Wasp Nests & Bee decline
Wasp Nests & Bee decline:
This week has been a strange week for us regarding wasp nests. Monday started and although this is normally our busiest day we were 20% down on the previous Monday. This would indicate that the wasp season was in decline but then on Thursday we had our busiest day of the year! We are hoping that the theory of a late season due to the cold Spring is true. This may be the case or as had been stated in previous blogs it may be that due to the low numbers of nests last year there may not be enough Queen wasps to make nests this year. Only time will tell.
I saw a very interesting program on bees with Bill Turnbill last night. It discussed veroa, neo-nicotinoid pesticides & the decline in habitat effecting all species of bees. I have stated that the decline may be a myth as for the last few years we have seen an ever increasing number of calls relating to bees. What I assed from the program was that Veroa is making a =n impact on t=Honey Bees but I think that this is being offset some way by the increased popularity of bee keeping, that there is evidence that the neo-nicotinoid pesticides harm bees but after listening to the scientists on the program it may be that a ban may have been a bit premature and that the substitutes may be just as harmful and finally it is not surprising there are less bees when meadow land has been greatly replaced by crops. This in turn means less food so as with any animal or insect less food means a smaller population. Research form Reading University showed that planting strips of wild flowers in the middle of crops had a benefits for bees and crop quality compared with just leaving a strip of wild flowers at the edge of the field.
At least this is being looked into but from our point of view bees are on the up as far as calls are concerned.
To book a pest control treatment or free advice then please call us at PEST UK: 0330 100 2811 (local rate) or 0800 026 0308 (free from land lines & some mobiles).
