Bee Identification & Prevention

Around 4,000 species of bees call North America home, living in almost every ecosystem. Bees are vital pollinators and help ensure that the plants and crops we need to survive can thrive.

Bees can be social, living together in large colonies, but most species are solitary. Solitary bees live alone; the females create individual nests to raise their young.

While bees are commonly associated with the production of honey, not all bees make honey; in fact, most do not.

Bees vary in size and shape depending on the species, but all female bees have stingers, and all bees are winged. The most common color combinations are black and yellow, but there can be many other color variations depending on the type of bee. The best way to identify the bee species on your property is to contact a professional bee control expert!

When bees decide to live near people, they pose several dangers. Some bees like to tunnel through and build nests inside pieces of wood, causing damage to your home and wooden structures on your property. If bees were to get inside your home and nest within a wall void, their nests could attract other insects. Abandoned bee nests will decay and cause mold and mildew issues within your home.

In addition to being damaging, bees pose dangers to people. Bees are insects that sting. Though not all bees are aggressive, they will deliver painful, venom-filled stings to defend themselves or their nest. Bee venom is potent enough to trigger allergic reactions in people. Depending on the person, a reaction to a bee sting can range from mild to life-threatening.

Bees can be an issue for homeowners in Philadelphia all year but tend to be a problem in the spring and summer and, most of all, in the fall.

During the spring and summer, bees are active, feeding and breeding, and their populations are continuously growing. In the fall, bees are at their greatest numbers. Bees tend to become more aggressive in the fall because their natural sources of pollen and nectar and dwindling. They are stressed trying to gather the last of the remaining food to store away for the winter.

If you are sharing your property with bees, it greatly increases the chance that you or a family member or pet will be on the receiving end of a sting.

Bees live in various habitats, including the suburbs and large cities like Philadelphia. Yards, parks, athletic fields, gardens, and flowerbeds offer bees plenty of places to nest and forage for food.

Below are some common areas where bees nest in our yards.

• Fallen trees and wooden structures
• Ground holes
• Tree cavities
• Tree branches and shrubbery
• Brush piles or construction debris

Our homes also offer bees a place to nest. Corners of the roof, windows, or doors, wooden shingles, wall voids, chimneys, vents, and crawl spaces are all potential bee nesting sites.

If bees have taken over your Philadelphia property and you need help relocating or exterminating these stinging pests, we can help. Here at Harpoon Pest Solutions, we always put customers first and create tailored plans that meet specific pest control needs.

We understand how important bees are to the ecosystem, but how dangerous they can be on your property. Our professionals will come to your property, identify the species present, and implement a plan of action to remove them. For more information about our bee control services, please call us today.

Use the following prevention tips to reduce the chances of bees becoming comfortable on your property. 

• Plant flowering vegetation away from your home’s exterior, pool, or outdoor seating areas. 
• Keep bushes, shrubs, and tree limbs cut back from your home.
• Remove standing water from your property.
• Keep covers on chimneys and vents and seal other openings in your home’s exterior to stop bees from entering your home. 

For more helpful information on how to control bees in the backyard or our bee control services, contact us now.