Is Live Bee Removal an Option?

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Only if it is safe. All wild honey bees in Arizona are Africanized.

by Allison Williams, Co-owner of Desert Swarm Bee Removal LLC

We have responded to human and pet fatalities and injuries resulting from Africanized honey bee attacks, so this is not something we take lightly at Desert Swarm. In Arizona, we have the responsibility to handle Africanized bees safely. Although very valuable pollinators to our gardens and desert plants, these are not the same “gentle” species of honey bees managed in boxes for use in pollinating our nation’s commercial crops.

Africanized honey bee swarm

Our number one priority is to keep your family, pets, the public, and our specialists safe during a removal. Africanized bees become hyper-defensive to protect their hives and will attack when threatened. Desert Swarm will only perform live removals of newly-arrived & un-established swarms that have not moved inside of a structure. Our specialists always err on the side of caution as we will not put any human or pet life at risk. We do not offer live removals for swarms that are well-established or have already moved into a cavity or structure due to the territorial and aggressive nature of Africanized bees once disturbed. You can rest assured that Desert Swarm will solve your bee problem safely and effectively even if a live removal is not an option!

We are small-scale beekeepers and value honey bees, so if we can perform a life removal safely, we will! All live removals are relocated to our locally managed hives. Please contact us for more details on the type of live removals we will consider!

Swarm

I have a swarm or hive of bees on my property, are they Africanized?

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By Allison Williams, Co-owner of Desert Swarm Bee Removal LLC

All too often we hear this statement, “The bee swarm or hive on my property is not Africanized because it is not aggressive.”  Unfortunately, this is not a safe assumption in Arizona.

All wild (feral) honey bees in Arizona are presumed to be Africanized. When threatened or disturbed, Africanized honey bees exhibit an exaggerated defense response of their colony. We don’t always know what will irritate them – it could be a noise, vibration, or even an odor! Our technicians can tell you from experience that hives can vary in aggression due to a variety of factors, but each bee removal is faced with some level of defensive bee behavior. Always call a professional if you suspect you have a bee hive on your property.

The widespread prevalence of Africanized honey bees in Arizona is supported by researchers, scientists, beekeepers, honey bee experts, and bee removal companies, like us! We have compiled a list of resources for you so that you can dive deeper into the world of Africanized honey bees and be armed with the right information!

From the Experts

The University of Arizona Urban Integrated Pest Management Program has published a bee management fact sheet that describes Africanized honey bee behavior and provides safety guidelines in the chance of encountering a bee attack. Follow the links below to find out more.

Bee Management, University of Arizona

University of Arizona Urban Integrated Pest Management Program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains a honey bee research center right here in Tucson! The Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Center is responsible for official identifications of Africanized honey bees, especially when the honey bees are found in new states. Gloria Hoffman, research leader at the center is quoted in this local news story on the topic of bee swarms in Arizona. The first link leads to that article, and the second link goes directly to the Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Center webpage.

Bee swarms: What you need to know to stay safe, AZCentral.com

Link to the USDA Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Center in Tucson

This link will take you directly to the Africanized honey bee information provided by the USDA on their website.

USDA Africanized Honey Bee Information

Within Saguaro National Park located in Tucson, wild bee colonies are quite common. Park biologists estimate that hundreds of bee colonies call Saguaro National Park home. All of these colonies are now considered to be Africanized. Here is a link to their park fact sheet on Africanized honey bees.

U.S. Department of the Interior Saguaro National Park

Beekeeping in Arizona is different from other parts of the United States due to the prevalence of Africanized honey bees. Patrick Pynes, Arizona resident and beekeeper gives perspective on this challenge and provides commentary on hive management in the following article in the beekeeping publication, Bee Culture:

Commentary – Killer Bees in Arizona by Patrick Pynes

Recent News

Unfortunately, the following news stories cover incidents of recent Africanized bee attacks.

American Racing Legend A.J. Foyt Survives Vicious Killer Bee Attack

Four Puppies Die in Arizona Backyard Bee Attack, One Puppy Named ‘Lucky’ Survives

Arizona Landscaper Dies After Attacked by a Swarm of Bees

 

Quick Reference Guide to Hiring the Right Bee Removal Company

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by Allison Williams, Co-Owner of Desert Swarm Bee Removal LLC

We know that it can be very stressful or even scary to discover a swarm or hive of bees on your property.  Suddenly, you are forced to make a quick decision about what to do and who to hire to take care of this potentially dangerous issue!  To ease your worry, we have prepared this quick reference guide of the essential things you should look for when choosing a bee removal company!

Ask the Right Questions

In Arizona, we are dealing with Africanized honey bees (territorial and potentially dangerous). It takes skill, experience, and expertise to safely and properly solve your bee issue. There are numerous pest control companies advertising bee removal, but they are not all equal in their experience or in the services they offer. Here are some questions you can ask that will give you a better idea of their bee removal services:

  • How is your bee removal service structured and priced regarding inspection, treatment, and hive removal options? Are there any hidden costs?
  • Are you going to check for the presence of hive material? (This definitely applies if you suspect you have bees in your roof/wall/structure, etc. This is very important for a customer to know for preventing future problems such as bee re-infestation, attraction of other pests, and costly honey melt damages.)
  • If you do locate a hive in my roof/wall/structure what are potential removal options? (While this can vary greatly, they should be able to explain a common scenario.)
  • Do you conduct your own hive removal and any subsequent repairs of structures, if needed?

While not 100% comprehensive, this list of questions will arm you with some information about the services you may require and will give you a good idea of a company’s experience and capabilities. You do not want to be left behind with a melting hive or cranky bees!

Check for Proper Credentials and Licensing

It is required by Arizona state law that any person performing pest management services using pesticides must be a Certified Applicator through the Arizona Department of Agriculture Office of Pest Management (OPM). This is required for the company doing business and for each individual technician working on behalf of that company.  You can check for a business and their technician’s licenses by simply searching the OPM public website. Each Certified Applicator must be trained and licensed on an annual basis.  You can follow these step-by-step instructions to easily verify a company’s credentials!

  1. Go to https://opm.azda.gov/
  2. Find “License Search” in the side menu
  3. Select “Pest Management Companies”
  4. Enter the company name or license number
  5. Click on “More Info” to see a full list of licensed parties

Check for Liability Insurance

Any responsible business owner conducting bee removals or pest control should carry liability insurance. This protects both parties in case of incidental property damage or in the unfortunate scenario of someone getting hurt. For your safety and protection, we do not recommend hiring a bee removal company that does not carry liability insurance. We are faced with handling Africanized bees (territorial and potentially dangerous bees) here in Arizona, and this should not be taken lightly.

Check for Better Business Bureau Accreditation

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is often the first place an unhappy customer will report poor service. It is a great place to check for any previous complaints against a business. A transparent company that is confident in their business practices will most certainly acquire their accreditation through the BBB.

Check Customer Reviews

The internet is a wonderful resource for finding customer reviews. Customers can quickly rate a business in a multitude of ways across many review sites. We encourage you to look at several review sites instead of relying on just one such as Yelp, Facebook, Angie’s List, Google…the list goes on and on. If you do come across a negative review on a company, check to see how the owner chose to respond. Often, complaints are simple misunderstandings that can easily be resolved with further communication or a reasonable offer in return for dissatisfaction. 

We hope that this guide will ease some of your stress or worry in the search of the right bee removal company for you! If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call! 520-310-0707

Follow this guide to take the guesswork out of hiring the right bee removal company for you!

 

Bee Removal

Are you seeing honey bees? Here’s why!

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by Allison Williams, Co-owner of Desert Swarm Bee Removal LLC

Although it is not quite peak season, we are seeing an increase in honey bee activity in Tucson and surrounding areas! With the recent rains and increase in temperatures, bees are naturally becoming more active. Here’s a summary of what we are seeing!

Don’t be fooled! Honey bees do not leave for the winter

It is often misunderstood that honey bees will leave their established hive during winter. This is not so! They become less active and more dormant during winter months, but they do not leave their hives. We are now seeing these over-wintered hives become active, and customers are calling for hive removals. Please be aware of any new bee activity if you had an established hive on your property last spring and thought they “left” during winter.  We can help you prevent the problem from getting worse!

Bee Removal
Swarm of Africanized honey bees

Small swarms and scouting activity

A portion of honey bees (a swarm) will leave an established hive, typically in spring, as hives become overcrowded. The swarm will send out scout bees to look for a new hive location for building comb, raising bees, and producing honey. Currently, we are seeing some very small swarms and a bit of scouting activity. If you see bees that come and go or are focused on areas around your property, please be aware that it may be a swarm scouting your place for a new hive location. We can certainly prevent them from moving in!

Pollinating bees & robber bees

As winter transitions into spring, honey bees are out looking for food to support their hive. With little blooming in the surrounding desert right now, honey bees are attracted to blooms in residential and commercial areas. If you have a blooming plant or tree on your property and bees are focused on the flowers, there is likely no need to worry as these are pollinating bees! With scarce resources, bees are also attracted to sugary sweet odors like soda cans, garbage cans, and old honey comb remnants. We are also finding bees attracted to sap from evergreen trees in the area!

If you had a hive previously treated for bees without removing or sealing the area, other honey bees may try to “rob” the hive or move into the “ready-made” space.  It is  not easy for the untrained eye to distinguish robber bees from established bees, so please call us if you need help resolving this issue!

If you are unsure, please call us! 

As your bee removal experts, we are always here to help you resolve your bee issues. If you are seeing unusual bee activity on your property and are unsure of your problem, do not ever hesitate to call! We are always here to answer your questions. We are licensed professionals and are experienced with handling Africanized honey bees. ALL of the wild honey bees in Arizona are presumed to be Africanized, which can become extremely defensive of their hive with aggression. Unfortunately, we have seen people and their pets get hurt trying to handle their own bee issues.

Keeping you and your family safe is our number one priority!