The sudden increase in temperature and sunshine has meant an explosion of blossom and noticeable increase in bees going about their work.
There has also been a worrying surge in calls to pest controllers from people confusing bees with wasps and asking for treatment.
In many respects, the concept of beekeeping as a hobby might appear to conflict with the role of a pest controller. But this is not necessarily the case. Oddly, many people involved in pest control are attracted to the idea of beekeeping. For some beekeepers, it is a gateway hobby into pest control. At Cleankill, we have encountered a number of businesses that got started because the owners were beekeepers, who were subsequently asked to assist with the control of wasps and hornets.
Croydon-based Cleankill Pest Control is warning members of the public to be on the look out for the potentially deadly Asian hornet.
The venomous Asian hornet, sometimes called the yellow-legged hornet, Latin name vespa velutina, is slightly smaller than the European hornet. Queens are typically 30 mm, males 24 mm and workers around 20 mm. It has a velvety brown or black thorax, brown abdomen and highly distinctive yellow legs. The head is black with a yellow face.
