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Environmental Health
Lewes District Council
Southover House
Southover Road
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1AB
Tel: 01273 484354
ehealth@lewes.gov.uk
Minicom 01273 484488
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Bees, Wasps and Flies
Advice, guidance and information on identifying and treating bees, wasps and bees entering your property and gardens.
Bees
The Honey Bee and Bumble Bee are rapidly declining in numbers. This is caused by a mite killing the honey bee and changing agricultural practices affecting the Bumble Bee.
Both these bees are good for the environment. It is therefore now our policy not to treat bees unless there is a real danger to public health.
Solitary Mining Bees are found in large numbers in gardens. They create bore-like holes in soil. The bees live as an individual and the holes will go down approx 15cm and contain their larvae. They are beneficial and are not able to sting.
Masonry Bees are similar to above but use small cracks and faults in brickwork to nest. They cannot damage or bore into modern mortar. Again, there is very little treatment that can be done. As they are solitary and will disappear before summer.
Bumble Bees are the hairy type. They normally nest in holes in the ground or sheds at ground level over winter and survive the following year. They are beneficial to gardens, not aggressive and rarely sting.
Treatment
Swarms can only be collected once they have settled. Many swarms will move on the same day or by the following day. A local Beekeeper may be the best option.
They will collect bees from accessible places and a charge may be made to cover their expenses.
Wasps
There are several species of social wasp found in this country. All are similar in appearance, bright yellow and black, about 10 - 20 mm in length, except for the hornet which is somewhat larger and brown and yellow in colour. They have a very slim waist and are a lot less hairy than bees.
Life Cycle
The only wasps which can survive the winter are the young fertilised queens. A queen will emerge from her winter hibernation around mid-April to find a suitable site for her new nest.
This will be on a branch or inside a hollow tree, or underground. Unfortunately, a loft space, wall cavity or shed will do just as well!
The nest will usually grow to the size of a football and will be home to about 5000 bees. In the late summer, males and young queens emerge. They mate, and the queens seek a place to hibernate.
Treatment
If a nest is in a place where it gives cause for concern there are a number of proprietary products available to kill the nest. Whichever product you use, you are advised to read the label and follow the instructions carefully.
Consider the risk of being stung. Whilst for most people this is a painful annoyance, there is a significant minority who are allergic to the stings, and can suffer very extreme reactions.
Flies
Common houseflies can be 6-8mm long with a grey thorax and 4 longitudinal stripes along this. This is probably the most familiar of all insects and has adapted itself to feeding on rejected food and excrements of animals.
Eggs can be laid on any vegetable or animal matter providing it is not too dry and can hatch between 8 hours to 3 days. The larva is white and legless turning to a waxy ivory yellow in colour and more commonly known as the maggot.
Pupation follows usually taking place in the soil and this period will vary from 3 to 28 days depending on the temperature. Adult flies can exist in broods from June but are more numerous in August and September.
Houseflies can transmit diseases when feeding on liquefiable solid food. They regurgitate digestive juices and their stomach contents onto the food substance.
They may carry disease on their bodies and transfer these when in contact with other surfaces.
Treatment
Insecticides that are obtainable for the general public can be used but should be integrated with good hygiene measures.
To prevent the spread of disease do not leave food uncovered and out on surfaces.
Bluebottles
Bluebottle flies are larger than the common house fly and they have a shiny blue body dusted with white on the abdomen. They are also known as blowflies because they 'blow' their eggs onto exposed meat.
Creamy white eggs are laid on the flesh of dead animals and can hatch between 18-48 hours. The small larvae known as maggots feed on the flesh of the animal. The pupal stage lasts from 9-12 days, the pupa are a cylindrical in shape and dull red-brown.
The normal habitat of Bluebottle flies is outside. Females may enter houses in search of food unlike the common house fly they may frequent cool dark places such as larders and can be distinguished by their loud buzzing noise.
Treatment
Insecticides that are obtainable for the general public can be used but should be integrated with good hygiene measures.
To prevent the spread of disease do not leave food uncovered and out on surfaces.
