Honey Bee Removal
Are UK Honey Bees Protected By Law?
No - but in our opinion, Honey Bee control and removal of bees' nests and colonies should be tightly regulated.
Why Are Some Honey Bees Killed?
Not everyone loves bees, but no one wants to see bees die unnecessarily. Those who suffer from phobias or anaphylactic shock from bee stings, including adults and young children, need protection. In the vast majority of cases, probably 95%, the bees leave before we arrive or are collected to be rehomed in hives throughout your local countryside.
We have realized that where we don't control the final 5% safely and sensitively, inappropriate chemicals or pesticides that amateurs can purchase can kill bees immediately or over a few days. This poses a greater risk to others and often contaminates surrounding hives, causing untold damage to local bee populations.
For us, seeing bees die is always a last resort and requires householder consent and written instruction during the inspection visit before we carry out any treatment.
How Dangerous Are Honey Bees?
Being equipped with a sting makes angry bees a formidable force of nature. They are often only aggressive when threatened or disturbed. However, a compact, settled swarm in a shrub or on a fence post, not protecting any brood, is unlikely to attack if left alone.
An unsettled, fragmented swarm with lots of frantic activity across a broad area is likely to be riskier. What's needed is a visit by one of our experts. Very often, by the time we get to you, the swarm has flown off.
Are Honey Bee Stings Dangerous?
Honey bee venom is unpleasant, and if stung, it's important to remove the sting by scraping it off with a nail or credit card as soon as possible. Reactions to stings vary, and some people can die from a single sting due to anaphylactic shock.
What Should I Do If I Am Stung By a Honey Bee?
How Many Honey Bees Are In A Swarm?
Most honey bee swarms contain between 10,000 and 30,000 bees, although swarms with an estimated 100,000 are not unheard of.
Why Do Honey Bees Swarm?
Honey bees swarm when a new queen is produced in the hive. One of the first tasks of a new queen is to kill the old queen. When the old queen realizes her days are numbered, she abandons the colony, and many bees follow her, while some remain with the new queen.
Where Do Honey Bee Swarms Go?
Honey bee swarms move from one place to another while scout bees search for a suitable new home, such as a hole in a tree or a chimney. The best option is that they are intercepted by an experienced beekeeper and rehived.
Which Honey Bees Live In Bristol?
The Dark European Honey Bee – Apis mellifera mellifera
This bee is often referred to as the UK's only living native honey bee, making it incredibly important. It was believed to have been imported by humans into the UK more than 1,500 years ago.
This theory conflicts with suggestions that black bees were present before the land bridge (Doggerland) between the UK and the continent disappeared around 10,000 years ago.
Why Were Bees Imported To The UK?
At the beginning of the twentieth century, native dark or black bees were thought to be in decline, prompting the introduction of bees from Italy and New Zealand to halt a potential extinction that never occurred.
The "Isle of Wight Disease" was blamed for the decline, leading to a government-backed restocking drive between 1906 and 1918.
This theory has since been challenged, and black bees are becoming more common, while lighter-colored Italian bees are becoming scarcer. Black bees are superb honey producers, better suited to our climate, and a joy to work with.
Are Honey Bees Really In Decline?
Experts and beekeepers often disagree on the severity of bee population decline. Bee numbers vary significantly between locations just a few miles apart.
Pest control businesses rely on predicting which creatures will thrive to prepare and market to customers ahead of time.
Honey Bee Decline and Climate in Bristol
Between 2008 and 2013, we noticed a steep decline in many insects due to climate.
2009's "big freeze" created a difficult start for insects in 2010, but they rebounded quickly. In 2010, Bristol froze under snow in late November, dropping 18 degrees to -7°C in nine days, decimating insects with insufficient time to hibernate.
2011 was the coldest summer on record, preventing insects from developing optimally. 2012 was the wettest on record, further challenging wildlife. 2013 started cold but saw a good summer for honey bees, followed by a stormy autumn and winter.
Pesticides, climate change, environmental damage, government policy, and Asian hornets may contribute, but we focus on what we observe.
2014–2017 were recovery years, but 2018 started with intense winter blasts. Let’s hope 2018 is a great year for honey bees.
