As the swarming season begins for bees in South Africa, Rentokil Initial has partnered with Bee Kulture to provide specialised and sustainable “bee sanctuaries” for companies wishing to invest in a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to their bee problems.
The importance of honeybees to the environment can’t be understated – it’s the topic of ongoing debate and research, but sadly these days bees are mostly in the news for the wrong reasons: hive collapse, loss of habitat, the impending threat to food security…
Protecting bees
Bees are critical for the future of humanity, and essential for the growth of most plants – including food crops. It is therefore imperative that every bee is protected and whenever a swarm is deemed to be a nuisance they need to be safely and sustainably relocated.
It’s important to note that as bees are protected, they should never be destroyed. Bees need to be sensitively relocated by bee-keeping professionals. All too often we receive calls from the public asking us to come and “spray” to get rid of bees. Due to the protected status of bees, this is something no professional pest control company should ever offer.
Bee Sanctuaries for corporate customers
Bee Kulture’s conservationist approach fits in well with Rentokil’s ethos of integrated pest management and environmental protection, and together we’re offering commercial clients with bees on their sites the option of creating – where appropriate – “bee sanctuaries”.
Our first bee sanctuary is on the premises of a large manufacturing client in Midrand, Gauteng, who had a problem with bees swarming inside the factory. Instead of the removal of these bees, apiaries have been placed in a small, carefully sectioned-off and signposted piece of the property to provide a safe space for the bees.
As part of the service, honey from these beehives will be collected and can be sold, donated to charity or even given to staff, and our client can rest assured that they are doing their piece for the conservation effort towards bee populations.
Instead of having swarms removed, Rentokil and Bee Kulture are hoping to convince more of our clients to opt for the installation of bee sanctuaries on their sites, although bee removal can also be arranged on sites where a bee sanctuary is not possible.
Watch out for swarms this spring and summer
This is the time to start being more aware of bees, as the swarming season in South Africa usually lasts from September through to February, as spring brings the blossoming of flowers. This is also the time that honeybees are the most aggressive with overdoses of pollen.
In many cultures, a swarm of bees in the yard means good luck, but if it’s impossible to live with them on your premises then it’s best for well-equipped, certified and experienced teams to safely remove and relocate hives to apiaries and areas where they can live and prosper.
We’re pleased to now be able to offer these additional sustainable and bee-friendly solutions to our clients. Contact Rentokil today to find out how we can assist you with an environmentally conscious solution to your bee problem.
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