Addison's 3-in-1 Bee Wasp and Hornet Extermination in Toronto, Ontario

You want…

• to quickly eliminate a bee, wasp or hornet infestation, stop the reproduction of this dangerous, damaging pest...

• an affordable, professional, honest and warrantied bee, wasp and hornet exterminator nearby...

• An environmentally conscious treatment that is safe for the whole family, including your pets.

Addison has...

• All-inclusive guarantee

• Decades of expertise

• A trusted track record

• Rigorous customer service

• Tried and tested extermination methods

• The safest, most effective insecticides designed to work fast

• Vigorously trained technicians

Here’s what to expect:

• No hidden service fees or follow-up costs.

• Thorough answers to all of your questions

• A no-obligation estimate over the phone, instantly

• 24/7, flexible, same-day service throughout the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario

Key Facts about Bees and Wasps

Finding and removing the hive is usually the quickest and safest way to eliminate a bee or wasp population near your home.

• Addison is committed to supporting the Toronto pollinating bee population.

• We work with beekeepers near Toronto to relocate beneficial pollinators to a safe environment.

• Most bees and wasps create mud or paper nests on protected overhangs, tree branches, eaves, garages, or porches.

• Carpenter bees bore deep galleries into wood timbers and can cause significant structural damage.

• Many bees and wasps form large complex hives with thousands of members.

• Most bees are beneficial pollinators whereas most wasps are aggressive scavengers.

• Most bees can only sting once, whereas wasps can sting a potential threat repeatedly.

• A professional integrated pest management plan is the best way to quickly and completely eradicate a stinging insect infestation in Ontario and give you safe, long-lasting protection.

Step 1: Bee or Wasp Nest Removal

Category:

• Physical

Equipment:

• Personal protective equipment

Method:

• A specialized container encloses the entirety of the bee or wasp hive

• Most stinging insects are closed up inside and removed or relocated.

Strengths:

• Immediately removes all stinging insects.

• Does not introduce insecticide into outdoor environment.

• allows beneficial pollinators to be relocated to a safe environment.

Weakness:

• Does not offer ongoing protection

• Some members of the nest will not be removed

Step 2: Residual Spray Treatment

Category:

• Chemical + Residual

Equipment:

• Precision surface sprayer

Method:

• A fine mist of residual spray is applied to the nesting site

Strengths:

• Kills bees and wasps on contact and remains active as a protective surface treatment to continue to kill bees and wasps that try to reestablish a colony

• Keeps your home protected for up to 6 months.

• Fully approved by Ontario Ministry of Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.

Weakness:

• If used improperly, may target unintended species

Step 3: Powder Treatment

Category:

• Physical+Chemical

Equipment:

• Power duster

Method:

• A fine silica dust insecticide is injected into all crevices and wall cavities around nesting site

Strengths:

• Coats the insides of the wall cavities to create a protective powder barrier around your home

• Essential lasting protection

• Fully approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.

Weakness:

• Only suitable for crack and crevice treatment.

• Easily washed or vacuumed away.

Beware of Discount Pest Control in Ontario

• These companies use low-quality or low-concentration surface sprays with only 10 to 14 days of protection.

• There can be thousands of bees in a single hive, the right techniques and products are necessary to ensure, the queen is eliminated along with the rest of the colony.

• A treatment that is not sufficiently thorough and aggressive will allow the queen to continuously resupply the colony with new workers and lead to frustrating re-infestation

When it comes to bees and wasps, being proactive is the key to a successfully eliminating this dangerous pest

As part of our service, a trained Addison technician will:

• Identify potential nesting sites for future vigilance

• Seal up cracks and crevices in your Ontario home or office that act as potential nesting sites

By using high-quality residual insecticides Addison treatments keep your home protected from stinging insects for up to 6 months

There are many preventative measures you can take throughout the warmer months to deter and prevent bee and wasp nests from becoming a nuisance.

What’s the difference between bees and wasps?

Bee

✓ pollinator

✓ eat nectar

✗ scavenge for food

✗ Sting repeatedly

✓ live in hives and solitary

✗ aggressively pursue potential predators

• covered with setae hairs

• probiscis for lapping nectar

Wasp

✗ pollinator

✗ eat nectar

✓ scavenge for food

✓ Sting repeatedly

✓live in hives and solitary

✓ aggressively pursue potential predators

• smooth bodies

• chewing mouthparts

Some people use the term bee, wasp and hornet interchangeably, but there are many differences in their behaviour and anatomy.

In general, bees eat nectar and pollen while wasps and hornets scavenge for meat, cheese fruits, vegetables and other plant or animal foods.

Wasps are more aggressive and can sting repeatedly. Bees, on the other hand, are less aggressive and less likely to sting, since most bees die shortly after stinging.

• The insect family Hymenoptera includes bees and wasps as well as ants and sawflies.

• Many species of Hymenoptera are fascinating for the social, hierarchical caste systems in the hive structures, though some species live solitary and rear a single brood per season

• Pollinating bees are covered with the branched setae (wiry hairs) to trap and transport pollen while most wasps have a slick shiny abdomen

• Pollinator Bees are equipped with a long sucking tongue called a proboscis for lapping up nectar and leg combs for cleaning excess pollen from their antennae, head, and abdomen.

• Wasps are equipped with strong and well-developed mandibles and chewing mouthparts for burrowing into fruit and meat and preying on other insects.

• Both wasps and bees have two sets of wings, a narrow waist petiole and two large compound eyes on either side of their head between which are several smaller simple eyes, which generate information about light intensity.

Having clear and complete information about the species, life cycle, foraging and reproductive habits of bees will help you get the most out of a bee treatment.

How to identify bees native to Ontario

Bees are a part of the third-largest insect family called Hymenoptera, which includes bees and wasps as well as ants and sawflies. Bees themselves are incredibly diverse with over 20,000 known distinct species. Some species breed and forage in a solitary nest, while other species form complex hives with a defined caste structure.

Bee Anatomy

• two sets of wings

• three segmented; head, thorax and abdomen with a narrow waist petiole

• branched setae (wiry hairs) that cover most of their bodies that transport pollen from one flower to another

• two large compound eyes on either side of their head between which are several smaller simple eyes

• two antennae with 12-13 segments and an elbow joint

• a long sucking tongue called a proboscis for lapping up nectar

• leg combs for cleaning excess pollen from their antennae, head and abdomen.

Bee Colour and Size

• carpenter bee: all black with slick shiny abdomen

• bumble bee: alternating patterns of black, yellow and white striations, densely packed setae, up to 32mm in length

• honey bee: light brown to amber, fine short setae that form tight striped pattern of white black and yellow along their backs, 8-15mm in length

• Africanized “killer” bee: indistinguishable from honey bee, measurably smaller with slightly smaller wings,  

Bee Reproduction Habits

• Undergo complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult

• development period is relatively short

• adult bees can live for up to 5 years

• bee colonies can consist of thousands of individuals within a short period of time

• fertile queen mates with unrelated male drones in drone congregation area

• the queen mates only once and stores its mate’s sperm cells in a spermatheca

• oblong bee eggs are laid within a larval cell and fed with a pellet of nectar or pollen for larval sustenance

• queen bee selectively fertilizes eggs with stored sperm cells

• a fertilized egg yields female offspring an unfertilized egg yields a male offspring

• Hatched larva develop quickly and pupate within the larval cell.

• The pupal stage will normally last only a 1-2 days and an adult emerges from the larval cell shortly after.

• Most adults emerge throughout the springtime, the males emerging first and beginning their search for female mates.

Bee Behaviour and Characteristics

• Many bee species demonstrate advanced eusociality

• Three castes with distinct anatomy, and behaviour

  • fertile female queen bee

  • sterile female worker bee

  • drone male bees with an exact replica of the queens DNA

• Worker bees have the widest variety of tasks and duties within the nest.

  • cleaning their own larval cell

  • feeding subsequent broods of larvae

  • cleaning the hive

  • heating and cooling the hive

  • guarding the hive

  • foraging for nectar and pollen

• Drone bees are more stout with larger eyes

  • central purpose is to mate with a queen from another colony.

  • drift from hive to hive, passing through many drone congregation areas, where queens come looking for mating opportunities

  • Shortly after mating drones will die

  • By late summer to early autumn most drones are ejected from the hive and die off with the onset of winter

  • Drones are unable to sting and do not gather pollen.

How to identify Wasps and Hornets

There are over 100,000 wasp and hornet varieties

A handful of wasp and hornets cause distress and economic loss in this North America.

Even though yellowjackets and baldface hornets are actually beneficial species that feed on other invasive insects, if a nest is located close to an occupied structure it may be necessary to remove it.

Wasps queens will seek an enclosed protected area to begin their nest construction in the mid to late spring.

Wasp nests are commonly found in tree stumps, on the underside of tree or bush branches, a gap in brickwork, inside of a space in soffits or on the underside of eaves.

Wasp Anatomy

• two sets of wings

• three segmented; head, thorax and abdomen with a narrow waist petiole

• slick shiny bodies that may have metallic sparkle

• two large compound eyes on either side of their head between which are several smaller simple eyes

• strong and well developed mandibles and chewing mouthparts for burrowing into fruit and meat and preying on other insects

Wasp Species Colour and Size

• yellowjacket: black and yellow bands accross abdomen, workers: 10-12mm, queen: up to 25mm

• baldfaced hornet: black and white markings on its face, three white stripes on the back of their body, 19 mm in length

• paper wasp: brown to black with yellow striations on their abodomen, elongated legs, up to 18mm in length

• mud dauber: black to brown to metallic blue - up to 25mm or longer

• European hornet: black and yellow patterning similar to yellowjacket, 25-35mm in length

Wasp Behaviour and Characteristics

• Many wasp species demonstrate advanced eusociality

• Three castes with distinct anatomy, and behaviour

  • fertile female queen wasp

  • female sterile worker wasp

  • male drone bee with an exact replica of the queen’s DNA

• attracted to sugary and protein rich foods such as meat, fish, cheese, bread and fruit.

• will prey on other insect species, sometimes laying their eggs inside their prey to provide ample food for their hatched larvae

• It is common to see wasps around garbage cans, dumpsters, outdoor meat fish and fruit stands and outdoor food events like picnics or barbecues

Wasp Reproduction Habits

The life-cycle of social wasp species is very similar to that of bees, with the notable difference that it is very rare for a wasp colony to last more than one season.

• Undergo complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult

• Wasp colonies can consist of thousands of individuals within a short period of time

• Mid/late spring Queen emerges from hibernation

• oblong wasp eggs are laid within a larval cell and supplied with a pellet of food for larval sustenance

• Fertile queen bee will venture out from the nest to a drone congregation area where mating occurs with drones unrelated drones mates

• the queen mates only once and stores its mates’ sperm cells in a spermatheca

• a fertilized egg yields female offspring an unfertilized egg a male

• Hatched larva develop quickly and pupate within the larval cell

• The pupal stage will normally last only a 1-2 days and an adult emerges from the larval cell shortly after

• Most adults emerge throughout the springtime, the males emerging first and beginning their search for female mates

• Late in the summer a virgin queen departs nest, mates with drones, and hibernates until the following spring

How do I know if I have a bee or wasp infestation?

• Bees and wasps are a normal and beneficial part of the urban ecosystem.

• It is normal to see bees wasps around the home and garden especially around picnic, barbecues, sporting events, etc.

• If you see intensified bee or wasp activity in your home or garden, a bee or wasp hive is close by.

• Nests are usually easy to spot, as you will always see elevated activity around that area.

• Bees and wasps will behave more aggressively when they feel their nest is threatened.

• If bees or wasps have formed a colony in a wall void, a chimney, a soffit or a garage it may be necessary to take action to prevent your home from becoming overrun with stinging insects.

• Either removing the hive, or implementing a residual insecticide pest management plan to keep you protected from an infestation.

• If there is an individual with a a severe allergy to stinging insects, it is particularly important to remain vigilant for active bee and wasps nests close to your home

• Addison offers a thorough inspection service for wasps which involves a 360° inspection of your home, crawl spaces, attics, garages, tool sheds and decks.

By identifying carcasses and live insects and locating the nest we work with you to establish an effective, safe and environmentally sound pest control strategy.

Here are few things to be on the lookout for particularly in the spring and early summer, to help you spot a bee or wasp infestation as early possible.

1. Sightings

• it is common to see the odd bee or wasp around your home or patio through the warmer months

• wasps are drawn to sugary and fatty smells so increased activity at an outdoor meal is common late in the summer

• if you start to see bees or wasps congregating in the same area several times a day it might mean their nest is close by

• aggressive zig-zag flight patters indicate that they feel threatened

• if you see more than a few bees inside your home each day it could mean you have a nest somewhere inside a wall void or chimney

How did bees or wasps get into my home?

• bees and wasps are most likely to establish nests far away from homes and human activity

• bee and wasp colonies commonly found in overhang of a garage, roof soffits, unprotected wall void, underneath a deck or porch or other sheltered area

• In late mid spring the hibernating virgin queen will seek out a protected nesting site

• She will seek out a site that is:

  • sheltered from rain and wind

  • in a contained and quiet environment

• If the queen gains access to the home through insecure weather stripping, window screens, or vents she may establish a nest in or close to your home

What do bees and wasps eat?

Bees

• bees are a beneficial pollinating insect

• play a crucial role in sustaining plant life on earth

• bees use nectar and pollen produced by flowering plants as a food source and nesting material

• all pollinator bees have a long sucking mouth-part called a probosicis and wiry hairs called setae

• much of bee anatomy geared towards finding plant food sources and detecting potential threats

Wasps

• wasps are a scavenger species

• attracted to sugary and protein rich foods: meat, fish, cheese, bread, fruit

• many wasps prey on other insects, sometimes laying their eggs inside prey

• wasps are can be used as a form of biological pest control to prey on various agricultural pests

• common to see wasps around garbage cans, dumpsters, outdoor meat fish and fruit stands and outdoor food events like picnics or barbecues

• late in the summer drone wasps are been ejected from the nest and become very aggressive in their search for food

How serious are bees and wasps?

• bees and wasps usually nest at a distance from humans

• should only be controlled if pose a risk to human health or significant financial loss.

• best strategy to prevent bee or wasp infestation is sealing and monitoring potential nesting sites

• inspecting the yard, the eaves and wall cavities early in springtime can make nest removal very easy.

• Eliminating a nest in early spring is far less hazardous than handling a fully established colony with thousands of defenders

• last brood of the season made up of male wasps to fertilize next year’s queen

• colony becomes very protective of the virgin queen and drone wasps

• many people have severe anaphylactic reaction to bee and wasp venom which can be life threatening if they do not receive emergency medical attention.

• If an individual in your home is severely allergic to bee or wasp stings, it is important to be extra vigilant for stinging insect activity around your home and garden

Carpenter Bees

• carpenter bees bore deep galleries into wood for nesting sites

• galleries cause structural insecurity if they are made in supporting wood beams

• even though carpenter bees are solitary breeders, many mothers congregate in a system of galleries to lay their eggs for mutual protection

Can I prevent bees and wasps on my own?

Bees

• rare that an insecticidal pest control program is required to eliminate bees

• bees are disinterested in human activity and are a beneficial keystone species in the ecosystem.

• Ii there is severe bee sting allergy, management should be undertaken in a focused program comnbining nest removal, crack and crevice treatment, residual surface spray treatment

• Because of the risk of stinging or swarming, we advise customers to allow our expert technicians to address a bee infestation in their home.

• We work with local beekeepers to safely relocate the bee colony from your home if possible

• Addison guarantees the elimination of a bee infestation quickly and completely with minimal environmental impact.

Wasps

• Be vigilant for the signs of a wasps nest early in the season

• Inspect often

  • roof overhang

  • a tool shed roof

  • sheltered areas on a deck or patio

  • hyrdo boxes

  • eaves troughs

• seal doors and windows: check up on the screens and mesh coverings on your windows and dryer/heating vents

• make sure all of the weather stripping on your doors and windows is secure

• seal any cracks and crevices: use spray foam to close up any cracks in the brick and cement in the walls and foundation of your home

• eliminate feeding sources: avoiding leaving high protein or sweet foods exposed during outdoor activities

• When a wasp is threatened it releases a distress pheromone which will attract related wasps to come to its aid.

• Preventing and deterring the first wasps from arriving is more effective than swatting at wasps once they’ve arrived

Nest removal

• the earlier you locate a nest the easier it is to remove

• take extreme precaution while removing the nest or contact a pest control professional to remove the nest and implement a physical and chemical pest control program if necessary

• wasps can swarm intruder in the hundreds or thousands and are capable of stinging multiple times

Protective equipment

• Protective clothing is essential to ensuring that wasps cannot sting during removal.

• All exposed skin covered by thick fabric or plastic

• High boots, thick working pants, a thick work shirt and long gloves, head nets, long gloves, goggles

• Never use a ladder to access a wasps nest

• If swarmed falling from the ladder could cause serious injury

Smoke

• Use smoke to calm and suffocate wasps within the hive

• Safely lighting a fire beneath a hive may be enough to make it inhospitable

• After maintaining a smoke treatment for up to 3 hours, it is safe to knock the nest down with a stick, wrap in a plastic or cloth bag and dispose of it in the regular garbage.

Bag

• Attempt nest removal in the evening when wasps are less active

• use cloth or plastic bag with no holes to grasp and seal the nest

• place the bag in the freezer for 48 hours or in a bucket of water with a weight to keep the nest bad submerged overnight to ensure that all wasps are killed.

• Freezing or drowning it is safe to dispose of the nest in the regular garbage.

Chemical control

• may be impossible to access nest inside wall void

• since physical removal can be risky may be prudent to implement chemical control before nest removal

• only licensed pest control company should carry out chemical control program

• store-bought insecticides can be toxic, ineffective and environmentally damaging.

• At Addison we combine chemical and physical control methods to ensure that a wasp infestation is eliminated quickly and safely with the minimum impact on the environment.

• We us a combination of non-toxic residual pyrethroid spray and a crack and crevice treatment to ensure any wasps in wall voids or soffits will not be able to survive.

Give us a call for a full explanation of our treatment process and no-obligation transparent quote.