All Hail the Queen!

Posted on May 19, 2010 with 2 Comments

As published in a Wall Street Journal article, beekeeping has been legalized in New York City!  What does this mean? People are allowed to keep tens of thousands of bees in their lawn or apartment with the authorization from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene with intention to harvest them for honey. Most people have no interest in owning so many bees, but some people do, called beekeepers, which keep bee hives and collect their honey to sell.  On May 15^th, a swarm of 30,000 bees escaped from a hive on a beekeeper’s balcony in Brooklyn and traveled down a local residential street.  They decided to gather high on a tree, to which an expert beekeeper, Andrew Coté, came to tame the herd.  He trapped the queen bee first then the rest of the bees followed.  Luckily, honey bees do not sting, and the bees could safely travel to another hive.  Andrew said the main reason for them to swarm is from over population of the hive.  When this happens the bee colony travels to find another hive, always following the queen.  A bee colony never goes back to the same hive so once they leave, the hive they will not return to the same area.    The neighbor’s opinions on the incident ranged from they thought it was an interesting site, to being appalled.  Not all bees are as friendly as honey bees, so make sure when you are outside, try and stay away from bees as much as possible.

If you have a bee problem or a hive on or near your house, feel free to contact us either by phone 800-479-2284 , email, live chat, facebook, twitter, or visit our website.  Want to know the difference between wasps and bees? See this other article

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Stink Bugs Make Their Appearance in Brooklyn

Posted on January 31, 2010 with No Comments

The stink bug has been receiving a lot of press lately now that they are popping up in Brooklyn. Stink Bugs are common in China, Korea and Japan. They found their way to America by means of suitcases and products that are shipped from those countries. The Stink bug gets its name from the foul odor it emits when they are crushed. These stinky bugs are overwintering, which live in the cracks and crevasses of your home in the winter months, and will reappear when the weather becomes warmer. It’s not uncommon to see these pests in your home during these months. Rutgers Professor George C. Hamilton first knew about the stink bug entering America back in 1997, now  this pest can be found all over the east coast, especially in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The stink bug is similar to the western conifer seed bug.

Check out the New York Times article from 2007, and the New York Post’s article from earlier today.

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Brooklyn Is Infested With Rodents and Cockroaches

Posted on January 6, 2010 with No Comments

Do you live in Brownsville or Crown Heights in Brooklyn? You will be shocked at the statistics that the New York Daily News released yesterday.

“Fifty percent of Brownsville residents reported seeing a mouse or rat in their building in the past 90 days, according to a 2008 Health Department survey. That’s more than twice the city average of about 20% and almost twice the borough average of 26%. Nearby South Crown Heights has a lower rate of rodent sightings – 42% – but has the worst roach infestation in Brooklyn. Almost 56% of residents there see roaches in their households on a daily basis, according to Health Department data from 2008. That’s well above the borough average of 33% and the city average of 29%”

-NY Daily News

These numbers are shocking. What is even more ridiculous is the rodent infestation in Sheepshead Bay. 93% of the establishments have rodents, 17% have cockroaches.

If you wish to read more about this please head over the NY Daily News article or check out the NYC Heath Department.