Sometimes when the wind is howling and the sleet is hammering down, it feels as if winter will never end. Even in the coldest parts of the northeast, however, no winter lasts forever. Warmer, brighter days are on the horizon, and along with longer daylight hours come any number of pest-control issues that lie dormant during winter.

If bees and wasps are part of your summer experience, then we have no need to tell you of the importance of taking appropriate bee and wasp control measures. While bees and wasps are not wholly terrible (they produce honey, after all, which has medicinal value and is also delicious), we must also acknowledge that 1% of the global population is allergic to their stings.

Unfortunately, bees and wasps can be a threat to human health. Each year, 50 to 100 people die from bee and wasp stings. Most die from an allergic reaction to venom within one hour of the sting (Illinois Department of Public Health).

Because this is a public safety issue, we must work together to keep our friends with allergies from being unduly at risk. While we want and need bees to keep building their hives, producing honey, and pollinating plants, we don't necessarily want them nesting in our own garages and attics.

While online blogs and news agencies will sometimes recommend DYI solutions to your bee and wasp control issues, we know that the only way to ensure that your homes, businesses, sheds, barns, and properties are fully protected is to consult with the pest control professionals.