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Bee Swarms Common This Spring
DALLAS, TX. If recent calls from concerned homeowners are any indication, wild bees seem to be doing fine in Texas this year. This despite last summer's worries about declines in honey bee colonies among commercial beekeepers.
Bee swarms occur most commonly during the early spring when new queens decide to spread their wings and take part of the mother colony with her to a new nest site. Bee swarms, therefore, are simply families of homeless bees in search of new places to settle.
The problem with swarming bees doesn't have to do with danger from their stings. This is because bees in swarms are much less likely to exhibit agressive behavior than bees which have a nest to defend. The problem with swarms is that there are not a lot of acceptable nesting sites in urban neighborhoods--at least not acceptable from our human perspective. If a nest settles in a backyard tree it could pose a hazard to gardeners or children. And, if a colony discovers a way into your house, you could get stung in the pocketbook.
If they can find a way in, bees willingly take up residence in the walls or ceiling of homes and other human structures. If this happens, the nest will have to be removed, preferably by an experienced professional, and often at significant cost. If nests are not removed, after time the accumulation of wax, honey and dead bees may produce objectionable odors and attract pests like mice, ants, cockroaches, and other scavenger insects.
Although some prefer to leave their wild bee swarms alone, the safest course in urban areas is to hire a beekeeper to remove the swarm, or exterminate it before it can discover a way into your home. Swarm extermination can be done by a professional, or can be done with an inexpensive sprayer and soapy water.
For more information about bees in and around homes, see the AgriLife Extension factsheet, E-346.
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