A few days ago I discovered – quite painfully – that wasps and bees had decided they were no longer going to share the landscaping at the front of my office building. In fact, they had set up several nests both over the front door and *in* the front door itself. Walking out to check the mail woke them up and by the time I returned I was lucky to make it into the building again with only one sting.
As I was sitting at my desk with a plastic bag of ice on my face, one of my partners (who also owns the building) came in and asked what was wrong. I told him the front of the building had been taken over by wasps and bees.
His response? “Yeah, I know. You shouldn’t use that door.”
Grr! I thanked him for warning everyone ahead of time and suggested an exterminator or at least some bug spray.
Later that day, I was walking by the foyer and saw a sign taped to the inside of the front door. “DO NOT USE. BEES!” For added protection, the door was locked.
Work with me for a moment here. Lets say a visitor or salesperson comes to the building – and they’re silly enough to think the front door is the appropriate way to gain entrance to an establishment. They pull on the front door to open it and it’s locked. A few wasps and bees take flight. They rattle the door again just to be sure it really is locked. They’re thinking, “Gee, there are cars in the parking lot. Why’s the front door locked?” Depending on how quick they are to notice the growing swarm of angry wasps and bees surrounding them, they might even have time to think, “Hmm. I wonder what that blank piece of paper taped to the door is all about.”
I wish we had video surveillance because I’d love to know how many men and women in suits and high heels were seen flailing their arms at the air around them while running away from our building screaming in terror.
Agreed, spraying and poisoning them, getting them to die and relocate is the only reasonable answer. This comes from a guy who would capture one and release it outside given a chance, but there are limits. If the colony/hive does pose a threat to people (in your case proven), then they must be “encouraged” to relocate. Moreover, as you had mentioned — if sales drop, then keeping them there rather than spending ten dollars on two or three cans of insect whoop-ass, doesn’t make any sense.
I take it that an exterminator is on the way?
Because otherwise, he could be setting himself up for a lawsuit if the bee stings someone (i.e. a salesperson) and–god forbid–they are allergic. The owner of the property has notice of the bees (provided by you) and to not take steps to eliminate them would be negligence, at the least.
Not that I’m a lawyer… but I’m definitely learning to think like one. 🙂