Although numerous birds and insects pollinate our food crops, bees play the largest role in this process and, without them, we wouldn’t have one-third of all the food we consume on a daily basis. Many foods require pollination including sunflowers (for oil), asparagus, cherries, broccoli, melons, and even almonds. However, it isn’t just food for our population because they pollinate alfalfa and clover (which is then fed to cattle) in addition to flax and cotton. Of course, we also skim their honey deposits and make use of beeswax for beauty and cleaning products.

In order to produce the honey we collect, bees need to consume nectar and pollen from flowers  which is why they tend to gather in gardens that offer the best chance of receiving these two substances. For bees, pollen contains everything they need such as protein, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, enzymes, and sugar. Most of us have also witnessed bees landing on and eating meats, although this is not part of their daily diet, they will consume meat if it’s available.

While bees thrive in wild areas with an abundance of flowers, they can also live in domesticated environments. The aim for a colony of bees is to choose a spot that keeps them close to food and far away from predators. Normally, this means settling under the edges of certain objects or in the cavities of trees. Bees will nest in trees, under bridges, gutters, and attic spaces.

Having your home properly sealed to prevent bee colonies from migrating into a crawl space or attic will prevent them from making a home inside your home. Nests can be found just about anywhere on a property, under decks, in trees, interior walls, overhangs, and among clutter and accumulated junk in the yard.

If you notice a nest it’s best to contact a bee control specialist immediately, however, if you feel you need to take a closer look to try and identify the species yourself you can follow this guide on how to approach a nest safely to avoid being stung.

Signs That Bees Are Nesting in Your Home