FAQ About Bees
I have bees on my property and they appear to be calm and haven’t bothered me. They are probably not Africanized bees, right?
All bees in the southern part of Arizona are considered Africanized unless they are in managed hives that is kept by beekeepers. Africanized bees do not always display aggressive behavior all of the time. All colonies of bees should be considered potentially dangerous and a professional should be called to remove a hive whether they seem aggressive or not.
There is a massive ball of bees hanging from a tree branch in my yard. I didn’t see them there a couple days ago. What do I do?
If there is a cluster of bees hanging from a branch and it has just arrived, it is a swarm. A swarm will rest while scout bees locate their new home. When the scout bees locate a home, they will return to the cluster of bees and communicate the distance and direction of the new location; all of the bees will then take flight to their new home – this process usually takes 1-3 days. It is a good idea to have the swarm removed because there is a possibility that the new location may be in an area around your home.
Why won’t any of the local bee keepers take these bees from my property? I thought there was a shortage of bees.
Many beekeepers do not want to take bees from a property because it is difficult to safely remove a beehive. If a colony becomes aggressive, people and animals in the area will be in danger. Unfortunately, extermination is the safest way to control a bee problem because of the danger of being stung. If a colony is in an area that is away from people and animals, and in an area where they can be contained all at once, then we are able to remove the bees alive. If the bee professional is able to safely perform a live removal, he will talk with you about any additional costs that may apply.
How can I tell if the bees on my property are Africanized bees?
A person cannot tell by looking at a bee whether it is an Africanized killer bee or if it is a European honey bee. A sample of bees would need to be taken to a lab to determine if a bee is Africanized or not. We do know, however, from studies that the majority of feral colonies of bees are Africanized.
How long does it take for a colony of bees to die off once the hive has been treated?
A colony of bees usually takes 2-3 days to completely die off. Sometimes it can take longer depending on the population of bees in a colony. When they are treated, the bees don’t die off right away because they still have bees going back and forth from the hive. We recommend that our customers wait at least 7 days for the colony to completely die off after the initial treatment. If there are still bees after the 7 days, we will return to retreat the colony at no additional cost.
Does your company perform live removals?
Atomic Pest Control will remove bees alive in certain situations. If a colony can be quickly contained without any aggressive behavior, a live removal may be possible. Once a bee professional is on site and assesses the situation, they will determine if a live removal is a safe option. If the bees are not contained properly, you may end up in a very dangerous situation.
Why do I keep seeing bees around my pool (faucet, birdbath, pond, fountain, etc) and what can I do to keep them away?
Bees need water, just like other living organisms, in order to survive. In the summer, bee activity will increase around any source of water they can find because they use the water to help keep their hive cool. It is difficult to keep bees away from a water source, once they have located it. There are not a lot of options when trying to keep bees away from water sources near your home. If you believe that bees are dwelling near or on your property, it is best to contact a professional to see what they can do to locate the hive.