What are the bees’ intentions?

Many of the normal daily activities of honey bees can resemble multiple different intentions on the part of the bees.

Take, for example, the case of a Tucson-area rental property.  Unbeknownst to the owner, bees moved into the eaves, entering via a screened-off vent hole that had been compromised by the pecking of a Gila Woodpecker.   The tenant killed off the bees, presumably by squirting some type of insecticide into the cavity.  By leaving nearly a hundred pounds of honey, dead bees, biologically active pollen and other materials in the house above the ceiling, the tenants set the property up for an almost impossible-to-counteract nest of cricket, cockroaches and other critters.

After the tenants were replaced by others, the out-of-town landlord became aware that bees were paying a lot of attention to the eaves of the house. What the tenants reported to the landlord was that bees were seen flying to and from the eaves over a large portion of the side of the house.

With permission from the landlord, American Bee Control had a phone conversation with the tenant.  Based on the description of the bees’ behavior, it became obvious that the bees were interested in gaining access to “unprotected honey” (to use a term that bees would, if they spoke English.)  Because the area was sealed off to entry by neighborhood bees, the persisted in flying around, hoping to gain access.  This was in the winter time, when it would not be expected that they would be househunting, at least not in large numbers.   ABC’s expertise in analyzing bee behavior led to the conclusion that, due to rainy weather and high humidity, the honey that was now pooled on the top of the ceiling was hygroscopically absorbing moisture from the humid air.  The newly-liquified honey was detected by neighborhood beehives at a time when natural foliage offered almost no source of nectar.  The persistent probing of the eaves of the house closely resembled the activity of “scout bees” seeking a future home for their homeless colony.  By understanding bee behavior, ABC was able to assure the tenant and the landlord regarding what was, and wasn’t appropriate type of service for the property.

We welcome all your questions regarding what bees are doing at your property. We will give you our best advice regardless of whether it involves our services or other offerings that are more congruent with your particular situation.  Please don’t hesitate to call or email.  If we can’t take your call at the moment, we will gladly call you back soon.  Please be prepared to give a description of what activity the bees are doing, such as “coming and going” or “walking around on the top of the wall,” or “flying around, and occasionally landing.”  For some information regarding how to characterize bee behavior in advance of calling ABC, please see our YouTube Video “5 Ways to Tell if Bees Have Moved in.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSHw3_5K3-A&t=27s

Staying safe from bees

This photo illustrates the magic formula for getting stung by bees. Why? Because, to the segment of a given beehive’s population tasked with defending the hive, this gentleman is barely distinguishable from a bear (e.g. Ursus americanus) To greatly reduce your chances of being stung by bees avoid as any of the following as possible: dark sunglasses, dark hat, dark facial hair, dark shirt, tobacco odor. A person who is freshly bathed, wearing white clothing, without dark facial hair is much less likely to be stung compared to the gentleman pictured here.

The photo above illustrates the “magic formula for getting stung by bees.” Why? Because, to the segment of a given beehive’s population tasked with defending the hive, this gentleman is barely distinguishable from a bear (e.g. Ursus americanus.) All natural predators of beehives are mammals with dark hair and black eyes.  To greatly reduce your chances of being stung by bees, avoid as many of the following as possible: dark sunglasses, dark hat, dark facial hair, dark shirt, tobacco odor and abrupt motions such as quickly waving your hands.  A person who is freshly bathed, wearing white clothing, without dark facial hair is much less likely to be stung compared to the gentleman pictured here.

If you have particular questions about how to stay safe from bees, please don’t hesitate to call American Bee Control at 520-780-1831

Explaining what you see the bees doing

Bees do a lot of different things

Even if your question doesn’t involve bees that are living on (or in) your property, you may find it useful to watch this brief video to get ideas on how to describe the behavior of your bees. It will likely help us, on the phone, to quickly understand what best meets your needs regarding the future of the bees.

Regardless of what location your bees have chosen as their home, American Bee Control can relocate them, alive and intact as a colony. (Actually, there once was a colony whose location we couldn’t ever identify inside a structure and relocate them. But that’s only one colony out of about ten thousand successful beehive relocations.) We mention this not to brag about our successes. Rather, we want to reassure you that if you find yourself answering a number of questions, it isn’t a matter of “can we relocate your bees or not?” Questions such as “what kind of roof does the building have?” may seem strange, but if we are asking such information over the phone, it is because American Bee Control can use that knowledge to gage what solution best fits your needs and how to schedule the kinds of service best meets your needs.

We never kill the bees. We relocate them into their own wooden beehive box where their descendants can live for decades into the future.

Please call or email. We are pleased to answer your questions about bees. (520) 780-1831

You can also reach us via email by filling out the form “Contact American Bee Control”

Fostering bee-healthy landscapes

Flowers of Whitethorn Acacia are highly beneficial to native pollinators such as solitary bees–as well as honey bees.

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons © 2024)

American Bee Control most enthusiastically recommends the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum’s “Plantcare” page of their website.  You will find a huge list of plants that are beneficial to native bees as well as honey bees and other pollinators.  In addition to the Desert Museum’s marvelous list of plants, we also recommend planting the native “Whitethorn Acacia” (Vachellia constricta) because the spherical, yellow-orange flowers are a favorite of many native pollinators and these attractive, small trees often bloom out-of-sequence to the native mesquite trees.  (Mesquite trees are deep-rooted and typically blossom once a year, following springtime rains and prior to the high heat of June.  Whitethorn Acacia, on the other hand, are shallow-rooted and may bloom during almost any warm month of the year.  Like the nectar from mesquite trees, Vachellia constricta flowers make a light-colored, mild-flavored honey that is highly prized by those who know its virtues!)

Here’s another link the Desert Museum’s “plantcare” site. Most of the plants listed there have a complete info sheet available for download for your planning and long-term care. https://www.desertmuseum.org/plantcare/

Read more