Honey Bees and Other Stinging Pests

Bees and other "stinging pests" have made their way onto the scene lately. Yellow jackets, paper wasps, carpenter and honey bees, cicada killers, and European hornets are all in this category. These are obviously an annoyance to people for various reasons. Killing honey bees is thought by many people to be outlawed by the government and although killing bees is not actually illegal, the use of federally banned pesticides against bees, is. Most of us probably saw the Bee Movie which came out in 2007. This was a film that enlightened people about the importance of honey bees to our ecosystem. As a result, in 2008 the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed the Pollinator Protection Act after it was noted that honey bee populations were in decline. This act works to "promote research and study of honey bees and is intended to support the lifespan of these insects, which is integral to the earth's long-term welfare." While most people are wishing bees would disappear, bee advocates are using statistics like, "Bees pollinate one out of every three bites of American food and $15 billion worth of crops annually" and calling for people to support bee colonies by buying more honey, offering them water dishes, and planting pollinator-friendly flowers. Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and water; and is the only food that contains "pinocembrin", an antioxidant associated with improved brain functioning. If you decide to use chemicals it is best to not use them directly on the flowers but instead stick to areas around your home or the bases of flower beds, where the bees have nothing to pollenate. Treatment and removal for stinging pests is something that should be handled by the professionals at Best Home and Property Services, especially where there are hives and colonies involved, as there are many safety hazards that come into play.