# help aggressive bees in tree



## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

My renter just called and said they have agressive bees in their (our) tree. She had called an exterminator to check on prices. 

I don't want to just use poision to kill them but agressive bees w/ grandbabies (the renters) is just not cool. Is there anything that can be done w/ an agressive hive. She said they were not their last week. I thought swarms were not agressive?

Is there anyone near Skiatook Ok who would be able to deal w/ this? What is the normal going rate? Who do I get to deal with this? exterminators or beekeepers?


I understand that the bees have had a hard time w/ the colony die off and so I don't want to make it worse. 

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

try contacting some one from one of these sites
http://www.okbees.org/Swarms.html


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## whatrset (Apr 13, 2010)

I tried to post this a couple hours ago, but the lights flickered and I lost it... 

Agressive bees in trees can be tricky. Many beekeepers may not be willing to raid a tree b/c of the high chance of the queen dying while felling and removing VERY unhappy bees. If the access hole is small, and you are not allergic to bee sting, you may be able to get rid of them on your own. I have had to remove a hive in a wall on an outbuilding, where they couldnt be removed and a sprayer filled with bug killer (Permethrin/Malathyon) <<<You can research this easily<< and a rag. I waited until night time, sprayed the entrance hole as full of killer as I could and stuffed a rag in the hole. THe colony was gone after that. Broke my heart, but I couldnt rob them out and house them where they were, and they couldnt stay.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Go to this site. Click on your state map and a list of bee keepers for your state will appear. One of them may nbe able to help you out by doing a removal or helping you find some one who will.

http://www.ebeehoney.com/swarmremovalmap.html

 Al


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Most Beekeeping Associations have at least one beekeeper with a Bee Vac...sucks the Bees out and into a container/bucket for relocation.

Have you yourself seen the Bees aggression?


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I own a bee vac and I sure would like to know how you suck all the bees out of a tree? Even if you set the vac to run for days, and even a month at the entrance I don't see just how you get them all from the tree, *PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!*

 Al


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

Update:huh:

after I posted this she (the renter) called again and said her daughter went out there (after I said don't) and looked and came back and confirmed they were "Africian bees" I am still working on this trying to find the local group. Their web page is down.

A few minutes after this she called again and said her son went out their on a riding lawn mower to look. :umno: And I comes back to report that the are not honey but wood bees.:bored: How do you get mad angry honey bees from one or two wood bees? Bang head on wall smilley. 

She was wanting me to pay 1$175 to exterminate wood bees in a tree no where near the house but in the pasture. ugh


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

If I were in your place I would wait until an hour before sunset and visit the "african tree bee" swarm personally. Use binoculars to see the bees better. Probably aren't even bees at all. Possibly hornets. In any case the airhead renters should stay as far away (into the next county would be good) from these "killer bees" as possible. 

I'm a firm believer in live and let live with bees and wasps, until they start going after people or animals. If these are where they are not bothering anyone I would let them live. Africanized bees have not yet been found in Ok.


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Danaus29 said:


> If I were in your place I would wait until an hour before sunset and visit the "african tree bee" swarm personally. Use binoculars to see the bees better. Probably aren't even bees at all. Possibly hornets. In any case the airhead renters should stay as far away (into the next county would be good) from these "killer bees" as possible.
> 
> I'm a firm believer in live and let live with bees and wasps, until they start going after people or animals. If these are where they are not bothering anyone I would let them live. *Africanized bees have not yet been found in Ok.*


*******************************************************
a little research on the internet could reveal the "facts" in the above claim, that is simply not true. 
See the following graph which shows the migration of Africanized bees in the lower southwest of the U.S., below:

*http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=11059&page=6 *


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

No one can tell they are "African" bees by just looking. Not even an expert. Not a beekepeer. Not a scientist. Certainly not an untrained child. You need facts to work with first. You need to know if they are bees. You need to know if they really are agressive. Before that you have no facts to work with.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

California, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Akansas, Louisiana, Utah, don't see Oklahoma on the map, yet.

Ok, google found one site that gave the counties in OK where Africanized honey bees have been found. 
http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ahb/


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Danaus29 said:


> California, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Akansas, Louisiana, Utah, don't see Oklahoma on the map, yet.
> 
> Ok, google found one site that gave the counties in OK where Africanized honey bees have been found.
> http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ahb/


*****************************************
Africanized bees were located and identified as such.......but then.......nobody reads anything anymore.......:sob::sob::sob:


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Alleyyooper: RE: Bee Vac...Dunno, I'm just going by what I was told at a Bee Vac demo during our Assoc. meeting...If Vacs. don't work why have one at all...dunno

We had a swarm move into an old gnarly oak last week, I'll be dog-gone but I can't figure out how a swarm the size of four basket balls fit in the cavity...took 'em a LONG time to file in, but there they are...~lol~...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Just used my bee vac yesterday to remove a swarm wrapped around a tree limb. It worked fine.










Off a fence last year where they were on both sides.











Also used it on Fathers day to remove bees off a broken fallen limb so I could get at the brood comb.



















But I have never yet figured out how to get them out of a live standing tree with a vac.

:hijacked:
Copper Kid you are so right about people not reading any longer. they tend to see the words they want to see and that is it. I believe they listen about as well.

 Al


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I did look at the link. Unless there was another page to go to it did not show any ahb in ok. btw, talk about not reading, I posted a link showing ok by county and where ahb were found. Excuse me for making a mistake, good thing those who never make mistakes caught me spreading misinformation. (and i did a google search of ahb spread before i posted)


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## copperkid3 (Mar 18, 2005)

Danaus29 said:


> I did look at the link. Unless there was another page to go to it did not show any ahb in ok. btw, talk about not reading, I posted a link showing ok by county and where ahb were found. Excuse me for making a mistake, good thing those who never make mistakes caught me spreading misinformation. (and i did a google search of ahb spread before i posted)


******************************************************
in black, the spot where Oklahoma "used" to be.......for those not familiar where 
that state presently sits within the Union......it is directly north & east of the Texas 
panhandle. Actually, you could say, that it lies entirely *NORTH* of Texas. 
It's also directly west of Arkansas. Beyond that,...... I give up.....












BTW: This image is exactly the same as the one I posted in the hyperlink earlier .....
with the exception that I outlined the state in black. Anyone who doesn't give a hoot..... 
can go back to  now.


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## ldc (Oct 11, 2006)

Bee people: a swarm just moved into my kitchen wall about 2 weeks ago. I called a beekeeper who came out and confirmed they are a wild honeybee type. He wants $300 to take them away, but says he'll use a chainsaw, and I'll have an $800-$1000 carpentry bill! This isn't my house, I'm a caretaker, but the owner won't act. Any ideas? Thanks, ldc


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

>Any ideas? 

I know people who have had bees living in the walls of their house for decades with no issues... but that's the typical fee for removing a colony in a wall.


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## MrCalicoty (Jun 27, 2010)

I lived in Arizona from 1980 until late 2000 and experienced the spread of AHBs while there in Tucson and Phoenix. I was in somewhat remote parts of the desert almost daily as I did a lot of mountain biking on trails and otherwise. I saw lots and lots of wildlife and ran across a few hives a-buzzin but never had a problem. I knew that AHBs were around but as with all wildlife if you don't mess with it it won't mess with you.

I've been up close and personal (sometimes daily) with coyote, gila monsters, rattle snakes, great horned owls, javalina, scorpions, and bees but the worst little critters of all were the tiny sidewinder rattle-snakes. There wasn't any creature that ever gave me a problem except the side-winders and that was only when I would approach them. Without exception they would always turn toward me (if I approached them) and come full-bore at me. The only other exception were the great horned owls that used to buzz me if I got too close to the saguaro cactus they would light in. After I passed they would fly behind me and come within inches of my head to try to scare me away from their territory. Never was I ever in contact with any creature and I miss some of those experiences. 

I was more concerned about AHBs than anything but always got out from any area that was buzzing immediately and nothing bad ever happened.

I should mention that we are now bee keepers and have our first hive. We haven't expanded to our first honey super yet but the bees we have are very calm. In the few times I've opened the hive and tended to it I've never had a bee even come close to stinging me. I'm sure it will happen someday but I'm careful not to rattle them and they seem to be fine.


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