• General

    BeeKeeping For Beginners: What You Need To Know

    Beekeeping, when done right, can be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. If you have always wanted to keep bees (as a hobby or business venture), you will be surprised to know that it is relatively easy. One thing you need to know is that honey bees are ‘hard workers,’ and you’ll hardly have to intervene unless necessary. In the right setting and environment, your hives will be overflowing with bees and an unlimited supply of natural, untainted honey. Most people, however, do not know how to go about it or where/how to start. Here isa simple beekeeping for beginners guide to help you get started.

    1. Create A Safe Environment For Beekeeping
      The first step in beekeeping is identifying an ideal spot and environment for the bees. Although bees can thrive on rooftops and in city neighborhoods, you must consider several factors before setting up the hive, such as neighbors, children, and municipal guidelines. That said, you might want to look for a secluded spot far from your neighbors or where children play. You also need to set the hive close to a water source (not more than a mile away) and consider the availability of nectar sources.
    2. Choose A Hive System
      With the perfect spot identified, the next step would be to choose an appropriate hive for your bees. There are basically two systems to choose from; the Langstroth hive (stacked boxes) and the top-bar hive (the hives are arranged horizontally). Each of these hive systems has advantages and disadvantages, a reason you should familiarize yourself with them before going for one or the other. You could also try both systems if space allows it.
    3. Gather Beekeeping Supplies
      A number of beekeeping supplies and tools are mandatory and required before introducing bees to the hive system. The most basic tools/supplies you should get include protective clothing, feeding supplies, a detailed bookkeeping guide/manual, and bee suit gloves. Talk to your local provider for a detailed guide on what you should get for the venture.
    4. Introduce Bees To The Hive
      This is the fun part, introducing bees to your hives. Depending on your supplier, you will have a queen packaged in a wooden box, which will be introduced to the hive. The package will also contain a little swarm of bees already familiar with their queen. Be sure to wear all the necessary safety gear and clothing when transferring the bees from the package to the hives. You could also hire a professional to show you how.
    5. Take Care Of The Bees
      With the hive already set, you can start caring for the bees to keep them happy and healthy. Luckily, beekeeping isn’t a demanding task. All you need is to ensure the bees have a constant supply and access to fresh water. Bees will naturally scavenge for nectar and foods from their neighborhood; hence no need to intervene unless absolutely necessary.

    You can now watch your hive activity from afar once everything falls in place. Be sure to monitor the hive activity occasionally to ensure the bees are healthy and not agitated. Watch tutorials on beekeeping for beginners to learn more.

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  • General

    How To Handle A Bee Hive Removal

    If you notice that bees have built their hive (the honeycomb nests) on your premises, this is an urgent problem that needs to be resolved. Leaving the hive to be can result in much bigger issues. The honeybee comb consists of mainly sugars that lure all kinds of other pests. If this is left to fester in a cavity ceiling for instance, it will cause rot and flies, ants and a slew of other critters will start to cause you a headache as they try to get to the sugar source for food. The honey, although good for your health, will damage plasterboard ceilings and result in damp issues.

    For this reason, it’s best that you know how to effectively and safely deal with a beehive on your premises.

    1. Give them space
      When you encounter stinging creatures like bees, it’s always prudent that you not provoke them into attacking. Many bee species only sting if they are under the notion that their queen or hive is in danger. Maintaining your distance minimizes the likelihood of agitating the hive. A bee swarm will generally gather on a post, bush or branch (a fence post, doorpost, etc.), with the queen at the center. Staying away from this area should decrease the chances of getting stung.
    2. Keep pets and allergic people away from bee-infested places

    If the swarm or hive has established itself outdoors, you should keep your children, pets and anybody sensitive to stings family away from the bees. If the beehive is indoors, try to seclude the area and make it a no-go zone.

    1. Figure out the origin of the bees

    If the beehive has set up its roots indoors, try figuring out the location the bees got in through. But don’t try to stop access to their hive since could see them escape to other sections of your house.

    1. Don’t use insecticides or traps.

    You may be tempted to spray the hive or try and catch the bees in a makeshift trap. However, before embarking on this path, think about the downsides. Exterminating bees is hard for a range of reasons, including that most commonly sold pesticides are prohibited for use near bees. This implies that the usage of such products is unlawful. When you use a trap, you will end up having to release a container filled with angry bees.

    1. Call a professional to handle bee removal.
      You should note that dealing with such a situation will be more involved compared to conducting a routine removal or extermination. Don’t try to handle the bee hive removal on your own.

    Our whole practice is centred around the preservation of bees, so we humanely remove them from your premises without killing them. We are Bee-Lovers! And when called for a job we do everything in our power not to harm a single bee. We know how vital every piece of honey they produce is and we value them. We offer a same-day response and also offer emergency bee hive removal services. Call us today to schedule a no-cost Estimate and inspection.

  • General

    Two Common Pest Control Mistakes To Avoid

    Pest control is the systematic management of pests to reduce their numbers to an acceptable threshold where further application of the required measures would not be necessary. The control measures are categorized as chemical, cultural, biological, mechanical (physical), or genetic. One method might prove effective on one type of pest but not another. The reasons for this can also vary depending on how the application was done and the pest type in question.

    While the goal is to eradicate the pests or reduce their number, safety is always a primary concern. How can you deal with your pest problem safely? Hiring professionals to exterminate unwanted invaders is the best call, but you also must take the time to learn about the pests and how to prevent them from becoming a problem for your home or how to manage the pests. In view of that, here are two common pest management mistakes to avoid.

    1.    Downplaying The Need To Take Preventive Action
      Prevention is better than cure, more so because it costs less and saves you from headaches. It is a piece of advice best applicable when dealing with pests. Downplaying the need for having preventive measures in place opens the gateway for the unwanted creatures to wreak havoc on your home.  Therefore, consider implementing the following preventive pest control measures to ensure you keep unwanted creatures at bay.
    •    Do not let water accumulate anywhere, so fix leaky plumbing and deal with any stagnant water.
    •    Removing the pest’s sources of food, which demands you store your food in sealed containers. Also, throw food scraps in the trash bins with secure lids that cover them tightly.
    •    Identify and remove potential shelter spots where pests can hide and breed. Conversely, get rid of old stacks of magazines, papers, or any other material that they can use to build nests.
    •    Check for any cracks and crevices where pests can gain access. Secure vents and other essential openings with wire mesh.
    •    Declutter in and around the house to keep the area clean; it makes your home less appealing to most pests.
    1.    Using The Wrong Pest Management Methods
      Mechanical pest management methods are often effective when dealing with larger creatures like rats, and raccoons. It mostly entails trapping, erecting fences (barriers), and weeding. Biological measures are an advanced approach to dealing with the invaders and are often left to professionals. 

    Most people are quick to consider chemicals when they have a pest infestation. However, knowing which chemicals to use and how to use them is paramount to getting the best results. For instance, chemicals intended for outdoor use should not be applied indoors. Furthermore, never assume that applying the chemical twice will yield a better result. Always read the label and follow the directions. Also, mix the amount you need at a time to avoid having a lot of leftovers, and do not transfer the chemicals to other containers.

    The Bottomline

    Overall, your home is as safe from pests as the measures you have in place to keep them at bay. However, we know how resilient these creatures can be, especially if they already have a foothold in your home. Your pest control efforts might seem fruitless, and this can be frustrating. Why go through such hassles when you can hire professionals? Get in touch with a reputable pest exterminator, and remember to ask questions regarding your pest problem to get an idea of how they will handle it for you.

  • General

    The Importance Of Finding The Right Bee Removal Service

    As we head deeper into the wonderful and warm days of summer our thoughts will almost inevitably turn to the yard. It’s time to plan that long-awaited outdoor get-together with family and friends. However, often our enjoyment of the company – and the feeling of the summer sun on our skins can be soured by the fact that a swarm of bees has decided that the yard is the perfect place to set up a new hive.

    Bees are part and parcel of the summer experience, however, they can pose a severe threat to the health and well-being of the homeowner and their families – not to mention their pets.

    If you are faced with a swarm that has set up shop on your property, your first thought may very well be to remove the nest yourself. this is not recommended. even the humble honeybee can cause severe problems if the hive comes under threat. This is aside from the threat that is posed by extremely aggressive ‘Killer Bees’. While Honeybees will give up the chase after those who have disturbed a hive after only a short distance, Killer Bees will follow these people for miles. They are extremely aggressive and have been known to sting in such large numbers that the person or persons affected can be severely injured or even killed.

    In short, if you have a bee problem then call in a professional bee removal service.

    There are also a number of advantages to bringing in a bee removal service, other than being assured of your safety and the safety of your family and pets.

    Many bee removal services will provide an eco-friendly solution to any problem hives. Their employees have many years of experience in removing a hive without harming the bees. these hives are then relocated to a farm where they can go about their business of producing delicious honey in peace – and performing the essential task of pollinating a huge number of flowering plants.

    Make sure that the service provider that you choose has a great reputation for providing exceptional customer service – and that they have the experience to ensure that the removal of a hive from your property goes off without a hitch. One of the best ways to ensure that you will be dealing with professionals is to ask family and friends if they have any recommendations on a bee removal company that really ticks all the boxes as far as professionalism is concerned. If you draw a blank then it’s time to visit one of the many local review sites that can be found on the Internet. Here you can find honest and forthright feedback from individuals who have used local bee removal companies – and get a good idea of which company would meet your urgent needs.

    In short – get professional help. Don’t risk the health and wellbeing of your family by attempting to remove a hive from your property yourself. There are significant dangers to this approach – and it really is not worth the risk.

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