Most homeowners in Camarillo, CA have mixed feelings about bees and for a good reason. Many people see them as pests that invade their homes and endanger certain family members. According to the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, around 5 to 7.5 percent of people will suffer from a severe allergic reaction to insects in their lifetime.
In most cases, bees want to mind their own business and are an incredibly essential part of our ecosystem. The only time you should be concerned is when they decide they want to make your home their home. In that case, they might cause damage to your house or become aggressive. At that point, it could be time to call in a professional.
Common Bees in Southern California
There are over 1,000 types of bees in Southern California, which is a little too many for us to cover here. Instead, we want to focus on important species and the dangers they may pose to you.
In short, we will be focusing on honey bees, bumblebees, and carpenter bees. Each species is unique and important. However, you still need to deal with them from time to time when they become a danger to your family or the customers at your business.
Honey Bees in Southern California
There are two significant types of honey bees in Camarillo. European honey bees are the preferred species in most places. They’re excellent pollinators and a favorite for the production of honey and the pollination of crops. Many parts of California are highly agricultural, and these bees are crucial for commercial pollination.
Africanized honey bees in Southern California are much more defensive and difficult to manage. That makes them hard to handle when using them for honey and crop pollination.
Telling the difference between these types of honey bees is incredibly difficult. They don’t have such a visible difference. The distinction between them is found in their behavior. A hive of Africanized honey bees can get agitated quickly and can remain on the defense for several days. That can make them extremely dangerous around small children and unsuspecting adults.
Bumblebees in Southern California
There are 26 species of bumblebees found in California. Most people aren’t concerned about bumblebees in comparison to other bees, wasps, and yellow jackets. In reality, they can be fairly formidable when agitated because the females can sting you several times before losing their stinger. However, they aren’t easily bothered.
Bumblebees prefer to make their nest in the ground, usually in holes made and abandoned by other animals. That can be problematic if you have children playing on the property who may step in the nest by accident.
If a bumblebee nest is out of the way and you don’t run the risk of stepping on it, it is beneficial to leave it be.
Carpenter Bees in Southern California
There are a few types of bees in Southern California that are misunderstood, and carpenter bees are certainly on that list. It’s true that these little beauties can do some damage, and they’re called carpenter bees for a reason. They are experts at drilling into untreated wood and can do serious damage to wooden structures.
If you see them around on your property, you usually don’t have to worry. But if you see them hanging around your home in concentrated areas, it’s safe to say you might have a problem on your hands.
How does O’Connor Pest Control get rid of bees?
Many types of bees in Southern California aren’t a problem, unless they just happen to make a nest a little too close to home. If you recognize a bee problem on your property, you should call the experts at O’Connor Pest Control. A professional will be able to legally and safely remove the problem while keeping you and your loved ones out of harm’s way.