WASPS AND HONEY BEES
As the summer period progresses and autumn rapidly approaches, wasps can become more of a problem, not only to humans, but to the general bee population as well. There are six species of wasp in the United Kingdom that could cause serious problems for bees and these include the common wasp, the German wasp and the European hornet. Their respective nests can be found in trees, shrubs, hedges, underground and in many cases human properties! This year, so far, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of nests found in general houses, outbuildings, such as sheds or garages and even in...
Read MoreWHAT IS THAT INSECT?
The collection of pictures below can be used to help identify what insect you have come into contact with: Bumblebees – Larger than the honeybee and other bees, always furry, the common ones usually have tails that are either white, red, buff or brown and some have yellow bands. Honeybee and solitary bees – Smaller than bumblebees, they can vary in colour from all-black to orange bands – can easily be mistaken for wasps. Hoverflies and...
Read MoreIVY IN THE GARDEN
For those people lucky enough to have a garden, now is the time to experience some unusual occurrences that only happen this time of the year, but the conditions have to be just right! If you have sandy based soil and short grass with a sunny outlook, you may notice small holes appearing in the ground and insects busily excavating. It may be a couple, or hundreds depending on the location and the culprit is the Ivy Bee. The Ivy Bee is a solitary bee and is the last to emerge in the year, normally mid to late September until November. Once mated, the female digs a burrow in loose sand or...
Read MoreIS IT A BEE, HORNET OR A WASP?
With the warmer weather that is now with us, the calls for help regarding Bees and Wasps have dramatically increased over the past couple of weeks and are likely to continue until the end of the season. With many different types of insects involved identification can be confusing, so here is a little help! There are 24 species of Bumble Bees in the United Kingdom and 225 species of solitary bees, but only 1 species of Honey Bee. There are also 8 species of Wasps. Confused? The general rule is to leave alone until you are sure what you...
Read MoreDOES HOUSE INSURANCE COVER RODENT OR VERMIN DAMAGE?
How often do we really read the small print and fully understand the consequences? With all the austerity measures currently being used to save money, insurance is one of the many areas we look to save money on and the results could end up costing thousands of pounds. Household insurance policies that actually cover rodent damage in their wording are far and few between. Many have the following phrases included: “We will not cover: damage caused by wear and tear, settlement and shrinkage, vermin, insects, fungus, weather conditions, or any damage which happens gradually.” Or: “We will not...
Read MoreHONEY BEES – BUMBLE BEES – SOLITARY BEES – WASPS – HORNETS
With warmer weather expected at this time of year, animals and insects will thrive and we can expect to see increased insect activity including Bees and Wasps. There are several hundred different types of bees that can be found in the UK and they can be classified into groups. One of the main groups are social Bees and these can include both Honey Bees and Bumble Bees. Honey Bees are very sociable and can live in groups of up to 50000 including a Queen, workers, drones and of course larvae, pupae and eggs. They are normally associated with bee hives, but can be found living in the wild in...
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