uncomfortably, ready to swat at anything that moves. Most notably associated with the well known yellow jackets, wasps actually come in various different sizes, shapes, and colorings. Because of the bad reputation that follows these insects, many removal sprays promise a quick kill of newly established colonies. Unfortunately, pushing the trigger of the spray can too quickly lead to the eradication of one of the most beneficial insects around. Humane wasp removal services remind consumers that there is a distinctive place in the landscape for wasps and the ecosystems they support.

An examination of wasps and the ecosystems in which they thrive paints a very different picture from the aggressive insect that attacks humans (which, of course, is responsible for the creation and sale of so many removal chemicals). Advocates for humane relocation repeat the information that urban residents may not have heard lately: the average wasp is actually a parasite that helps control unwanted insects such as spiders, flies and garden pests. Rather than calling for removal, eco-friendly farmers capitalize on their usefulness and oftentimes import these maligned insects as bio-control agents for naturally occurring pests that have the power to threaten an entire harvest. It is also important to identify the “dangerous” insect correctly. Not all wasps are aggressive, and most, if left alone pose no imminent danger to yourselves or your children.

Many people worry about these creatures in their neighborhoods and near their families. It is important to remember that finding a single wasp does not mean there is a colony near your home. If large numbers are found in or around a home, and especially if they seem to be aggressive, a professional should be called to investigate and remove them. However, locating the colony is a critical component to removal.
Out of respect for the insect and the ecosystems in which they exist, humane removal is of paramount importance. Sure, the use of a pesticide would be quick and simple, but it would also rob the environment of its natural pest control agents. In fact, the use of pesticides can also have a host of unintended consequences, especially when beneficial insects – such as aphid consuming ladybugs – may inadvertently fall victim to the killer mist as well.

With the benefits of these wasps and the ecosystem firmly in mind, removal professionals initially locate the nest and size up the colony. Small nests are very simple to remove and do not require an extensive relocation. Those that are well established may contain as many as 15,000 insects, and any removal must be done by an expert who can handle the live insects without causing a swarm. It is interesting to note that this kind of activity frequently has to take place after dark, when the offenders are less likely to react quickly.

Beware of companies that promise humane removal but still proceed to kill the animals after capture. Even though these outfits do not use deadly gas or harmful chemicals to get rid of wasps, they nevertheless rob the ecosystem of its beneficial predatory parasites. Moreover, the loss of even one colony of insects can be quite significant in that it also robs other desirable animals – such as birds – of their food sources. Relocation keeps the insects in the food chain by merely altering the location of the nests.

Bee Happy

By Krissa Smith, Assistant Web Editor, Urban Farm magazine

Because bees are responsible for more than one-third of our food supply, citizens are becoming more concerned with preserving bees and their bee hives. Enter Bee Catchers, a southern California bee-removal service that takes bee hives from backyards and relocates them instead of exterminating them.
 
Bee Catchers, a bee-removal company licensed through the Structural Pest Control Board, is family owned and operated by Steven and Nicole Downs, a couple passionate about saving bees for the better of the human race. 

Bee Catchers charges a flat rate for their bee-removal service (around $150 when no honeycomb is present), and offers warranties, as well as performs structural repair to roofs, stucco and drywall, as many jobs require when honeycomb has been built in the structure. Nicole Downs says bees start to produce honeycomb about one week after finding their new home.

“Honeycomb should never be left in a structure, because if it is, bees will return, as they will smell the pheromone left behind,” Nicole says. “The bees will no longer be able to cool the honeycomb; therefore, it will end up leaking and melting down into the structure, becoming a food source to a myriad of things.”

So how does Bee Catchers remove bees without harming them? 

“If bees are in a backyard, let’s say, for instance, hanging from a tree branch, we smoke them with a natural smoke made from pine and eucalyptus to relax them; then they are taken live by hand, ensuring the proper capture of the queen, and moved into a well-screened, ventilated box,” Stephen Downs explains. “They are then transported to other beekeepers, apiaries, orchards, farmers, backyard beekeepers, et cetera within the next day or so. We give our bees away at no profit to people who need them.”

If you’re looking for a bee-removal service, do your homework, as many companies say they perform live bee removal, but may not. The Structural Pest Control Board’s website at will perform a license lookup for California residents in just a few minutes.

Over the last couple of decades, the honey bee has been given a bad rep. Due to the rapid growth and spread of the highly aggressive Africanized honey bees, commonly named “killer bees,” people have placed an unwarranted stigma upon all bees. This is especially so when it comes to the common honey bee – a vital creature that not only produces honey, but also pollinates most of our food supply. What worsens the matter is that the predatory insects called “yellow jackets” are sometimes mistaken for the usually harmless and docile honey bee.

The yellow jacket, while looking somewhat similar to a honey bee, is not a bee at all – it is part of the wasp family. The main physical differences between a common honey bee and a yellow jacket are that bees are covered in small hairs while exhibiting a duller yellow color; yellow jackets are smoother and display brighter yellows and glossier black tones, with either a white or a yellow face. They also lack the flat hind legs bees use to carry pollen.

Honey bees and yellow jackets differ not only in looks, but also in function and in the way they fit into our ecosystem. The hardworking honey bee collects nectar and pollen to feed the hive and the queen. As they move from flower to flower, they cross-pollinate plants. By contrast, yellow jackets are predators and scavengers. They feed on plants, other insects and even small animals. They, too, have a role in the environment, as useful predators of pest insects.

In addition, yellow jackets have the ability to sting multiple times. When they sting, they release an “alarm” pheromone that alerts others of their species in the area to defend and attack as well. While honey bees often lose their stinger and will die after stinging once, yellow jackets have the ability to sting multiple victims throughout the course of their lives.
They are usually most aggressive in the late summer and early fall, when they begin to need additional “sugary” food sources.

Yellow jackets also differ from honey bees in terms of their life cycles. Bee hives can sustain themselves for many years, while yellow jacket colonies die off every year, only leaving a queen to rebuild the population. This is why yellow jackets are rarely seen after the early fall.

As explained, both honey bees and yellow jackets have an important role in the ecosystem. However, bee or wasp removal  may be necessary if colonies are located too close to humans or livestock. While bees are not aggressive most of the time, people and animals can be in grave danger if they inadvertently threaten a nearby hive or colony. Due to a percentage of humans being allergic to bee and wasp stings, swarm attacks have the ability to cause fatalities.

Professional, environmentally responsible bee removal services can remove both bee hives and wasp colonies from your premises safely, preserving the lives of the insect population, repairing damaged structures and ensuring the safety of humans or animals in the area. This is especially important when it comes to honey bees, as their population is currently in serious decline. Killing these vital insects with harsh pesticides is both unnecessary and detrimental, as they pollinate about one-third of our food supply.

Bee Happy

An insect invasion of your home or business can be disconcerting. And if it happens to be bees, and you happen to be allergic to their stings, swarming or nesting bees can be especially frightening. That’s why calling an exterminator is often our first thought when an incident like this occurs near our homes. The safe, ecologically responsible, environmentally sound alternative is bee removal rather than extermination.
Here are four good reasons why NOT to call an exterminator:

1. Bees really are not a nuisance to humans. We all know that the honey they produce benefits us and that their pollination makes it possible to plant lovely gardens that fill our lives with countless varieties of colorful blooms. But so many people are unaware that we actually depend on bees for one-third of the earth’s food supply. Without these little insects to pollinate our crops and orchards, scientists estimate that we’d only be able to survive for four or five years.

2. Most bees are not dangerous to people. They actually avoid human contact as they go about the serious business of pollination so they can bring food back to the hive to feed their young. Most common varieties will not attack humans unless provoked or defending their hives. Even colonies of Africanized honey bees, more commonly known as “killer bees,” can be safely removed. Because they are so dangerous to work with, most services will exterminate this variety, though they are sometimes relocated and, through specialized breeding practices, gradually replaced with less dangerous cross species.

3. Bee populations are in serious decline. Widespread pesticide use, which damages the environment and disturbs the earth’s ecological balance, has contributed greatly to this problem. Direct eradication of bee colonies by misguided humans has also played a major role in creating this natural imbalance. If we hope to see sufficient food production to sustain us in an uncertain future, we need to carefully rethink our exterminate strategies and turn to more ecologically responsible methods for peacefully co-existing with a vital yet seriously endangered insect species.

4. A humane alternative is available. Professional bee removal, an effective method that’s safe for humans and the environment, can help reverse this ecologically unhealthy trend. Bee removal from your home or business can be quickly and efficiently handled by experienced professionals who understand their nature, their habits and habitats, and who are trained in their safe and effective removal. Most such businesses are fully prepared to remove both the insects and their honeycomb nests, if present; and make any necessary repairs to restore the premises to pre-removal condition. After removal, colonies are adopted by local beekeepers, who rent them out to farmers for crop and orchard pollination. Of course beekeepers also profit from the great honey that the bees produce. Bee removal businesses are becoming increasingly common as the world’s ecological awareness grows and as more people learn how important these “frightening pests” are to our own survival.

You will rarely, if ever, encounter a situation in which an invasion cannot be adequately handled by a professional bee removal company. If your home, garden, or business structure has been invaded by a swarm of uninvited bee-guests, you’ll help yourself, the environment, and future generations by calling a removal service to do the job the safe, healthy, natural way.

Bee Happy

I wanted to write about this something very important.  It’s the subject of hiring a State Licensed company to do your bee removal.  We have noticed over the last few years there are emerging companies that are claiming that they perform live bee removal, and that are licensed.  Please beware, most companies in Southern California do not do live bee removal, and on top of that these companies are unlicensed to do this type of work.  They claim many things but at the time of work, they often kill off the bees and use harmful chemicals against practice laws and standards.  I am not meaning a simple business license from the registrars’ office for tax purposes (which most also don’t have), I mean a license from the Structural Pest Control Board.  Companies that are state licensed are required to have proper limits of liability insurance, as well as the requirement to be bonded.

Companies that are unlicensed mean that they are not monitored by any state agency, and that they are not required to submit monthly activity reports to each county in which they work.  The Agricultural Commissioner should know the company in which you plan to hire.  There is a very easy was to see if a company is licensed through the Structural Pest Control.  Simply go to: http://www.pestboard.ca.gov/and on the left hand side look for a tab that says “License Lookup”, click on that, and then type in the name of the business.  If the query provides no results, then the company is unlicensed.  Easy as that!

Providing live quality bee removal is a specialized trade, and homeowners should be sure that the company they hire will offer them a good warranty and they will be around in the coming years should they have a problem again, or even concerns about the job performed.  Companies that are unlicensed can offer very cheap prices because they have no overhead, no insurance, and no licenses.  Some people may think great, I am getting a real deal!  I am afraid to tell you that it is just the opposite.  These companies do shoddy work, and the bees will usually return.  If work is being performed on a structural wall of roof, then please, by all means, make sure you do your homework!  There have been far too many jobs that Bee Catchers has had to fix over the years because other companies have done the homeowner an injustice.

Another concern that we are seeing is that there are companies that are advertising in California, but that are not actually in California.  Unlicensed companies are partnering together in different states looking for leads.  So, you could call a company that you find online that you think is local, but in actuality they are several states away, outsourcing their work to some company back in California.  The majority of these companies that are working together have no idea about one another, except for the basics.  These are not quality companies giving out referrals.  Again, please beware!!!

The only company that I would refer anyone to in another state would be Willie the Bee Man in Florida.  Great company, great man, great prices. 

Good luck and bee happy!

For questions on bee removal contact Bee Catchers @ 866-544-0074

When a bee colony is located in an undesirable spot, whether it be near your home, in or near your yard or at your place of business, opting for live removal rather than extermination is a safe and eco-responsible choice.

All too often, property owners insist on immediate destruction of bee populations if they are too close to homes or recreation areas. However, most folks don’t realize just how vital these critters are to our food chain. It is estimated that as much as one third of the world’s food crops rely on pollination by honeybees in order to bear fruit. The frightening truth is that world-wide, the bee population is in steep decline. While scientists blame everything from pesticides to parasites, no one seems to really know what is causing the insects’ decimation.

Since we obviously need these creatures to keep pollinating our crops, why do so many people feel the need to kill them in order to remove them? Even the threat of the more aggressive Africanized bees is diminishing as they interbreed with our more docile varieties. The fact is that even the most beneficial insects cannot always be allowed to settle anywhere they choose. Attics, walls, roofs, bushes, and trees may just be a little too close for comfort for most of us.

Fortunately, humane, eco-responsible bee removal businesses exist that relocate these creatures, their hives and honeycombs without causing the death of the colony. Experienced bee catchers will not only relocate the bees — they will also remove the honeycomb and the hive, and repair the structure to discourage future colonies. If the honeycomb is not completely removed with the hive, it can melt into the structure, staining and possibly damaging it. The honey smell will attract other swarms of bees as well as rodents, moths, and other insects. Experienced removal services know that a thorough clean-out is necessary to prevent re-infestation and other potential problems.

Eventually scientists will have to determine whether or not mankind has been directly or indirectly responsible for the decline in the population of some of our more beneficial insects. In the meantime, let’s not kill any more of these insects unnecessarily. Because these little creatures are generally non-threatening to humans, and they play such an important role in food production, humane bee removal is the safe, eco-responsible option. Some bee removal services offer to relocate colonies at no extra charge to beekeepers across the country. If you find yourself in need of bee removal, choose a service which will carefully move these industrious little creatures to an appropriate location so they can continue to do what they do so well.

Searching for a live bee removal service in Southern California? Bee Catchers offers inspection and immediate bee removal services for residential and commercial properties in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Ventura counties, seven days a week – satisfaction guaranteed. With over 15 years experience, we remove honey comb, repair structures, and humanely relocate bees.

Don’t be fooled by other claiming to remove bees live.  Make sure you are dealing with a company that is licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board.  All jobs are guaranteed.

Let’s start making a difference, and take care of our precious bee population.  The are crucial to our ecological and agricultural environments.  Bee kind to earth.