VJy3
ENVIRONNEMENT
WINTER1992
Environment Environnement
BEES, WASPS AND HORNETS
of
Bees, wasps and hornets are beneficial insects niany which assist man in the pollination of crops and the
Sometimes beekeepers are
interested in capturing
biological control of
many other insect pests.
bees,
The
fact that
many
wasps and hornets can
administer painful stings, either
nests or
when
disturbed,
when defending their makes many people very
nervous of their presence.
such swarms, but wild cobnies are often unacceptable because of the disease and parasites they may carry. Although not usually aggressive, bees that are assigned so called "sentry duty" may attack and in so doing, release a chemical messenger (pheromone) into the air that incites the other bees to attack. If left ak>ne, a swami will usually relocate to a permanent site in a
short period of time.
The
majority of bee,
wasp and hornet
in
colonies in
Ontario
do
not survive over the winter months.
New
Honeybees are
upon.
only
rarely aggressive unless their nests
is
queens which have wintered in a donnant state after having mated the previous fall, it is usually between August and October when most "bee" problems arise. Inmost cases, the problem is actually caused by wasps but in either case the colonies have grown to their maximum
colonies are initiated
spring by
size; therefore, the individual insects
are disturbed ...
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