Busy Bees

[Bugbear]

Had a bit of a scare yesterday. My new next door neighbor, who built a storage barn and workshop along our shared property line, told me there was a swarm of bees inside the barn. The bees are out and about at this time of the year...

Then he told me that he tried chasing them out by swatting at them with a broom, if I remember correctly. Um... Then he told me he tried spraying them with break fluid because that's how he kills roaches; he repairs cars and his yard is full of cars all the time. The break fluid didn't do anything.

I asked him if they stung him; I was quite alarmed at his behavior at this point. He told me that he was not stung, but the bees were very aggressive. After the break fluid failed to chase the bees off, he said he went in to call an exterminator, but when he came back out, the bees were gone.

We have a little problem with Africanized killer bees here in the valley, and thankfully that swarm of bees, which were probably looking for a new home, were most likely the domesticated European honey bees. Unfortunately, the Africanized bees will go after anyone around if they are aggravated by being swatted at, and sprayed with break fluid...

[GDub]

We need bees!! No bees, no crops! Wacko bee killers make me crazy! The best, nay the ONLY real smart solution to getting rid of a swarm of bees is to call a local beekeeper. They will GLADLY come and gather the bees. It's really just common sense.

And as far as Africanized (aka "killer") bees... a 10 minute conversation with a knowledgeable beekeeper will dispel the myth and teach one how to deal with a more aggressive bee population.

[Bugbear]

Ya, I need the bees for my citrus etc; I don't need break fluid being sprayed everywhere...

The Africanized bees do make a whole lot more honey though... It's just not a good idea to be riling them up.

[ChattanCat]

My dad used to raise bees. Smoke calms them down, they start eating the honey and you can work with them.

[Bugbear]

My dad used to raise bees. Smoke calms them down, they start eating the honey and you can work with them.

Yep. I've never kept bees, but know people who do. That would be how they collect the honey from the bee hive. However, swatting at them or even worse smashing one is not a good idea. Spraying break fluid all over the place is a horrible idea for many reasons.

A few people out here get swarmed by the Africanized bees now and then, but I think most people understand to not fool with them. It's usually someone with a lawn mower or chain saw that sets them off, and someone else that gets stung.

They did find one huge Africanized hive in an old couch in someone's back yard out this way the other year. If I remember correctly, they got six pounds of honey out of it... Lot of busy bees.

[george7]

Besides the fact that pouring those chemicals can poison the water supply... If you're not allergic, their sting isn't that bad either.

[Colonel MacNeal]

Bees up my kilt? I've never even thought of that before. Now I will be unable to sleep.

[Bugbear]

Guess I just needed to express frustration over the situation...

[ronstew]

The best, nay the ONLY real smart solution to getting rid of a swarm of bees is to call a local beekeeper. They will GLADLY come and gather the bees. It's really just common sense.

What you write seems true, now that I think about it, but it is not "common sense." The idea would not occur to the vast majority of people, especially city-dwellers like me.

Killing bees is bad mojo these days. They are fast disappearing.

[Bugbear]

What you write seems true, now that I think about it, but it is not "common sense." The idea would not occur to the vast majority of people, especially city-dwellers like me.

Killing bees is bad mojo these days. They are fast disappearing.

Thankfully, my orange trees are buzzing with them, and I do not use chemical pestocides and very rarely use chemical weed control and stuff like that. I have no control over what my neighbors do.