Pest Control In Brent

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Lying in the north-west part of London, the borough of Brent includes a number of built-up areas such as Wembley, Willesden and Kilburn.

This urban population leaves the borough vulnerable to pests which thrive in areas with a high number of residents, such as mice, rats and even cockroaches.

Many of these house invaders can be dealt with by public pest control services (although a fee is still charged). But the one exception are bees.

In Brent, bees cannot be dealt with by public pest control services and the local council recommends that a local beekeeper is used instead to deal with a swarm. However, this is not always necessary: if you have masonry bees, a pest controller may be able to help get rid of the problem.

What are masonry bees?

Few people stop to consider the different types of bee, but in reality a masonry bee is very different to the better-known honey bee.

Although a masonry bee has a sting, it is unable to break human skin and there is therefore no threat.

Masonry bees look like honey bees albeit a bit smaller and hairier! They are very easy to distinguish from the more aggressive wasp.

The behaviour of masonry bees is very different to honey bees, making it fairly straight forward to identify. Firstly, masonry bees are not drawn to humans and you won’t find yourself constantly trying to flap one away if you have a sticky sweet or drink.

Secondly, masonry bees are solitary creatures; they don’t collect in swarms and although they may build their chambers near another masonry bee, they do not collaborate in the same way.

Why are they a problem?

In many cases a masonry bee does not require the intervention of a pest control service. Often only seen when the weather is sunny, a single bee may do little harm; indeed, they are often viewed as a very beneficial insect!

However, it is possible for masonry bees to damage the structure of a property, particularly if the building is older.

Masonry bees tunnel through mortar which is soft and vulnerable usually to a depth of around 10cm. They fill this tunnel with a special nectar mixture and then lay eggs.

Modern properties are not totally immune to masonry bees either; even if the mortar is not soft enough to burrow through, they may take advantage of existing gaps and holes to nest in.

Over time this structural damage can become extensive and put the property in jeopardy. Masonry bees use their mandibles to enlarge existing holes or weak spots and to continue to burrow into the building. This can ultimately have an impact on the load bearing capability of the home.

The other factor to consider is the other type of pest which masonry bees can attract. For example, some birds may peck and attack the walls of your home in order to try and get at masonry bees tunnelled away inside.

It is for these reasons that many homeowners call in pest control services to deal with masonry bees. Of course, some individuals may also be uncomfortable with living close to bees, even if there is no risk of being stung.

Don’t delay

Masonry bees may not be dealt with by the council but they can be treated very effectively by a professional pest control firm, who will also be able to offer advice on any other related problems such as birds, rats, mice, fleas, clothes moths or cockroaches too.

Having a pest in your home isn’t a sign of poor hygiene; it’s often quite the opposite. So don’t delay, make sure you keep your Brent home free from invaders of all kinds!