Pest control is what we do best at Buddies Exterminating. But bee removal in Las Vegas is not our style.  We also want you to be aware when there is a type of insect we don’t need to exterminate.  Species that actually help our planet, rather than harm it or inhabitants like us.

As we’ve already covered, bumblebees are virtually no threat to people.  Bumblebees are premiere pollinators, engineers in the important fields of agriculture and manufacturing honey.  Unfortunately, bumblebees are facing major setbacks.

Scientists conclude that, as a result of global warming, bumblebees have already lost a significant part of their natural working habitat. Between North America and Europe, 185 miles seem to be inaccessible now, possibly because of the weather; it’s just too hot for them, scientists have surmised. The overall effects of Earth’s climate change appear to have stifled the bumblebees’ ability to maintain their normal expanse of pollination. The consensus is, of course, that this does not bode well for bumblebees, or for us who need those bees to pollinate our food supply.

Bumblebees Need Help Now

While 185 miles might seem like a small number, in bumblebee terms it’s a huge loss. With the continuously changing weather patterns and temperatures, bumblebees have had to change their ways of doing things. Scientists fear that the process may be irreversible. What’s more, bumblebees may never be able to recover from the changes that are now occurring. Not only will our food supplies suffer, the planet’s economic status, in general, will also suffer. The accumulated results will be disastrous and worldwide.

Can we make it easier for bumblebees to adapt to more northern climates?  Genetic engineering may be their only hope of survival. If we can adapt the species, we can help ensure the propagation. One thing is for sure, we must act offensively upon climate change.

Climate Change Need to Be Addressed Immediately

One of the most important jobs we have is to conserve where necessary to minimize climate change. Every living species on Earth, from bees to plants to people, depend upon our ability to cease, if not repair, damage to Earth’s environment.   You can help.  Build a garden!  Planting flowers around your yard offers food for bumblebees.   Also, avoid spraying insecticide to kill spiders.  If you must spray, wait to do so when it is almost dark so you will kill as few bees as possible, and use an insecticide that is specific to the pest.

While bumblebees are passive creatures, crucial to the world’s farmers as well as professional and amateur gardeners, carpenter bees are annoying, aggressive impostors. There are physical similarities, but a closer examination clearly illustrates a significant difference between the species.  Furthermore, their temperaments, behavior and nesting habits are substantially dissimilar. The considerable number of individual peculiarities is why one of these bees needs to be protected and encouraged, while the other needs to be avoided and certainly controlled when necessary. Let’s examine the differences and understand why they make one bee a natural treasure and the other to be a bee of lesser value.

The bumblebee can be  1/2″ to 1″ long and has a bright, black and yellow body that sort of looks like a matching fuzzy jacket or vest with pants. They are decidedly plump, have thick furry legs from pollen they collect from flowers. Pollen is stored in tiny, sac-like pockets on their limbs, and brings it back to the nest for the processing of honey, and to feed the colony. As they fly from one flower to the next, they spread pollen with other flowers, which is required for the growth of new plants and flowers.

The carpenter bee’s wardrobe is basic black: shiny with a much lesser appearance of yellow fur accessories on the upper portion of the body. They also measure from 1/2″ to 1″ long and work in the pollination field.

Bumblebees are very social critters.  They create their nests in abandoned rodent holes, for example, in the ground, avoiding the heat of direct sunlight. They may also select a dry, shady place under a bush or even in an abandoned squirrel or bird’s nest in a tree cavity. New, young queens search for a new nest late in the summer.  Once established, they create a new colony apart from the original one, which is maintained by the old queen. Colonies are relatively small, with some colonies containing as few as 50 bumblebees.

Carpenter bees are distinctly less social. Frequently, carpenter bees live alone or in pairs. Sometimes females and their daughters will cohabit and share or designate the duties of watching for nest invaders. Befitting their name, carpenter bees usually excavate into bare, weathered, or untreated wood to create their nest. Often, their choice of living quarters means a barn or the eaves on a house, creating a problem for homeowners.

Bumblebees are pretty laid back and not aggressive in nature. They generally avoid humans and animals, preferring to stick to their business of lapping up nectar, collecting pollen, and doing their part to supply the nest with food for the colony. However, do not consider bumblebees to be submissive; female bumblebees will attack with stingers if they feel the nest is threatened. Unlike honeybees, bumblebee stingers are not barbed, which means they can deliver their powerful sting more than once.

The carpenter bee’s attitude is not as forgiving.  Caution: carpenter bees are very territorial, and attack passers-by without provocation. Easily provoked but without stinger weapons, male carpenter bees do the aggressive buzzing as a threat, directing their attack near the offending party’s head. The females, who actually have the stingers, aren’t as outwardly aggressive; they hang out at or near the nest’s opening. However, they will certainly defend the nest when provoked or perceive a threat directed towards the nest.

There are two important lessons to be learned:

1. Do bee-wary. Unless you are properly dressed for protection or are a professional exterminator, avoid unnecessary contact with all bee colonies and nests. The residents within are armed and dangerous.

2. We need bees to survive on Earth, especially bumblebees. They are relatively harmless and do a great service to humanity in their busy, buzzing work. Never try to swat or kill a bumblebee; they not only help bring beauty into the world, but they also help farmers and the agricultural industry feed humanity.

If you have a bee problem, try to avoid killing bumblebees or honeybees. Instead, contact exterminator companies to help assess your bee situation and discuss options that could potentially save the bees and help the environment.

Learn more about bees here.

Contact us for pest control Las Vegas here.