When to worry about a bee nest?

9 years ago

Basically what the title says. Today I noticed a bunch of bees swarming in the garage and my educated guess is they've built a home in the rafters because they seem to be coming and going from one 2x2 foot area or so. With recent reports (not far from me) of Africanized bees, I'm kind of worried.

I planted flowers and such to draw in the bees for pollination, but didn't expect them to set up their home so close to mine. I'm not really sure where to go from here.. I still need the bees for pollination, so is this kind of a take it or leave it thing? Should I call someone out to see if they are Africanized (can they even tell?) or should I just get rid of them regardless? Does it make sense to get rid of the nest but keep the flowers to draw in more? Will they just likely set up their home somewhere close by too?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

jean001a
9 years ago
Ask your county's Extension Service office as they will have accurate info for your region.

Locate the office with this map
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

Here is a link that might be useful: locate your county's Extension Service office
morz8 - Washington Coast
9 years ago
And if they are in fact honeybees, many communities (although not all) will have someone near who will do a free live removal then relocate them someplace more appropriate. Have you seen one close enough to know if bee, wasp, or just what you have?

Here is a link that might be useful: examples beekeepers offering bee removal texas
Related Discussions
Bees Nest
Q
Comments (22)
drippy: What is the size of the nest, now, by the way? When you say it's smooth and looks like it was thrown on a potter's wheel--that's usually the way the BEGINNING of a Hornets' nest looks (its interior). It starts out small and smooth, and later, in its finished stage, it's much larger and rougher looking, like corrugated cardborad, or paper mache (its exterior). If it's small, I wouldn't allow it to get large and full of hornets--I'd deal with it now. If you wait 'til cold weather, as you mentioned, the sucker may be big as a breadbox and have many hundreds of Hornets in it. If it's small (smaller than a softball), I'd take a propane torch (as high as the flame will go) to it. If you don't want to get THAT close, wire a gasoline soaked rag to the end of a pole (you determine the length you're comfortable with), light it and hold it under the nest from a distance. Hornets can't do much flying when you've singed their wings off (of course, if there's the slightest danger of starting a fire in your shed, forget these suggestions). When I was a child, I was constantly messing with Hornets' nests, in the summer, and got stung a bunch. As mentioned above, they're VERY defensive of their nests. We used to throw rocks at their nest, and I swear, Hornets have the uncanny knack of following the path that the rock was thrown right back to the THROWER--not just one, but many, and sting the hail out of you. And they always seem to aim for the highest part of your body--your head and face. Hornets used to build a huge nest in one particular Apple tree, year after year, which was on a sloping path to our barn. I'd get a stick, and pedal my bike as fast as I could down the slope, swat it with the stick (drop the stick), and pedal as fast as I could to get away. The Hornets would ALWAYS catch up to me and sting me about the back of the head and neck as I was fleeing. They'll follow you QUITE a ways, also--up to a quarter of a mile, many times. I'd come to the house, crying, from the stings, and my father used to say, "Boy, if you keep messing with those Hornets, they're gonna be the death of you".
...See More
Bees making nest in water meter vault
Q
Comments (13)
Update on my bees in the water meter vault problem. Some women beekeeper said she would take the hive but then never showed up so it looks like its up to me. I hate to kill the bees but it looks like I have no choice. Out of curiosity I would like to salvage the honey and bees wax if possible without contaiminating them with poison. Some ideas I had. 1. Starve them out by blocking the entrance and waiting. But on another website some women said a bee has been traped behind her window shade for a week and is still alive, and thats without food or water, so the bees in the water meter vault probably have enough honey stored to hold out for quite a while, but I don't know if they need water too. That women beekeeper said she thought it would take five days for them to die if I just plugged the hole. 2. I was thinking about sticking the end of my unlite propane torch in the hole and filling the chamber with propane gas, maybe that would asphixiate them without poisoning the honey. 3, Another idea would be to stick a funnel in the opening and pouring ammonia or chlorox into the vault and hope the fumes would kill them. 4. Maybe get brave and put on two or three pairs of pants and a couple of sweatshirts and a heavy coat and gloves and put a mosquito net over my head and try opening up the cover and pull everything out myself and then put mothballs in the chamber to keep them from coming back. 5. Or forget trying to salvage the honey and bees wax and just get a can of wasp killer and empty it into the hole or use that sevin dust someone recommended. 6. Or last choice, put on all the protective stuff, open the chamber at night, and then stick a garden hose in it and flood the chamber, and hope they leave and don't come back and hope they don't sting me or anyone else the next day. 7. Any ideas or recommendations would be appreciated.
...See More
Seeking advice-Golden Northern Bumble Bee nest in a bad locat'n.
Q
Comments (1)
Sorry folks, I may have misidentified these. They may been the Common Eastern Bumble Bee. I'm trying to ID online and some of the photos are misleading and bad.
...See More
Wood Bees, Hummer nests and Citronella Q's
Q
Comments (1)
We get carpenter bees as well. Loads of them. But I never saw them going after the hummers. I have my feeders under my back patio and the carpenter bees are usually in that same area. Hummers can be pretty aggressive so I wouldn't worry about it. When I spot the carpenters nest I spray right into the holes and then immediately plug it up. Also, keeping regular bird feeders full attracts other birds that like to feed on the carpenter bees. They don't get all of them but I've seen quite a few dead on my walk way. They also kill their mate once they've mated so that could be why I see the dead ones on the walk.
...See More
jean001a
9 years ago
OP is concerned about Africanized bees. A microscope is required to differentiate between honey bee & Africanized bee.

Further, local authorities will know if Africanized bees are a concern in the region.
IAmSupernova
Original Author
9 years ago
Will probably have to wait til Monday I'm guessing but thanks I'll ask them. I'll see if I can find someone to relocate, too.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
i think i once saw BEES in the yellow pages.. get out you say.. lol ..

simply google: FREE BEE REMOVAL ... and add your county ..

beekeepers ought to know the difference.. dont you think ... and for free bees.. those dudes.. and dudettes.. will travel ... [and even if you have to pay them.. its better than hiring pest control to kill them]

and they might even answer the phone on sunday ...

worse they can tell you.. is they are the wrong kind.. and THEN you know ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: i google free bee removal.. plus my county.. and came up with this page.. i presume you can find your state on the left margin ....
bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
9 years ago
OP: Does it make sense to get rid of the nest but keep the flowers to draw in more?

Yes - Unless you're a beekeeper, you probably shouldn't allow a hive to remain in or near your residence since you're in a part of the country known to have Africanized bees. The threat is not the few dozen visiting your garden at a particular moment, but you or a pet being too close to a hive when something sets thousands into a swarm,

Here's what a north Texas woman attacked a couple weeks ago while exercising her miniature horses suggests: I want everyone to know if you see bees on your property it needs to be taken care of immediately. We did not disturb the hive. We were nowhere near it.

She survived, but two miniature horses and several chickens were killed. Details may be found in the linked article.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thousands of bees attack couple, horses in Pantego (TX)
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
9 years ago
I agree, if they are honey bees, they should absolutely not be killed, a pro should remove them for free because they are quite valuable, especially since so many have been lost recently. Certain crops require hiring bee hives to be brought to them, for pollination.

If they are something else, possibly A-bees, I'd want professional help, someone with the proper equipment and safety suit.

I've never had a bee nest/hive anywhere around that I know of, but have always had flowers. Planting flowers does not, by itself, cause bees to make a nest/hive nearby.

When to worry about a bee nest?

Comments (7)

jean001a

morz8 - Washington Coast

Related Discussions

jean001a

IAmSupernova
Original Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

When to worry about a bee nest?

Comments (7)

jean001a

morz8 - Washington Coast

Related Discussions

jean001a

IAmSupernovaOriginal Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

IAmSupernova
Original Author