Although bees are not spontaneously aggressive, it is not prudent to let them live near homes.
As they grow larger, their nest can quickly become troublesome.
How to recognize a bee nest?
The first question to ask yourself is: is it really a honeycomb?
Because if bees are insects protected by law, a wasp nest must, unfortunately, be destroyed.
Also, to ask the right person for your honeycomb, you must be certain that you have not made any confusion.
You can identify a bee nest, also called a hive, by its specific structure composed of numerous geometrically shaped wax cells:
the alveoli.
Its color varies from orange-yellow to brown.
The details of this honeycomb may be slightly obscured by the comings and goings of the worker bees.
Also read: Install a bee hive at home: everything you need to know
A bee nest shelters, in fact, a swarm comprising workers, males and the queen.
Comparatively, a wasp nest has a solid surface and a papier-mâché texture (close to newspaper).
It is gray in color.
Wasps make their habitat using their saliva mixed with cellulose extracted from pieces of wood or bark.
Several places in the house can
attract bees
to set up their nest: a chimney, an uninsulated attic, an exterior window frame, a mailbox, etc.
Is a bee nest dangerous?
A bee nest is, a priori, not dangerous if you do not disturb the bees.
Copyright (c) 2018 Fotos593/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
A honeycomb is, a priori,
not dangerous if you do not disturb the bees
and you do not have an allergy.
However, if you have young children or pets, they may be reckless by getting too close to their habitat.
The bee stings to protect its hive and, mainly, the queen, the only bee to be fertilized.
She does it out of necessity, not out of aggression.
She also loses her life since her barbed stinger (covered with spikes) remains stuck in her victim.
While fleeing, she violently tears it off and dies.
Also read: The carpenter bee: the largest bee in Europe
How to get rid of a bee nest?
If you notice the presence of a bee nest in your home, the first thing to do is to inform everyone in the house to prevent them from approaching.
Remember to warn your neighbors if the nest is near their garden or home.
Keep your pets indoors to avoid any incidents.
Contact your town hall who will provide you with the contact details
of a beekeeper,
the only professional authorized to intervene.
She has a list of volunteer beekeepers ready to help.
The intervention is generally free.
If, however, the town hall cannot help you, simply find the contact details of a beekeeper near your home.
Some online geolocation services allow you to identify beekeepers near you.
No need to contact the firefighters:
they don't come to a bee's nest or a wasp's nest.
Beekeepers are the only professionals authorized to intervene in the event of a bee nest.
Copyright (c) 2020 Olga Pinegina/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
The only exceptions: if difficult access requires their intervention or if the safety of children is at stake. Requesting the services of a pest control company is also not recommended: they are not competent to move a swarm of insects. 'bees.
Once contacted, the beekeeper comes to your home to, firstly,
confirm that it is indeed bees
.
He scrupulously notes the address where the nest is located, its location, the accessibility criteria and the size of the swarm.
Then he delicately removes the swarm and encloses it in a container such as a box or a net.
It then directs its opening towards a wooden hive, inviting the bees to settle there.
Once the intervention is completed,
he sprinkles water on the place where the nest was located
to prevent a few disoriented bees from remaining attracted by the smell of the queen.
If his intervention follows a call from an authority, he must keep them informed of the action taken.