What To Do About Bee Swarms
Imagine walking into your local grocery store to pick up a few items, only to return to your vehicle to find it full of bees. This exact scenario happened in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The owner of the car left his windows open while shopping at a grocery store. When he returned to his vehicle and began to drive off, he noticed that the back seat was full of bees.
An emergency call was placed to the local fire department who solicited the help of an off duty firefighter, who just so happened to be a beekeeper. The firefighter-beekeeper came to the scene with all of the tools required to safely remove the swarm. The job took about 2 hours, and the estimated 15,000 bees were safely rehomed to his property outside of the city.
Video and images of the scene show bees swarming all around the vehicle while the heroic firefighter did the difficult and dangerous work of removing them from the car.
Stories like these go to show that swarms could relocate to your property within a matter of minutes. While no one was seriously harmed during this incident except for a security guard who sustained a bee sting, it highlights the importance of knowing what to do when you encounter a swarm of bees.
What would you do if you returned to your vehicle to find it full of honey bees? Read on to learn our top tips for handling a bee swarm.
Most swarms are docile, but beware!
When you encounter a bee swarm on your property, it’s helpful to understand a bit about bee behavior. Swarms occur when a colony has outgrown its current hive. It must split in two for the survival of the colony. The queen and her worker bees leave their home temporarily while they search for a new one. Scout bees explore the area to find the perfect place to build their nest. While they do this, the rest of the colony finds a safe place to hang out.
During this time bees, must conserve the energy they have and protect their queen. This is why bees are generally docile while swarming. They don’t want to waste their precious energy stores on chasing you! However, like any honey bee, if they are agitated or if they feel their queen is at risk they may attack. The best advice if you encounter a swarm on your property is to avoid agitating them by swatting, spraying or using any chemical insecticides. Throwing rocks doesn’t help either!
Leave them alone if possible.
The best thing to do is leave the bees alone if it’s possible. In general, swarms will stick around for a few hours or at most a couple of days. With a little patience, the bees will most likely go on their way very quickly.
However, sometimes bees choose to swarm in areas that can be harmful or extremely inconvenient to people. Swarming inside your vehicle is one example of a dangerous location that cannot be ignored. Other San Diego residents have found bees swarming near their front doors, garage doors or in areas where kids frequently play. Bees in these locations can put people and pets in danger. In these cases, it is recommended that you immediately call in a professional live bee removal company.
Call Professional Live Bee Removal Experts
Experts that know how to safely handle bees are the best resource when you are dealing with a swarm on your property. Bee removal professionals have the proper equipment and knowledge to remove the bees alive and well. They also have a keen understanding of bee behavior, so they know exactly how to handle a swarm without risking the health and safety of those around it.
Live bee removal companies such as D-Tek Live Bee Removal have been helping San Diego area residents safely and humanely remove swarms on residential properties and businesses for almost 20 years. If you encounter a bee swarm, leave it alone and then call D-Tek Live Bee Removal. Our pros are standing by and ready to be dispatched to your property right away to help you rid your San Diego home of a bee swarm.