Best Bee Brothers Bee Blog

Mosquito season seems to get longer each year. If those pesky bugs chase you back inside or have you reaching for a can of chemical repellent to enjoy the great outdoors – or your own backyard – you’re not alone. Luckily, a product to help keep the mosquitoes away doesn’t have to be in an aerosol can. Before the twentieth century when man-made chemicals were invented to repel bugs, humans used natural essential oils, which have been used for ages to keep mosquitoes at bay. Here are 5 natural oils used for repelling them: 1. Lemon Eucalyptus: Lemon eucalyptus oil...

Avoiding West Nile, Zika & Other Deadly Diseases When we hear or see a mosquito, our normal reaction is to be on the defense – ready to strike at any moment. And it’s no wonder. Mosquitoes are more than just pests whose bites leave itchy welts behind. Worldwide, mosquitoes have infected more people than any other living organism, leading to over 1 million deaths a year. Two of the most well-known mosquito-borne viruses that are cause for concern in the US are West Nile virus and Zika virus. West Nile came on the US radar about 20 years ago, though...

Carpenter bees can come in a variety of colors depending upon where you live. Even though there are a variety of carpenter bees there are a handful of characteristics to identify a carpenter bee. The diagram above shows the following defining physical characteristics of a carpenter bee: Length: Typically 1 inch long Legs: 4 fuzzy black legs Mandibles: Used for digging through wood Abdomen: Hard, black and shiny Thorax: Mid-section of the body with a fuzzy texture Antenna: How the bee senses or smells things The shiny hard abdomen is the most distinguishing physical trait of the carpenter bee regardless...

When you think of bees, images of a beehive teeming with honey might come to mind. But the reality is that most bees do not make honey or live in hives. In fact, 85% of the world’s bee population is made up of bees that do not live in hives or colonies. These creatures are also known as solitary bees. The most commonly known solitary bee is the mason bee.   Luckily, we can tell the difference between mason and carpenter bees because there are many physical and behavioral differences between the two. There are many different types of mason...

If you were plagued by carpenter bees during the spring and summer, fall is the perfect time to fill their holes for a carpenter bee free spring. Carpenter Bee Holes. During the fall and winter nests, are not active. The female carpenter bees have finished their nesting duties and passed away in their tunnel. Filling the holes accomplishes two tasks: It stops any larva laid in the nest from emerging in the spring. It stops carpenter bee young who are scouting for a new home at springtime from choosing your holes. There are a variety of ways to successfully fill...