There are 200 types of bees in the UK. They tend to be more active in the warmer seasons and hibernate in the cold weather. At Edwards we believe in looking after our wildlife and nature. We offer free advice and different methods of controlling and managing any bee colony.

The bee population is on the decline. They play a vital role in the pollination of crops. For that reason we don’t generally treat bees as pests. We will only remove them if they are causing distress.

We are trained in removal of bees. We will re-home them, rather than kill them. Destroying a swarm of bees is considered only as the last resort, if it is not possible to remove it safely.

HONEY BEES

Honey bees are generally about 1cm to 1.5 long. These are the bees responsible for the pollination of crops. They can be found mainly near flowers, as they rely on them to produce their honey. They have provided humans with honey and beeswax for many years. We usually only see the ‘workers’, who are the females which are not yet sexually developed. The workers forage for food and build, clean and protect the hive. The male bees are called ‘drones’. Hundreds of drones will live in the hive during the summer but leave during the winter months. The Queen bee lays the eggs for the next generation of bee. There is only one Queen, and if she dies the workers will choose another worker to feed up with a diet of ‘royal jelly’ and this enables the worker to become fertile.

BUMBLEBEES

Bumblebees are black and yellow in colour and have a large structure on their hind legs which is a basket loaded with pollen. Bumblebees nest in a variety of places, such as bird boxes and gutters. They are far less likely to sting you than honeybees as they tend to attack only when provoked! Nests contain less than honeybees’ usually from around 50 – 400 bees. The classes of bees within the nest are the same as described with honeybees. They can be seen around plants foraging for pollen and going in and out of the nest. Gardeners may also see the overwintering Queens in the winter and early spring.

ANT CONTROL

COMMON BLACK ANT

The most common ant found in the UK. It has the tendency to enter houses in search of a variety of food – other insects and sugary substances –  to take back to the colony.  Colonies start in mid-late summer initiated by the Queen, during the winter they hibernate in places such as garages and sheds.

Control: Black ants can be controlled by insecticide and bait formations or organic products.

PHARAOH ANT

Found in highly heated buildings across the country, such as hospitals, food service areas and in lawns during hot weather. The Pharaoh Ant is yellow – light brown in colour, it can be seen as almost transparent. They eat all sorts, especially sweet foods. They vary in length, workers being approximately 1.5-2mm long and queens being around 4mm and slightly darker in colour than the workers. Colonies are usually large but can vary from a few dozen to several hundred thousand.

Pharaoh ants can transmit over a dozen pathogens, such as Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp.

Control: Pharaoh ant control is difficult but can be controlled by formations and organic products.

WASPS

There are seven species of wasp in the UK. The most common are the ‘common wasp’ and the ‘German wasp’. Both species nest underground and in cavities in trees, walls and buildings. They also have the tendency to nest in loft spaces. If left alone, wasps are not normally aggressive – however temperature and overcrowding can be triggers for aggressive behaviour.

Unlike the bee sting, the wasp sting has no barbs and can be used over and over. At the base of the sting is a sac containing venom. When squeezed by the wasp it delivers the venom under the skin. The pain felt with a wasp sting is caused by a complex protein when the skin is penetrated through injection. Reactions to the wasp sting can vary from being hardly affected to serious allergic reactions which could result in death from anaphylactic shock.

Control: These wasps can be controlled with dust formation and organic products. They can also be removed at night if the area is accessible.

BROWN RAT

Also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat or wharf rat. This is the most common rat in the UK. If you live in a town you are probably no more than 15 meters from a rat. They live in large colonies and multiply at an alarming rate, litters of 1-20 every 6 weeks. Females breed at 3 months old.

Brown rats are mainly nocturnal. They will run from danger but may attack in groups – they have been known to attack rabbits, birds and fish. These rats vary in size, but normally range from 30 to 60cm, including tail.

They live in countryside and in towns – anywhere there is a food source. They can survive on almost any food.

Control: Can be controlled using rodenticide, trapping and proofing measures.

BLACK RATS

Also known as the ship rat. Originally from India, they arrived in the UK 2000 years ago in crates of cargo. Fleas on the rats brought the plague to Europe, and ‘The Black Death’ killed over half of the population.

Black rats are slimmer than brown rats. The colour of their coat varies from grey to brown to black. They mainly live in ports or coastal towns but also found in grassy fields and islands. Nests are built in cavity walls, in between rafters, in hollow trees and above the ground. Their diet is mainly vegetarian. Black rats breed between April and November and produce up to five litters of up to eight pups.

Control: can be controlled using rodenticide, trapping and proofing measures.