Preservation of Honey Bees

Your pest controller has advised you that the insects you have living in your property are bees. They are therefore important and useful for the pollination of a large variety of plants, so the preservation of honey bees is of utmost importance. Many species are either harmless or are very unaggressive, so it may be possible to live alongside them without fear. Your pest controller will be able to advise you accordingly. If possible, please live with the bees in your property.

However, from time to time bees can become a nuisance or even a danger to humans, so may need to be destroyed. This is perfectly legal as no bees are protected by Law, but how they are dealt with is affected by a number of legal constraints, particularly if they are Honey Bees.

Honey Bees will have come from a nearby hive and anything done to your bees could affect other, innocent, hives. Everyone, including you and your pest controller, must by Law take every reasonable effort to prevent these other hives being affected by what is done to your unwanted bees. This, unfortunately, may have significant cost implications.

Preventing Access to Your Treated Bees Nest

Bees can be controlled, but it may be difficult and therefore costly to take all the necessary measures to protect other bees from the control treatment carried out. It will be necessary to seal up the nest entrance and to do this safely may require specialist access equipment.

Removing Treated Honey Combs

It is strongly advised that the honeycombs made by your Honey Bees be removed as the honey they contain will eventually leak out and could cause significant damage to your property. However, depending on where they are, this work may involve a builder or roofer to get to them and to make good your property afterwards.

These honeycombs will also be contaminated with insecticide so must, by Law, be disposed of by incineration using a Licensed Waste Contractor. Your pest controller may be able to arrange for this extra work to be done, but this will inevitably lead to additional costs.

Honey Bees – Pest Control Code of Practice

Your pest controller will be working within the constraints of a ‘Code of Practice Relating to the Control of Feral Honey Bees’. If you would like to see a copy of this, contact the National Pest Technician’s Association on 01773 717716.

We apologise for having to bring you this unwelcome news, but we all have a responsibility for the preservation of honey bees and to protect these important creatures wherever we can. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.