shamrockcb
09-20-2004, 07:03 AM
Hi everyone, I was wondering if you could offer your expertise. Recently over the past month, I began finding bees on the windowsill in my closet and bedroom. Our room is in a converted attic so there is storage and attic space on our floor. We took a flashlight last night to one of the cubby holes and saw a few bees walking around. I think there is a nest in there but I am so fearful to do anything with it. What is our safest option for removal, or should we just hire a professional? Thanks in advance
Michael Bush
09-20-2004, 08:40 AM
First you need to decide for sure if they are honey bees, wasps, yellow jackets, carpenter bees or what for sure. All of these are possibilities.
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/other.htm
Check out each of them at the above site and look at the "identification" section for each.
My first guess is yellow jackets. But it is possible you have honey bees in the soffit. Doubtful the bees would build in the attic itself because it's too hot and the combs would all melt. From my experience bees in the soffit seldom wander into the house, they know their way in and out. Wasps on the other hand often find their way into the house. I have about 40 hives 100 yards from the house and I don't find bees in the house nearly as often as I find yellow jackets.
If it's yellow jackets, you can either hire an exterminator or, if you're more brave and don't mind the risk of getting stung, buy the long distance wasp spray and go up in the attic and find the nest and spray it.
If it's honey bees, you have the added issue of all that honey somewhere that will melt or attract other pests if you kill the bees. In that case I'd try to find a beekeeper who will remove them for you and have the void in the wall or soffit filled with something and all the holes that could get there sealed up.