July 27, 2021

The Buzz

Bees are our friends, and we’ve mentioned that many times before.  However, if they are allowed to establish a hive in a building, they can cause severe structural damage. Structural damage caused by bees leads to expensive repairs, danger to those using the space, and possibly the need for relocation.  

Bees prefer to make their homes in open, outdoor spaces like trees, but sometimes a manmade structure is their best option.  The increasing urbanization of the land makes bees more likely to seek buildings, especially when there are abandoned or little-used spaces. Bees will nest in spots like attics, wall voids, eaves, and soffits.    
 

The Damage

These are some of the issues bees cause in a building:

 

  • The weight of the combs and honey can damage walls, sheetrock, and insulation.  A bee problem can cause roofs to sag and walls to bow.  
  • Mason bees will tunnel into brickwork and stone walls.  
  • Carpenter bees, like their name suggests, tunnel into wood.  
  • Honey, detritus, and dead bees will seep into the building materials, creating stains and damaging the integrity of the materials.  
  • Bees attract other pests that come to prey on the bees and their larvae, like crab spiders, plus anything that lives nearby, likes to eat honey and can enter the space.  
  • The presence of a hive in a building increases the chance of an unfortunate encounter with mankind. 
     

What To Do About Bees

It is dangerous to the bees and to oneself to attempt to get rid of a hive.  Bees like to mind their own business, but ferociously defending their home and their queen is part of their business.  Rochester Pest Pro is on call to help Fairport, Webster, Honeoye Falls, Pittsford, and other neighborhoods in the Rochester area.  
 

If you see one bee in your house, it might be a fluke.  If you see two or more, then you likely have a hive somewhere nearby.  It's very important to us to keep our clients and ourselves safe, but we also don’t want to harm the bees.  

Rochester Pest Pro will conduct a thorough investigation of the area to determine how to safely remove and relocate the hive.  We will also make recommendations of any repairs to be done to restore the structure.  The chemical treatments we use are designed to deter the bees from coming back for several months.  Ask us about our pest control maintenance treatments.  
 

We’re always happy to hear from our friends and neighbors.  Contact us here and at (585)486-4815.