Bees?

[svp07 14]

What are you guys doing about bees if encountered? Up charge by the nest or can of spray? I had to clean out the gutters for this house I was going to wash and I ran into about 7 nests...lost 2 hours on the gutter cleaning I figure and 3 cans of spray. They were hiding up under the edge of the shingle in the gutter and behind the gutter...for some reason there was a 1/4" gap between the house and the gutter.

I am going to put in a disclosure on my estimates about bees...maybe $10 a nest.

Any thoughts.

[seymore 90]

:cool: I'll keep that in mind thanks..

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Hot water and chlorine bleach are not good for the wood. I would suggest another method.....

Beth:groovy:

[Celeste 341]

Wasps are one thing but recently I've been running into a bunch of european hornets (basically yellow jackets on steroids about 2-2 1/2 inches long. Very aggresive and will sting the hell out of you.

I've contracted a pest control company that gives my clients a discount if they are clients of mine. Name of the company for you Maryland people, all pest solutions.

Hey Henry....are they humongous black wasp looking things? I had something like that get into a house I was cleaning yesterday. It chased me into the bathroom...only reason it didn't get in was because it's wingspan was wider than the door. I've never seen anything like these things before!

[Henry B. 4]

Hey Carolina,

European hornets look just like yellow jackets except they are about 5x the size. Yellow jackets have black and yellow stripes on their buts and their are usually at least 100 in a nest. A lot of people confuse them with wasps but they have shorter wings and bodies.

[Gavin 14]

I run into a lot of wasps also. They're pretty tenacious out here. On one deck I did, no matter what I did a few days would go by and they would build their nest in exactly the same spot. And they were NOT happy about it either and made sure and let me know. Somehow I still thought it was funny when my helper got chased though.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

One of the things we do is make sure that the customer is aware that THEY are responsible for controlling the condition present on their property.

We ask that they have an exterminator come out to take care of the problem so that our employees can work unabated.

This does not fall under the workmans compensation clause as a covered expense.

It falls under the homeowners liability for maintaining a safe environment for anyone they may bring onto their property. They are liable for it if you get stung and especially if you are allergic.

At least if the homeowner calls someone to come out and take care of the problem, they can control those costs. Since the vast majority of powerwashing companies dont have an license to purchase or apply exterminator chemicals (save Everett)

it makes sense to leave that part to those who know how to do it.

(I hate cleaning up the oil stains that come from the typical can of wasp and hornet killers on the market)(and I sometimes have to use it once the wash has already been done!)

Hope this helps others of those whom may be allergic to stings from these territorially imposing winged nuisances!

Rod~

[Firedkm 14]

Well yesterday I decided to overseed my grass. I found a ground hornets nest the hard way! I got stung on my leg at least five times that I was able to count on my one leg.:rolleyes:

I got pissed off and got my ammo for my attack. Dumped about a gallon of gas down the hole and one match! poof there gone. It must have burned for twenty minutes, as people drove by my house they had a very curious look on there face. Like whats the heck is he doing as the flames are about ten feet high burning my front yard!!!!:whoops:

That will teach them to come after me again!!

My one question is, where was Everett when I needed him!:dunno:

[Mike Williamson 198]

Hot water and chlorine bleach are not good for the wood. I would suggest another method.....

Beth:groovy:

I was talking about wasps under the eaves, etc...I wasn't thinking about decks, since I do so few of them!

[Mike Williamson 198]

Hey Carolina,

European hornets look just like yellow jackets except they are about 5x the size. Yellow jackets have black and yellow stripes on their buts and their are usually at least 100 in a nest. A lot of people confuse them with wasps but they have shorter wings and bodies.

And are much more aggressive.

Another thing to remember is that if you can help it, don't step on them or squish them...They give off a scent that essentially says "Come help!!!". If there's a nest close by, you may have more than you bargained for.