Ernies Pest Control

Bees can be highly destructive and dangerous.  A bees nest in or near your home can pose a threat to the welfare of your children.  Small children can become fascinated and disturb the bees nest, at which time they will attack.  Carpenter bees can burrow in your walls and do damage to the structure of your home as well as being a health threat.  If you stumble on a nest and accidentally threaten the nesting bees, they will swarm, otherwise bees will keep to themselves.  Only professional pest control technicians and professional bee keepers should handle them, please don't try to do this yourself.

 Ernie's Pest Control services Toledo, Northwest Ohio and Lower Michigan. 

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Characteristics

SIZE : about 1 inch long

Color/Shape:

• black with some yellow
• Resemble Bumblebees in both size and color
• *Carpenter Bees have yellow hairs on their thorax and their abdomens are all black
• *Bumblebees have hairy abdomens and are considerably more yellow

Behavior:

• Carpenter Bees chew out tunnels in wood for egg laying and to provide a protected sight for the developing larvae. 
• The female bee chews a round, 1/2 inch diameter tunnel in the wood. 
• About one inch deep, she turns at a right angle and chews a tunnel about 12 inches in length, the nest gallery.  
• The female deposits an  egg in the end of the nest gallery and packs it with pollen an inch deep. 
• This process is repeated until the entire nest gallery is filled. 
• The male carpenter bee guards the entrance and chases away predators. 
• He does not have a stinger but can be intimidating with his aggressive buzzing if people venture near his nest sight.

Habitat:

• Logs
• Dead trees and limbs
• Bare wood decks
• Fences
• Window sills
• *Painted wood is subject to attack, but bare wood is preferred

Bees Pest Control Tips

** Painting bare wood that is being attacked by carpenter bees may deter some bees, but that is not the best solution.  **

• Schedule a bees pest control appointment.
• Treating the affected wood with a residual pest control product may repel or kill the bees
• Nest galleries may be treated once holes have been started
• When it has been determined that all the bees have ben killed, holes may be plugged

   Honey Bees Pest Control

 Characteristics

• Size : 1/2 inch in length
• Color : Golden-yellow with brown bands

** Common to any flowering garden **

 Behavior:

• Only type of social bee that establish perennial colonies that may last for a decade or longer
• Forage on pollen or nectar of flowering plants, they use these materials to produce the honey to feed the colony for the winter months
• Waxy honeycombs fill the nest cavity, making removal a messy process
• All honey bee colonies produce queens and drones during the spring
• These reproductives mate, and the queens may abscond with hundreds of of workers to start a new colony
• These honey bee "pioneer" swarms are seen on and around tree branches, fences, or buildings during their rest before flying off to find a suitable nesting sight.
• These swarms are usually docile and non-aggressive unless provoked or disturbed, there is no cause for alarm or panic.

 Habitat:

• Most often nest inside of tree cavities, caves or crevices of rock formations.
• Occasionally, they will nest in a crawl space, attic, wall void or a chimney.

Honey Bees Pest Control Tips

• Any honey bee nest or swarm should be respected at a safe distance.
• Only experienced bee keepers or pest control professionals should be contacted to deal with swarms or nests.
• Never attempt to treat such nests without proper training or equipment, as honey bee swarms can be dangerous, or even fatal, and extremely hostile if provoked.
• Once a colony inside a wall or attic is eliminated, the wall has to be opened up and the honey and honeycomb must be removed. 
• Without removal, then the honey will rot, producing strong odors, seeping stains, and also attract other insect pests. 

Preventive Maintenance

• Schedule monthly pest control service for your home or business to prevent any outbreaks of any kind. 
• Ernie's Pest Control will not only determine what pest control chemicals are needed but will also identify and fix potential entrance points and problem areas. 
• Pest control monthly maintenance can ensure a cleaner and healthy environment for you, your family and business.
• Cleanliness is definitely a big factor in preventative maintenance, but it is not a guarantee.
• Make sure there is not food sitting out for long periods of time, and clean up any food scraps or crumbs on a regular basis.
• When throwing food in the garbage, seal it up in a plastic bag first, especially during the summer months.

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