Why Do Honeybees Build Nests In Your Home?

Honeybees are constantly looking for protected environments in which they can build their nests without having to worry about being disturbed. In many cases, certain areas of your house (exterior or even interior) might serve their purposes quite well.

This is due to a couple factors. There is a scarcity of natural, preferred honeybee nesting sites (one of the reasons honeybee populations are rapidly falling), and wooden homes tend to have a large number of suitable nesting sites available for bees to take advantage of. Bees actually do quite well in urban environments, and in those environments, wooden houses have plenty of cavities they can explore and nest in undisturbed.

Of course, if the whole point is for bees to nest undisturbed, that means it can be difficult for you to catch their nesting early on. If you suspect there is an infestation of honeybees building hives in your Central Illinois home, it’s important for you to carefully look for some of the following red flags:

• A large number of bees: This should be pretty self-explanatory. If you see a lot of bees flying around your home, this is a pretty clear sign that you most likely have a bee problem to resolve. This can be an irritating problem, but also a potentially unhealthy one, as bees in large quantities can transfer bacteria into your home from the outdoors. If you can’t find a crack or opening where bees are flying in, there’s a chance you have a colony somewhere in your home.
• Dark patches: Have you noticed any strange dark patches forming on walls or ceilings? If so, this could be a sign of a honeybee infestation behind the wall material. The dark patches are formed by the moist honey soaking the wall or ceiling material. These patches might be a sign of other issues, such as mildew or mold behind the drywall, but if you’ve also seen bees flying around in your home, it’s more likely that these are spots where the infestation is originating from.
• Active nests: Have you spotted an active nest somewhere on your property? Maybe you’ve seen it outside in your garden, or perhaps you’ve actually seen it somewhere in your home’s structure. In either case, there’s a good chance honeybees are infesting your home. These nests can be just about anywhere they find space: under eaves, behind walls, under floorboards, in ceilings, behind lighting fixtures, inside garages or sheds. If you can’t see an obvious nest, see if you can track the movements of honeybees you’ve seen around your property for patterns. Are they frequently going to or from a specific spot? If so, are they carrying pollen with them? This will help you pinpoint the nest location.

If you have a honeybee nest in your Central Illinois house, it’s important that you work with a skilled pest control specialist to get rid of the problem safely and effectively. Contact Crist Termite and Pest Solutions, Inc. for more information about the services we provide.