The brands that form the PGH Beegone franchise, Beegone Live Bee Removal and PGH Pest Control & Prevention, were formed 14 years ago with support from the Prince’s Trust to provide expert pest control services. In 2016, award-winning managing director of PGH Beegone, Peter Higgs, met with Her Royal Highness the Queen, to share the fantastic work that Beegone does to safely remove live bees from commercial and residential properties.

The decline of all kinds of bees, including honeybees, is a well-known environmental issue, but recently the UK farming industry was granted the right to use pesticides that can kill bees on their crops – chemicals that have actually been banned in wider Europe. Though honeycombs are protected by law, the bees themselves are not, so sadly many are still killed during removal treatments.

Recently launched, the PGH Beegone Bury St Edmunds branch takes a unique approach which removes both the honeybees and their combs safely while keeping them alive. After which the honeybees are rehomed a suitable distance away from the original site to stop them from returning.

Dealing with both single call-out cases and on-going contracts, PGH Beegone Bury St Edmunds also controls and prevents over 30 kinds of pests covering other insects, birds, rodents and larger animals.

David Hasler, PGH Beegone’s first franchisee, lives in Ely and will serve Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding areas, specialising in over 80 different pest control treatments. David is fully qualified and DBS checked.

Of his new venture, David says: “I was previously working as a refrigerated courier for NLS (National Laboratory Service) and the Environment Agency but had always wanted to buy into a franchise and run my own business. PGH Beegone immediately grabbed my attention. Bees have always interested me – they are such clever creatures. I’m looking forward to supplying customers with friendly, trustworthy and environmentally-conscious local pest control and live-bee removal services.”

David continued: “Sustainability is very important to PGH Beegone and we’re passionate about reducing the use of pesticides. We action this by placing the emphasis on employing preventative measures to stop pests from returning to the property, which means there’s less likelihood of pesticides needing to be used in future and the client is also provided with a long-term solution to their pest problem. It’s not what you do, it’s the way you do it!”

David understands that discovering pests can be a stressful experience, which is why he will ensure each customer receives a personalised experience with a focus on service and value for money. To ease the process of removing live bees, David will project manage the whole job, arranging scaffolding when necessary, and will undertake any building work which includes securing the building fabric to prevent further infestations occurring.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, The British Pest Control Association reported a rise in pest activity, largely due to vacant buildings, emptier streets and the seasonal changes which occurred over the three national lockdowns. Pest controllers are even classed as key workers so the industry is booming. To get in touch with your local pest control and live bee removal expert visit pghbeegone.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds or call 01284 619020