Bees can lead to serious problems within your home. Many Americans are allergic to bee stings, and if proper bee removal steps are not taken you could have a potentially fatal problem on your hands. Bees usually prefer to live outside, but these household infestations are not uncommon. Read on to learn more about why bees have entered your home, as well as the best steps to take for removing them.

When Is Bee Removal Required?

If bees have established a colony within your home, removal measures are necessary. Once a colony has been established, bees become very territorial and will act aggressively to protect their hive. Getting rid of this problem may seem as easy as removing the hive, but this is an extremely dangerous act. If you disturb the hive, the bees that live within will begin to attack in order to keep you from carrying out your mission. This could lead to many painful stings, as well as severe allergic reactions. Dozens of deaths are caused by bee stings each year, and if enough bees sting at once results could be fatal even in people who are not allergic to these pests. For this reason it is important that you leave bee removal to the professionals, whose knowledge of bees enables them to carry out this practice without danger.

What Do Bees Look Like?

Many types of stinging pests get written off as bees, including wasps and hornets. All of these pests have their own unique appearance and behavior, each of which is very different from bees themselves. There are several varieties of true bees, including both honey bees and carpenter bees. Honey bees are about ¾ inch long with rounded, fuzzy bodies. Other identifiable features include straight, upward facing antennae and four wings. Larger bees that otherwise match this description are usually carpenter bees. These pests are mostly thought of as being yellow and black, but some even feature shades of green or are entirely black or brown.

Bee Infestation Can Be Prevented

There are several steps that you can take to prevent a bee infestation from becoming a problem in your home. This begins with a simple inspection of your house, checking every corner and crevice of your property for potential bee entryways. An opening only has to be ⅛ inch wide for a bee to find their way in. This is about the size of the eraser on a pencil, and you may be surprised by how many of these entrances you’ll find. Good places to spend extra time inspecting include:

• Under the folds of vinyl siding

• Screens outside of doors and windows

• Along the foundation of your home

• Gaps above or below doors

Once you have identified any potential entrances, you need to seal them to ensure that bees and other pests are not able to sneak inside. This can be done using many tools, some which will work better than others depending on the location of the entrance. Some of the best sealing materials include plaster, stucco, caulk or wire mesh.

Do Not Attempt Bee Removal on Your Own

Trying to remove bees on your own is a seriously dangerous task. This should not be attempted, a professional bee removal service should be contacted as soon as you suspect that bees could be present in your home. Many pest control providers specialize in bee removal, but you should take your time when selecting a provider. These pests could be hazardous to your health as well as the health of your loved ones, so always proceed quickly and with caution.