As the one and only raw honey providers in the world, bees are far from being "pests"; though, they do sometimes build hives in less than ideal locations. For example, many homeowners find hives in enclosed places such as attics, porches, awnings, and wall interiors, which can cause issues during any home renovations or contractor work. But before you grab the closest bottle of RAID, you should know that there are plenty of humane ways to move or work around the hives without disturbing the bees. Here is a simple way to work around bees during renovations.
Know their habits:
Before combating your bee problem, it's important to recognize that bees aren't actually out to sting you. They're very good at sticking to their work and not getting distracted; the only exception to this is when they feel threatened. Even if a nest is damaged, the bees will most likely focus on rescuing other bees and repairing the hive instead of seeking vengeance. As long as you move with purpose and don't disturb them too much, you're highly unlikely to get stung.
Restrict the area:
First, it's recommended to confine the bees' available area. Buzzaboutbees.net provides an example regarding plumbing, but this technique will work for many types of work done around the house:
"Put something in place, which allows ‘in and out’ access for the bees, whilst covering the nest. Either that, or create a temporary ‘barrier’ to encourage the bees to fly in the direction of the outside, and away from the plumbing work. This could be something simple, such as a few empty cardboard boxes piled up between the plumbing and the bee nest."
Beware of allergies:
Many contractors have experience working around bees, but it's always better to be safe. Warn any contractors about the bees' location before they start doing any work on your home, because even though bees provide us with delicious raw organic honey, some people are highly allergic to them. Some contractors may have some sort of beekeeping equipment, such as beekeeping gloves, to make their work easier and less disruptive.
Bees are pollinators and are responsible for cross-pollination, which helps at least 30% of crops and 90% of wild plants thrive. Instead of using harsh chemicals to kill off the hive, do your part to humanely relocate or work around them. For more information about organic honey and safe beekeeping, contact GloryBee.
