| By :
Nick Messe
Albert Einstein once said, "If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. No more bees, no more pollination, no more men!" Scientists today agree on the importance of bees to our ecosystem. The honey bee is by far the insect that we often take for granted. Due to a suspected virus, we have lost over seventy percent of our honey bee population. This is a scary reality as reproduction of nearly eighty percent of our plant life depends on the pollination of bees. Therefore, it is very important we take care of the honey bee whenever possible. Bees live in colonies with population of 20,000 to 60,000. Each colony has only one queen bee. Her sole responsibility is laying eggs. In the summer, when they are most active, the queen lays an average of 2500 eggs per day. She has to stay busy as the average bee has a life span of only six weeks. However, the queen bee lives up to five years. The worker bees are all female and they do the pollinating and creating the hive and honey. The male bees are responsible for mating. Honey bees create their hives from wax. The structure is made of multiple honeycombs in a uniform fashion. A colony generally lives in a hive for several years. In nature they use caves, rock cavities and hollow trees as secure places to reside. However, in urban areas they find areas such as chimneys, attics and wall cavities. When bees dwell in a home it can pose a problem to homeowners. However, it is important we take care when removing and relocating a colony. When a hive is found in an area of concern it is important to remain calm. Honey bees rarely sting. In fact, males do not sting at all. Regardless, for the average person, it would take 1100 bee stings for it to be fatal. Generally bees are harmless unless threatened. To preserve the colony and not further endanger the balance of our ecosystem, it is best to call a professional to remove. Most local beekeepers would be more than happy to relocate the hive. However, if the hive is in a tricky place, such as a wall cavity, a removal specialist will need to be called. Dry wall may need to be cut out to reach the hive and remove completely. It is important to not leave the hive behind and simply kill the bees. If pests, such as raccoons, learn of a hive carrying several gallons of honey inside they will find their way to it. This can be dangerous and possibly create damage to a home. Once the hive is removed, it will likely be relocated into a safe environment and the bees can continue their unique and important jobs. The pollination can continue and the plants we depend on can continue to grow. We can all feel good to have done our part saving the earth.
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