Are you sure they aren't killer bees? I would call the Ag. Center to find out where or who could tell for sure! Just becareful not to get too close until you find out for sure.

From what I've read, you would probably get stung way more than just once if they were Africanized bees. Perhaps Felix wants to increase his hive? I don't even know if you can do that! Keep us posted on how it goes!

Marcia

Went out and the bees were totaly ingulfing the little statue.
10 mins later and they were gone.
Friend came over and happen to look up in the magnola tree and there they were!
Took pictures an hour apart.
They'll probably take off tomorrow looking for a new home...........cheryl

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2544714430038300087wuVhKD

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2412859330038300087IHirhN

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2949327680038300087NJJWmB

Sorry you got stung but your pictures are fascinating.

Ohhh,Beautiful pictures. Yes any bee keeper can collect them.
The milk can should be filled with smoke,it will get the rest of the bees out.once you take the circular wax hive,you filled the milk can with water. The bees can then be collected by a beekeeper or just leave them and they'll leave shortly in search of a new home.
Right now they are homeless and they generally do not sting.
The queen is inside the ball of swarming bees. Marcia is right.If they were Africanized you would have been stung allot. I wish i could get them but distance prevents it.
Beam me up Scotti!
My beehives are very heavy right now with lots of honey and
bee population growing meaning they'll soon swarm or split.
I have an empty hive ready for them.
It is really exiting specially if I forget to put my mask
and all the other protection and they start with acupuncture.I'm not into eastern medicine.
Keep us informed.
Felix

Felix, do you sell your honey? ;o)

There was a really informative bee pgm on tv last night. I didnt know about it, otherwise I would have posted it, BUT they showed the differences in the killer bees vs our common bee. Here are a couple tidbits from the program

A common bee may chase you 100ft from the hive, the killer bees will chase you 1100+ft

One or two attack bees will possibly go after you if you mess with the hive of the common bee but 100+ bees will attack from a killer bee hive.

They both die after stinging

Cheryl,
I would post on craigs list. I saw someone looking for hives on there a while back.

Good idea J-gal, I'll go post there right now.
And yes Felix, I wish you were closer just to get some honey.
My best friend was a bee keeper here for 30 years,
but died 2 years ago.
I sure miss him and his wonderful honey.

The bees are still up in the tree.

katkin, my wife has regular customers for my honey at her job.
I have such a demand plus my family and church members. Any honey money I use it to buy plants for my garden. Now that is a sweet satisfaction. Marcia,would you please tell the folks how the quality of the honey is. Eventually I want to increase
the number of beehives.
Felix

Felix's HONEY is TOPS. The sample I tried was of a darker color, very rich flavor, not the typical sugar sweet type we are accustomed to. It is VERY good.

Felix, thank the bees for making up a tasty batch.

Now a question. Do you find that throughout the year or even from one honeycomb to the next that the honey color and flavor vary any? I am guessing that the bees use whatever flowers are in bloom at the time so the formula should vary throughout the yr. Am I close? Which is your favorite, spring summer or winter honey?

Tony, In the Spring the honey is lighter in color and a gentler sweet. The Autumn harvest is darker and richer.
I like all of it.
Felix

I will GLADLY attest to the quality of Felix's honey! I just absolutely LOVE it on pancakes, biscuits, etc. The kind I have is dark, rich and very tasty! YUM! Maybe when Felix "grows" his operation a bit, he will offer us GW folks some for sale. I know I would buy it on a regular basis.

Thank you, Felix, for showing us all about your hives, letting us taste honey & comb straight from the hive, and giving us some to take home. That was a day I won't forget!

Marcia