Check out this great article from the Killeen Daily Haerald.

By Jackie Stone
Killeen Daily Herald

The low, droning buzz of hundreds or thousands of bees swirling near a home can be panic inducing, but the seasonal swarming this time of year is just part of a bee’s life.

The building heat outside and the lush crop of wildflowers spreading across Central Texas may ring in summer for humans, but they also let wild bees know it is time for the overflowing hives to split apart and find new homes.

Darrell Lister, owner of Bee Buster exterminators, said the old queen will send out thousands of scout bees to find the perfect spot. Unfortunately, sometimes their dream house is already inhabitated and can lead to painful complications.

“Once they’re established and have a honey comb, they’ll protect it,” he said.

Though bee removal experts and county officials said most of the time bees will not become aggressive unless provoked, there are precautions and resources available for concerned homeowners in Central Texas.

What makes bees aggressive

Bell County Extension Office Agent Dirk Aaron said there are a number of things that can contribute to bees becoming aggressive, from environmental provocation to the type of bee involved. Most of the wild bees around Central Texas are a cross between European bees and more aggressive Africanized bees.

Bees that are not on the attack can be provoked by vibrations, loud noise and odor. Their sensitivity to odor sometimes causes bees to attack people wearing very dark clothing because of the smell emitted by the dye.

Domingo Montalbo is the manager of the bees at Walker Honey Farm in Rodgers, but after hours, he is one of the few beekeepers who will still remove bees from properties without killing them.

Montalbo said the average hive holds around 30,000 bees. In a good year, with plenty of rain and wildflowers, a single hive can produce 30 pounds of honey, he said.Most of the time when people see a swarm on their property or around their home, the bees are not looking to attack, but are just trying to find an entrance to the home they are trying to make.

“In a good swarm you’ve got 30,000 bees, and when they’re all swarming trying to go somewhere, you’ll see them hover because all of them are trying to go in an itty bitty hole,” he said. “It usually takes about 30 minutes and they’ll calm down.”

Bee removal

While people may become concerned about a swarm near their home and automatically look to the authorities, that may not result in getting the bees removed, Aaron said. Though fire and emergency services are trained to deal with bees and swarms, they often will not take action unless there is an emergency.

“They are trained to handle a crisis situation, not just a beehive in a wrong place,” Aaron said. “Leave the bees alone until you have a professional out there.”

The extension office keeps a list of exterminators who are trained and experienced with bees.

Bee Buster’s Lister and Montalbo both said it is important to find an exterminator who specializes in bees because of the unique challenges presented.

For instance, Montalbo said if the bees are killed but the hive is left in the wall, whether the bees are alive or not, the summer heat can melt wax and honey and cause seepage and mildew in a home.

Lister advised people against trying to remove a hive on their own, but said if they were determined to they should inform their local fire department and EMS before attempting it.

“Once you have a bee attack, it’s too late to call,” he said.

Contact Jackie Stone at jstone@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7474. Follow her on Twitter at KDHcoveeditor.

Bee awareness

If you have a bee hive on your property:

Call a professional for advice.

Turn off any nearby machinery.

Do not aggravate the bees and keep your distance.

If you are stung, get to a doctor as soon as possible. If you cannot get to a doctor right away, antihistamines can help those who are sensitive to bee stings.

Source: Dirk Aaron, Bell County Extension Office agent. Read more about “bee-proofing” your home, bee safety and more at http://honeybee.tamu.edu/page3/page3.html.

County residents with questions about bees or seeking professional removal can call the bell County Extension office at (254) 933-5305.

Our Myers Green program manages all pest issues with the least threat to human, non-targeted organisms and the environment. Myers Green embraces reduced toxins, clean air, and works hand in hand with energy and water efficiency to lower the carbon footprint. Myers Green emphasizes (IPM) Integrated Pest Management non-chemical control techniques to prevent pest infestations before they start. Myers Green is a University lab and field tested approach for proven knockdown of pests for both the interior and exterior of your home and/or business.

Myers is committed to training our pest specialists in the latest Eco-Technology. Myers experienced Green Team has taken the greatest care in selecting the most effective green products on the market. When action is needed, your specialist can apply a full line of eco-friendly products in exact amounts and in targeted areas to combat specific pests so you’ll get results not repercussions.

To schedule a free inspection and find out more about our Myers Green program, visit us at Myers Pest.

Myers is a member of the United States Green Business Council

1/2” Long

Each year Termites cause more damage to homes than all other natural disasters combined – including tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and fires. Although they usually swarm and are most noticeable in the spring and early summer, they can infest your home at any time. To help you identify them, swarming termites are always black. These swarmers are often confused with Carpenter Ants, but unlike the Carpenter Ant, the termite’s body is one solid carrot shape with a small head graduating to a larger bottom, their antenna are straight rather than elbowed and their wings are all the same size. Some termite species are so small that they only need a space 1/64-inch wide, the thickness of a piece of paper, to enter your home. Termites invade homes in search of their favorite food – wood.

To schedule a free, no-obligation inspection and discover how Myers can help you with your termite problem, visit us at Myers Pest.

Carpenter Ants

Now is the time that carpenter ants are swarming in homes throughout Texas. To help you identify these ants, they have 3 distinct segments to their body shape – as if they have two thin waists separating each segment, their antennas are elbowed and their wings are two different sizes. The presence of these swarming carpenter ants means that a carpenter ant nest resides somewhere in or close to your home. But unlike Termites, Carpenter ants don’t eat wood; instead they chew and hollow out “galleries” or holes in the wood for nesting. These holes are so smooth they look like they were smoothed by sandpaper. They mostly choose to nest in areas between studs or behind insulation in walls. Their nests have even been found in the interior of hollow core doors. They usually prefer high moisture content wood for nesting purposes, so after a spring rain be sure to inspect your window sills, soffits, eves and fascia boards. These ants invade homes in search of food and feed on living or dead insects and nearly all sweets and meats. Carpenter ants usually swarm 3-4 weeks before termites start swarming.

Termites

Each year Termites cause more damage to homes than all other natural disasters combined – including tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and fires. Although they usually swarm and are most noticeable in the spring and early summer, they can infest your home at any time. To help you identify them, swarming termites are always black. These swarmers are often confused with Carpenter Ants, but unlike the Carpenter Ant, the termite’s body is one solid carrot shape with a small head graduating to a larger bottom, their antenna are straight rather than elbowed and their wings are all the same size. Some termite species are so small that they only need a space 1/64-inch wide, the thickness of a piece of paper, to enter your home. Termites invade homes in search of their favorite food – wood.

The bottom line is – whether it is Carpenter Ants or Termites, both can and will destroy the wood inside and outside your home. To make sure your home is safe from these wood destroying insects call Myers Pest & Termite to schedule a free, no-obligation inspection.