Swarm of Bees - What to do?

[Markos]

All:

Within minutes there was a swarm of several thousand bees outside my door. I called the Maricopa Sherrif's office (Fountain Hills doesn't have a PD). The dispatcher said that this is bee season. Since the bees were not attacking anyone, there is nothing they can do.

Now they have settled down, and are in a large cluster underneath the roof overhang. I left a message with the HOA. Is there anything else I can do?

[Brokaw1]

This might seem like a duh response but if I had a zillion bees outside my house I might lose my head.

Double check your attic hatch if it's inside the house and make sure it's sealed. Make sure all windows are closed.

Kall a bee keeper! I have been successful with the bee poison at Home Depot but now with all the swarming I would leave it to a pro.

:fashizzle:

[John_P]

All:

Within minutes there was a swarm of several thousand bees outside my door. I called the Maricopa Sherrif's office (Fountain Hills doesn't have a PD). The dispatcher said that this is bee season. Since the bees were not attacking anyone, there is nothing they can do.

Now they have settled down, and are in a large cluster underneath the roof overhang. I left a message with the HOA. Is there anything else I can do?

I am gonna go out on a limb and say stay inside?

[cdhowell]

Call an exterminator. If, they are Africanized they can be set off by sound or vibration.
Bring children and pets inside, then warn the neighbors. They are called killer bees for a reason. Not saying your swarm are the friendly sort but why chance it.

[Markos]

They are colonizing on the overhang across from our condo. I called the owner who owns the condo they are clinging to. He's contacting the tenants to let them know. My other neighbor was outside with his shirt off. Yikes! Just the sound of our voices set them off again. He ran back inside. They dispersed again. Hopefully they move on.


Figures, I was just about to go outside to get our bicycles ready for a bike ride. Now I'm stuck on the interweb instead. Maybe I'll look up some mountain bike forums instead. :)

[azdesertrhino]

In Tucson I have seen reports of the Fire Department getting involved. Not sure how or why but might be worth a phone call.

Also, as others have stated, stay away from them, keep the kids & pets in, if there are any and keep a low profile!!

[Markos]

In Tucson I have seen reports of the Fire Department getting involved. Not sure how or why but might be worth a phone call.

Also, as others have stated, stay away from them, keep the kids & pets in, if there are any and keep a low profile!!

The mcso dispatcher said the fire department sprays foam on them, but they have to be attacking people. They have almost all disappeared now. I hope they are gone for good!

[FrenchChili]

What bees???

http://www.ermac.org/webmedia/flamethrower2.jpg

[MadCarlisle]

The exterior of the condo is community property so call the condo association. It's their responsibility to handle.

Why kill the bees? Call a bee keeper.

Last I heard is bees are dying off which will cause problems. At least a bee keeper is trained to handle and can move the hive.

[04jeeptj]

Couple weeks ago just down the street from me here in Gilbert Bees atacked a kid and killed ther 2 dogs.. So be careful.

Bee Attack in Gilbert (http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=39BB1791E8ED57251305A4F1B457D75F ?contentId=5846105&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1)

[fallx13xflights]

Relax, let global warming take care of it.

[Fire Ball]

If they just showed up in mass they will probably move on unless they find a place to nest. That is what they are doing, looking for a new home for the members of the colony who splintered off :) Kind of like our little group here :D

Even a hive of european bees (normal honey bees) can be dangerous if they think they are under attack. Wear light clothing when around them because they see dark colors as a threat, such as a bear.

If they look like they are setting up a new colony, get a bee keeper to come out and get them or get rid of them. Once they get into the walls, you might have to tear things apart to get at them.

[amber.hodge]

Simple phone call: OH MY GOD THEY ARE ATTACKING ME - HELP HELP - !!" ;)

[kjflowers]

Go on Vacation. . . . And hope they are gone when you get back. . . .


Actually call a bee keeper

[MadCarlisle]

Wolf

Wolf

Wolf



Wolf!

[yellow_X]

I am gonna go out on a limb and say stay inside?

X 2!!!

[amber.hodge]

LOL @ wolf Mark!

[Markos]

Well they seem to have vanished!

[TRobertsRN]

Glad they are gone.

Things not to do with bees in case they are the africanized tykpe.

Don't turn on lawn mower, leaf blower, or weed wacker. They attack people around rumbleing thing (theory is they think it is a bear)

Don't use an insect killer spray, they have learned to attack those that use them.

Don't try to use fire or smoke, same as with insect spray.

Don't mess with them, get a pro. If you just can't stand to do nothing soapy water in a spray bottle mixed properly can be helpful. Spray it on them and it clogs up thier breathing passages and they die without knowing what happened. I don't post how to mix it so you won't do this. This should be done by a pro.

[k7mto]

We had that problem two years ago..

(sorry, the pics are no longer there, but I uploaded some to this post)
http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=8417

During their arrival stage there was literally a giant black cloud around our house until they all clung together under the eave in a mass larger than a basketball.

I called a local exterminator and they came out and dispatched the bees. Basically, just a guy in a bee suit with a bucket of water and soap spray. They spray the bees so they can't fly and they drop into the bucket of water and drown. He sprayed something to kill their pheremone to avoid them coming back, but they did came back a week later so I called the bee guy and he came back and removed them again for free. This time he sprayed better and hung some bee reppellent strips. They never returned. I've since kept fresh repellent strips hung up there just to be sure :)

The bee guy said they were likely just migrating and used my house as a stopover. He said they have migration paths they've used for centuries and we just happened to be in their path. At least now some neighbors house can be in their path instead of mine :)

[Markos]

That's exactly like the situation that I had today. Same clump of bees an everything. I have a video of them swarming that turned out pretty well. It's 24mb though. It's interesting that soapy water does the trick. I don't necessarily want to kill them. I just don't want them hanging out by my door.

[k7mto]

If I didn't have a wife and kids around, I might have left them alone for a day or two to see what they did, but then I wouldn't have learned about the pheremones they leave and my house may have become a regular stopover for their buddies :)

Since your bees came and left, they may have left their pheremone/scent behind, so I recommend you visit Home Depot or Lowe's and pick up some of those industrial strength bee repellent strips and hang them at intervals along the eave before their friends stop by for a visit. They seem to prefer shady spots and corners.

I've heard those dryer sheets work too, but I haven't tried them.

[Digger]

ATTENTION, these are most likely Africanized Killer Bees, from what you discribed. They are not to be taken lightly, and they are not the kind of bees you want to take any chances with. Get a professional bee exterminator over there fast, and by all means stay in the house. There have been several deaths in the state of Arizona from these bees, and very few stories of survivors from an attack.

[lancetkenyon]

Throw rocks at them...........I did it. Then run real fast........it is hilarious.

If you get stung and hurt.....I will edit this post, and in no way actually endorse how stupid I can be at times.

[HvyHau8272]

Throw rocks at them...........I did it. Then run real fast........it is hilarious.

If you get stung and hurt.....I will edit this post, and in no way actually endorse how stupid I can be at times.


Did they shape themselves like an cartoon arrow when they chased you Lance? LOL :aagh:

[Digger]

Hey Lance.. sorry I missed that one !!:smilielol5:

[Digger]

Those bees are not gone, I bet they have a huge nest in the wall or attic of building. Some of the nest they have uncovered are like 10' x 10' ..thats a lot of bees!!!

[lancetkenyon]

Those bees are not gone, I bet they have a huge nest in the wall or attic of building. Some of the nest they have uncovered are like 10' x 10' ..thats a lot of bees!!!

I disagree, I think it was a "roving swarm" looking for a new place to set up shop. The reason they get into a big ball is the queen is in the center, and the rest are protecting her.

[Digger]

Ok Lance, hey maybe you should be a good guy and check it out for him.... I'll give you a whole bag of rocks to throw...I'll be in the safty of my jeep capturing it all on film!!!!
Hey Lance we had some excitement on the 4 peaks run yesterday, seems you'll have a few more on your extreme runs, in the future.. they were pretty good and nearly fearless!!! I wasn't able to snap many pics while they were "catching air" but DaveDan was able to snap a few... check it out if you'd like to... the up and over 4 peaks run..look for DaveDan's posting with link to picks!!
The 101 run is something I told them about, they are interested. Oh and remember (was that you I told my brakes suddenly felt funny at the 101?) anywho... one of the bearings was so froze up my mechanic had to cut it off, said my seals were completely gone. they are good to go now!!

[Markos]

Lance you are cracking me up.

Here's a clump of them from yesterday. Most of them were under the roofline...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2354879515_0cea806ff4_o.jpg

[BEEFSJK]

my best friend was just attacked by a swarm of over 10,000 bees. He was on the news a couple weeks ago, he was operating earth moving equipment and disturbed the hive burrowed underground at the 101 and t-bird. He was stung over 1,000 times and lived. It helps that he is 6'10" and 300 lbs. It took the ER 9 hrs to remove all the stingers! Its crazy that they knew who disturbed them and went right at him. nothing would get them off but the foam spray from the fire dept 20 min into the attack. They are all required to keep a foaming bee killer spray in their trucks now, I think we all should have it in our jeeps as well. imagine being 2 hrs into a trail with no cell phone reception and running into a swarm! sorry to hyjack this thread but we all need to be aware of the danger.

[Markos]

There was another swarm at McDowell Mountain Park today. Not black could large, but there was a big frenzy of bees...

[Digger]

Being out in the sticks a lot with my dogs, I have though about what I could possibly do if I were attacked in the middle of the boonies. Well it is known smoke calms bees or keeps them away.. so my best chance would to dive into some brush, whip my lighter out of my back pocket and try to get some smoke going... like yesterday... what else could I do??? anyone an expert at this?

[Digger]

I heard a human can out run bees, they can't fly fast long, ... but for heaven sake, don't trip and fall down!!

[BEEFSJK]

I heard a human can out run bees, they can't fly fast long, ... but for heaven sake, don't trip and fall down!!

THATS WHAT I HEARD. JUST RUN AS FAST AND AS LONG AS YOU CAN. NEVER DIVE INTO WATER THOUGH, THEY WILL WAIT FOR YOUR ***.

[ROCRWLR]

We get calls for check bees all of the tome and if they are not attacking someone aor procedures are to do nothing. almost always they are just migrating and looking for a place to stay for a day or 2. the foam we cary on the fire trucks and use on the bees is the same foam we use for firefighting. we cary 30 gallons on the truck and is mixed with water at .3% in the pump and comes out the fire hose. 30 gallons will last a long time.

[jperez]

if you are allergic to them you better carry some epinephrine! it could save your life!

[arczech]

almost always they are just migrating and looking for a place to stay for a day or 2.

I have done a lot of bee removels in my time, And from experiance if you just see a swarm Stay away from it and they will move on.
If anyone is interested I can call a buddy of mine who still does removels and have him talk to the club about the upcoming Bee season.

[lancetkenyon]

Ok Lance, hey maybe you should be a good guy and check it out for him.... I'll give you a whole bag of rocks to throw...I'll be in the safty of my jeep capturing it all on film!!!!
Hey Lance we had some excitement on the 4 peaks run yesterday, seems you'll have a few more on your extreme runs, in the future.. they were pretty good and nearly fearless!!! I wasn't able to snap many pics while they were "catching air" but DaveDan was able to snap a few... check it out if you'd like to... the up and over 4 peaks run..look for DaveDan's posting with link to picks!!
The 101 run is something I told them about, they are interested. Oh and remember (was that you I told my brakes suddenly felt funny at the 101?) anywho... one of the bearings was so froze up my mechanic had to cut it off, said my seals were completely gone. they are good to go now!!

Glad to hear your XJ is back to tip top shape.

[arczech]

Just by looking at that pic, If that was me I will get some Starting fluid and wait till dark Then spray the #^$^& out of them
If you want a pro to do that then you (pay) for them to do the same thing.
I do not have a suit anymore, or I would help. My advice is thet are already in our house, and just making honey,(Call someone that will take care of the prob.
That pic tells me they are in your house, and making honey.
Get rid of them now ,or it will cost you a bunch in repairs later

[sjkimmel99]

We had this about 40' up in a tree two doors down last spring. It's about 4 or so feet long. Bee glad you don't have it hanging under your eaves. The people in the house noticed it but they "like bees" and didn't say anything. Eventually someone else saw it. They still didn't want it removed but everyone else said get rid of it or prepared to lawyer up. We still had to chip in to pay the guy who removed it.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555066_eac18eaa5c.jpg



http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555067_0ef5f9da61.jpg

[FrenchChili]

We had this about 40' up in a tree two doors down last spring. It's about 4 or so feet long. Bee glad you don't have it hanging under your eaves. The people in the house noticed it but they "like bees" and didn't say anything. Eventually someone else saw it. They still didn't want it removed but everyone else said get rid of it or prepared to lawyer up. We still had to chip in to pay the guy who removed it.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555066_eac18eaa5c.jpg



http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555067_0ef5f9da61.jpg


Were they close enough to do harm? Sucks they had to be removed, that was a really nice nest :(. I used to live and walk by some honey farms and never had any problems. They are intimidating and unless they are agressive or too close to a neighborhood I see no reason to remove them:confused:

[arczech]

OK I talked to my freind and he said "I can talk to the group" and if there are anyone in this club that needs a removel he is going to give a deal to anyone that is in this group
He also said I need to help in removels, (good reason to get back in the biz)
Working with bees is fun.

[lancetkenyon]

We had this about 40' up in a tree two doors down last spring. It's about 4 or so feet long. Bee glad you don't have it hanging under your eaves. The people in the house noticed it but they "like bees" and didn't say anything. Eventually someone else saw it. They still didn't want it removed but everyone else said get rid of it or prepared to lawyer up. We still had to chip in to pay the guy who removed it.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555066_eac18eaa5c.jpg



http://farm1.static.flickr.com/32/392555067_0ef5f9da61.jpg

That is cool, I would love to throw rocks at this!:aagh:

[jperez]

That is cool, I would love to throw rocks at this!:aagh:

you should cover yourself in honey and pollen before you do that!

[lancetkenyon]

you should cover yourself in honey and pollen before you do that!

I cover myself in honey and then my wi..........never mind.

[sjkimmel99]

Were they close enough to do harm? Sucks they had to be removed, that was a really nice nest . I used to live and walk by some honey farms and never had any problems. They are intimidating and unless they are agressive or too close to a neighborhood I see no reason to remove them

They weren't much of a problem except that sometimes a few of them would come over and buzz around kind of in-your-face. The hive in the picture was about 40' up a tree in a back yard but there was another clump that was setting up shop in an oleander bush in the next yard over. Plus there are a bunch of small kids in the neighborhood so nobody wanted to find out if they were going to be a problem as the weather warmed up - this was in the February / March time frame of 2007.
If we had noticed them a few weeks earlier in when the temps were in the low 30's / high 20's maybe we could have cut the limb off and hauled them out to the desert while they were sluggish.
The bee guy who came out said that if the hive was lower he could have moved them.

[jperez]

I cover myself in honey and then my wire haired terrier licks it off!!!!..........never mind.


fixed!!!
:smilielol5:

[lancetkenyon]

fixed!!!
:smilielol5:

It is actually a german shorthair pointer:fashizzle:........

[KennethS]

I heard a human can out run bees, they can't fly fast long, ... but for heaven sake, don't trip and fall down!!
There was a program about bees on PBS where they measured how far the bees would chase someone. European honeybees would give up after a very short distance (150 feet or so), but the Africanized bees would chase for almost 1/4 mile! So depending upon how fast you run you might need to keep running for several minutes. For example, if you can run a 10 minute mile you need to run like he!! for at least 2.5 minutes before they will stop chasing you.

[arczech]

Once again, if anyone needs help in removing Bees that are a nucience let me know.
If you want to hear the scoop on what they can and cannot do, I can help.
Being stung many thousands of times working with them I learned a lot. and know how to deal with them
Bees are actually fun to work with. (all types)