One of the most obvious problems with bees in a house or building is the fact that they can sting, and this can be especially dangerous if a person is allergic to bee stings. But there are other problems associated with the presence of bees.

Other than bee stings, honey is the next common problem caused by a bee infestation. Honey from a bee hive can cause a couple problems; one it can cause staining and damage to walls and/or ceilings. Two, honey from bee hives can drip and attract other insects and even rodents. Lastly, the honey in a bee hive can grow mold.

Honey bees and bumble bees do not eat or chew wood, therefore cannot cause structural damage. But carpenter bees are capable of boring holes into walls, roofs and any other wood.

After you spot bees and before you call an bee exterminator, remember that yes, bees may sting but bumble bees and honey bees are actually helpful. Bees are used extensively for pollination in the agricultural industry and the estimated value of bee pollination is often in the billions of dollars. Honey bees obviously also produce honey and bees wax which are used for a variety of uses such as consumption and candles.

Think you have a bee problem? Here’s a helpful identification guide for bees, hornets, wasps, etc…

Most people think termites are the only insects that can inflict damage to property. But in fact they are just one in a list of insects that eat (and destroy) wood. The list of wood-destroying insects includes carpenter ants, termites (several species), round-headed borers, carpenter bees, wood destroying beetles, brown wood rot and several others.

Different wood-destroying insects prefer different types of wood. For instance, termites generally like soft wood that is found in the structure of the building but round-headed borers like both soft and hard wood less than 10 years old. LivingWithBugs.com has a really informative chart about wood destroying insects (pdf). The chart lists the insect, the type of wood it prefers, damage potential and a few other facts.

Wondering what brown wood rot is? Brown wood rot (there is also a white wood rot) is actually a decay fungi that typically grows on wood with a lot of moisture. Both brown and white wood rot is sometimes mistaken for termite damage but can be disproved once it is determined there aren’t any tunnels or sawdust.

So when a termite inspection is preformed, termites are just one of the pests being inspected for. And termites aren’t the only insect that can destroy your home, porch or deck.

Very few people appreciate the cockroach and as one of the most common household pests it’s no wonder. But cockroaches have been around for millions of years so chances are they aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. There are some simple and inexpensive ways to cut down on the number of roaches around your house.

Five Easy Ways to Reduce the Number of Roaches in Your Home:

1. Store both your plastic and paper bags in a zipping plastic bag…bunched up bags are great nesting environments for cockroaches

2. Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink and uncovered food on the counter for an extended period of time

3. Keep pet food out of the kitchen and in air tight containers

4. Take care of extra moisture from leaky pipes, faucets, etc..

5. If you store garbage under the sink, regularly clean the area for spilled food, debris and anything that may attract roaches

6. Hire a cockroach exterminator.

Did you know…

• Cockroaches can be found around the world and adapt very easily to many environments
• Fossils of cockroach-like insects date back to between 354–295 million years ago
• The largest species of cockroach is over three inches long
• There are over 4,000 different species of cockroaches but only four species of cockroaches are considered pests in the United States