Bees
There are three main types of bees: Honeybees, Bumblebees and Miner Bees:
Honeybees
Honeybees do not hibernate in the winter although they slow down and become inactive. They produce honey and store it in wax comb and use the same hive from one year to the next. They are slightly smaller than Bumblebees and live in larger colonies.
Bumblebees
Bumblebees only the queen hibernates and survives the winter. Bumblebees do make a small amount of honey (no more than a tablespoon at any time), which they store in a special cup like cell. They normally only use their nest for one season, but do occasionally return to the same nest the following year.
Miner bees
Miner bees normally the first bee to be seen in Spring. They do not sting as their stinger cannot pierce human skin. They nest by burrowing into the ground.
Facts about bees
- Generally bees will not attack humans, unless their life is under threat. If a bee comes near you, do not wave your arms around wildly. Stand quietly and once the bee smells you are not a flower, they will move gently away.
- Bumblebees do not lose their sting and die if they use it, where as Honeybees do. However, Drone Bumblebees (smaller male bees) do not sting at all. When the drone Bumblebees hatch in mid summer the sudden increase in bee numbers can frighten people who are nervous about insects.
Service the council provides
Walsall Council do not offer a treatment service for bees.
We do not recommend that any species of bees are destroyed as they are beneficial to the environment and unless disturbed or attacked are relatively harmless. For further assistance please contact a local bee keeper using the information contained on the links below.
www.britishbee.org.uk/swarm_collection.php
How to contact us
If you would like further advice or need to make a pest control appointment please contact us:
First Stop Shop
Civic Centre
Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1EU
Telephone 01922 653366
Minicom 0845 1112910
Email contactcentre@walsall.gov.uk
Website www.walsall.gov.uk
If you need help treating a bee infestation or have any further questions, contact us on 01922 653366.
For householders this is a free service. For further information please view our bees factsheet (PDF 71KB).
This page was last updated on 22 January 2010