Bee and Wasp Control in Oakville and Surrounding Areas

Wasps/Yellow Jackets

Wasps and yellow jackets undergo an annual cycle. The queen is one of the only survivors over the winter, and she seeks shelter under bark, stones, shutters, shingles, etc. Once spring hits, the queen will lay her eggs and establishes a colony. It is up to her to feed and gather for the colony because all other workers die during the cold months. Her new colony then becomes the working group. The males in the colony die after mating and the original queen and the colony do not survive during the winter. During the spring, they will nest in trees, shrubs, or other protected areas (attics, mouse burrows, etc.).

Treatment

If the nest is formed in a hidden area such as behind bricks we will do an area treatment. This means we will spray in the area where the wasps are entering, as well as up to two feet around that area. If it is a direct nest treatment, we will spray the nest and remove it.

Bees and wasps are attracted to food, and can disturb an outdoor event or special function. For people who are allergic, bee and wasp stings pose a serious health threat. If you are planning an outdoor event, we can fog the area. This will keep bees and wasps away for an amount of time and keep your guests safe.

Bees

Honey Bees

Adults consist of three castes: queens (3/5 to 3/4 inches long) are fully developed egg layers with only one in each colony; drones (3/4 to 5/8 inches long) are functional males; and workers (2/5 to 3/5 inches long) are undeveloped females. Honey bees have a lifespan of up to five years. A queen lays eggs producing a colony of 60,000 to 80,000. Honey bees have a barbed stinger and sting only once.

Carpenter Bees

Carpenter bees are wood boring and resemble bumble bees. They are large, 3/4 to 1 inch long, heavy bodied, blue-black to black coloured with a green or purplish metallic sheen. The thorax is covered with bright yellow, orange or white hairs and the abdomen, especially on the top side, is black, shiny and bare without hairs. It is the males, with white markings on their head, that fly around aggressively, but they are harmless since they lack a stinger. Females have black heads, are docile and rarely sting. They have a dense brush of hairs on the hind legs whereas bumble bees have large pollen baskets and numerous yellow hairs on the abdomen. Larvae are saclike, white and legless with brown, globular heads that bear small mouth parts. The pupa stage is passed in a silent cocoon. Carpenter bees are found in decks, sheds and other wood surfaces of the home.