Did you know that honey bees are an important part of our planet’s ecosystem?  In fact, a honey bee’s primary role is in the pollination of our planet’s plants and flowers.

What is Pollination?

Pollination is the transference of pollen from a male plant or flower to a female plant or flower.

Pollen is the powdery substance that contains the DNA of a male plant or flower, needed for plant reproduction.

Pollination of plants and flowers results in the production of seeds. And although pollen can be dispersed by wind or even water, honey bees, as pollinators, play an essential role in the pollination process.

Because of the honey bee’s importance as pollinators, you don’t want to kill them.

Instead, it’s much better to prevent honey bees from taking up residence in or around your home to begin with.

Why Do Bees Nest in Your Home?

Bees look for a suitable location to establish a new colony. As such, your home can be an ideal setting to do this. If you notice that honey bees are “swarming” near or within your home, this is usually a good indication that they are looking to establish a new colony at that location. Typically, swarming occurs in the Spring. At this time, the honey bees will expand their presence by splitting into two or more colonies. It is during this process, that a “scout” honey bee will search for a new place to build a nest for the new colony. Once the scout has found a suitable location, it will signal to the other bees (including  new queen) to come to build a new nest.

Steps you can take to prevent Bees from Choosing your Home

Seal Any Exterior Openings to your Home

Are there any gaps or other seemingly small openings along the exterior structure of your home, such as the roof and/or eaves? If so, it’s advisable to seal up any of these gaps or openings to prevent honey bees from entering.

Clean up your Backyard

Do you have lots of wood, dead trees, old law equipment, etc. sitting in your backyard?  These can be an attractive place for honey bees to build a new nest. Therefore, you may want to remove all of these items to minimize the likelihood that honey bees will use them to build a new nest.

Get Plants that Repel Bees

That’s right…there are actually some species of plants which honey bees do not like. Those would include citronella, red geraniums and cucumber. Planting these around the exterior of your home can deter bees from taking up residence.

If you would like to know more about how to prevent bees from nesting in your home, call the bee removal professionals at The Beehive, Bee and Wasp Removal today!