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Bees, wasps and hornets a big problem this summer

Posted at 5:00 PM, Aug 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-12 17:00:49-04

WEST MICHIGAN -- It's been a busy season for bees and for businesses trying to eliminate them.

A-1 Pest Control in Grand Rapids says they are getting two or three bee problem calls per day.

Anthony Sczesny, owner of A-1 Pest Control, says bees, hornets, and wasps are more active this summer because it's been so warm. "It's been the busiest year, I think, in the past three or four years due to the constant heat -- evenings, mornings, and day," he said. Sczesny says bees will usually slow down when temperatures drop below 55° at night, but those cool nights have been pretty rare this summer.

Sczesny recommends calling pest control to help you eliminate bees first, and to be extremely careful if you attempt to eliminate a nest by yourself. "If you plan on treating them yourself, especially off the ladder, be real cautious," he said. "Say you've got an aerosol can that shoots maybe 10, 12, 15 feet... the wasps or bees will follow that beam of spray right to you."

If you are allergic to bees, experts say you should not attempt to get rid of them on your own. Sczesny says it costs around $120 to eliminate most exposed nests, but the charge can run around $185 if the nest is hidden in the wall voids of your home.