Bees, that had been in yard 4 years, swarmed me aggressively today. Africanized?

nine9s · June 10, 2014, 05:31:57 PM

I live on about 3 acres in a semi rural area outside of Houston. There has been a bee hive, in the ground level hollow of a full sized oak tree, for at least four years. When I first noticed it, four or five years ago, they were very docile. I could stand within 2 feet of the tree, where hundreds were walking around the outside of the hollow, and they paid no attention to me. Last Spring I noticed they would swarm around the outside (probably 25-30 flying around a 10 feet diameter area outside of the hollow, in the evenings. If I got within 5 feet about 10-15 would fly around me, and some would head butt my hands and arms, but none stung me. They would decrease as a walked away, and when I was 30-40 feet from the hive, none followed me anymore.

Today, while do weed trimming, with a motorized string trimmer, I got within 10 feet of the hive, which I normally do. I saw no sign of bees. 3 or 4 minutes later, I was 40-50 feet from the hive, doing trimming, when I heard buzzing over the sound of the motor and 30 decibel ear muffs (so they were pretty loud.) I looked up and saw a swarm (I would guess 30-50 bees) around me. Luckily, only my fingers were exposed (I wear long pants, over sized long sleeve shirt, t-shirt and cap over head, eye goggles, ear muffs, and breathing-nose mask while doing yard work) so no stings. I started walking toward my house, and less bees follow me but still a swarm. 100-150 feet to my house, and dozen were still swarming me. I went into my back door, and about 5-6 followed me into house, and out front door. On my porch, I noticed some caught in my clothing. so I took off a cap and t-shirt I had covering my head and 2 or 3 were stuck in the t-shirt and squirming like they were trying to sting it.

Also something of note: we finally had a real winter in Houston this year (hard freezes a few times), and I thought the hive was dead because I did not see them all Winter nor early Spring - and I looked directly at the tree hollow. I only starting noticing them again in April. So perhaps this is a completely different colony.

I hate to kill the bees, and hope I can find a beekeeper that wants them alive, but they scared me, and I do not want to tempt getting stung by a swarm.

Do these sound like Africanized bees?

Intheswamp · June 10, 2014, 09:33:53 PM

In your area I would think there's a good chance of them having some african ancestry. Whatever the case they are "hot" bees. Beekeepers in my area would not be interested in them in regards to taking them and putting them in a hive. In your area, though, I would think that there are beekeepers that are accustomed to hot bees so you might find someone willing to remove them. Don't expect to get it done for free, but if you do...be thankful.

The problem is how to go about removing them. For a bee tree you would basically do a trap-out. This involves putting a screen over the entrance to the hive with a funnel made of the same screen. The funnel is attached to the entrance in a way that allows the bees to exit but when they return they go to the spot closest to the entrance rather than the small hole at the end of the funnel. A hive box is set right beside the entrance and the idea is for the bees to start storing their nectar and pollen in the hive box. As time goes by (weeks) more and more bees exit the tree, can't get back in, and end up going into the hive box. Eventually the population is so small inside the tree that it can't sustain itself and the queen and remaining bees leave the cavity for parts unknown. Once the queen has exited the screen is removed so the bees in the hive box can rob the honey from the tree cavity. Eventually hive beetles and wax moth move in and wreak destruction on the comb, pollen, and any honey that is left inside.

That is basically the theory behind a trap out. They are time consuming, the beekeeper has to make frequent checks on it...it's not a quick fix. About the only other way to do it would be cut the tree down, but I doubt you want to do that.

I just thought I'd share that so you'd have an idea of what it would take to get the bees out. You should also look at (as you seem to be doing) the safety aspect of this. Africanized bees can be deadly, as you know. Are these bees close to a public area, or secluded where no one would happen upon them. Sometimes we have to make hard choices. :-\ On an optimistic note, they could have just had a bad day or something...but I would wear your yardwork clothing the next time I got close to them, just to be safe. ;)

Ed

JackM · June 11, 2014, 09:05:32 AM

Kill them, we don't need the gene pool that the drones are spreading about and increasing the AHB. Use one of those distance wasp spray killers and a bee suit, because it sounds like you can't get close any more

tefer2 · June 11, 2014, 09:24:22 AM

Quote from: JackM on June 11, 2014, 09:05:32 AM
Kill them, we don't need the gene pool that the drones are spreading about and increasing the AHB. Use one of those distance wasp spray killers and a bee suit, because it sounds like you can't get close any more

:th_thumbsupup:

rober · June 11, 2014, 11:14:56 AM

it sounds like the old colony died out & an Africanized swarm moved in. nuc em'. as long as that old comb remains swarms will be attracted to it. there's a bee tree in a local park here that has died off & been reoccupied at 4 times that I know of.

nine9s · June 11, 2014, 11:29:03 AM

Quote from: rober on June 11, 2014, 11:14:56 AM
it sounds like the old colony died out & an Africanized swarm moved in. nuc em'. as long as that old comb remains swarms will be attracted to it. there's a bee tree in a local park here that has died off & been reoccupied at 4 times that I know of.

What can I do to keep more from coming back? Would sealing the hollowing in the tree be enough?

JackM · June 11, 2014, 11:31:17 AM

Yes, sealing afterwards is a perfect solution

nine9s · June 11, 2014, 02:42:03 PM

I am having a bee person kill them today. I feel bad but they seem very aggressive. For example, when I went to look at them today, from about 40 feet away, there were many scattered flying about 10 feet from the hive. Some were flying slow, like in circles around the hive entrance, but a few were flying extremely fast straight toward the hive. I assume they were diving into the hive, but I was not close enough to see, but there was a straight line of bees flying that fast, one at a time every second toward the hive. I have never seen bees fly that fast - it was almost the speed of a small bird.

rober · June 11, 2014, 04:10:59 PM

stuff the entrance hole with wadded newspaper for a backer & seal with mortar mix.

Intheswamp · June 11, 2014, 05:01:23 PM

Don't feel bad about the bees. They were apparently highly defensive bees. No honey bees are native to our country, they are all imported. Those that were imported from Europe are mostly fairly gentle bees, whereas those from Africa are highly defensive in nature. The original European breeds were intentionally brought here as welcomed guests. The Africans were brought into south America as an "experiment". Unfortunately they were "accidentally" released into the wild and have now found there way across the southern USA...they were not invited here. Nobody will miss the bees in your tree including the honey bee European races. They may or may have not been africanized, but regardless...they were HOT bees. You did good.

Ed