A property manager in Longueuil, on the South Shore, sought our team’s intervention after tenants of a six-unit apartment building reported the presence of bees entering and exiting a crack in the masonry of the gable wall. The summer season was in full swing and several residents had observed bees in the common areas, which generated understandable anxiety, especially for a tenant with a documented allergy to insect stings. Our bee extermination service made it possible to secure the building in two days of intervention.
Initial diagnosis in a multi-unit building
The inspection of an apartment building is more complex than that of a single-family home, as the colony can extend inside the wall cavities over several floors. Our technicians inspected the entire exterior perimeter of the building, from the basement to the roof. The main entry point was located at the junction of an unsealed brick and the crumbled mortar, about two metres above the ground. A second secondary entry point was located under a soffit on the third floor. The use of an infrared thermometer revealed a thermal anomaly in the gable wall, which confirmed the presence of a heat-generating mass of wax and honey. The colony was estimated at several tens of thousands of individuals, a usual number for a honey bee colony in the middle of the season.
Two-phase treatment
Given the limited accessibility inside the masonry walls and the density of the settlement, a complete relocation was not possible without extensive demolition work. After consultation with the manager, we proceeded with an insecticide treatment by injecting registered insecticidal powder directly into the entrance ports. This type of treatment makes it possible to reach the deep areas of the cavity without opening the walls. Two applications at forty-eight hour intervals were necessary to eliminate the entire colony. Our technicians worked during off-peak hours to minimize inconvenience to tenants. We coordinated with the manager to notify residents in writing prior to each intervention, in accordance with best practices for managing apartment buildings.
The second phase consisted of removing the nest through an opening in the interior plaster of a storage cupboard on the ground floor. The wax combs and residual honey were extracted and the walls cleaned, as leaving the wax in place would have attracted other colonies and risked causing moisture damage and stains on the ceilings of the apartments. See our related achievements in wasp nest management in buildings to see our experience in multi-unit buildings.
Caulking and restoration of masonry
Caulking of entry points is the most important step in preventing reinfestation in brick buildings. Our technicians sealed all deteriorated mortar joints with a water-repellent repair mortar, and the larger cracks were filled with expanding foam before being covered with mortar. The damaged soffit on the third floor was also repaired. A repellent treatment was applied to the entire surface of the gable wall to discourage any attempt at recolonization.
Recommendations and follow-up for the condominium
A complete written report was provided to the property manager, with before and after photos, a description of the work carried out and maintenance recommendations. We strongly advise building managers located in Longueuil neighbourhoods such as Greenfield Park or Saint-Lambert d’Est to carry out a preventive inspection every spring, before the new colonies swarm. Brick buildings built before the 1980s are particularly vulnerable, as the mortar deteriorates and leaves cavities that provide ideal entrances for bees in search of a nesting site. An annual visit by a trained technician can detect and patch these vulnerabilities before colonies are established. The manager was also advised to have the building’s flat roof and expansion joints inspected, as these areas accumulate water and crack more with the freeze-thaw cycles typical of the Quebec climate. Our team of exterminators in Longueuil is available for seasonal maintenance contracts adapted to apartment buildings. To anticipate and reduce risks, learn more about our pest prevention plan for property managers. With Nova Extermination, every intervention is documented and guaranteed.