By: Las Vegas Now Staff
With the lovely weather we're having, we're also starting to see something that can seem alarming, swarms of bees. It can be very unnerving for any of us to see swarms of bees this time of year.
Within the past few days, authorities have gotten several calls from concerned citizens reporting swarms of bees in their neighborhood.
This is typical behavior for bees in March and April because these are the months that bees travel. What's important to know is that when bees swarm they are not demonstrating aggressive behavior. They are actually being passive, protecting their queen.
“Swarms of bees are passive bees. They don't chase animals or sting them, they are usually — you'll see them stop around 11:00 a.m. till about 5 p.m. They will perch along a sidewalk, building, or in a tree, they will look like a basketball or football. That's just the pack of bees staying together, protecting the queen until it gets cooler when they fly again,” said Tim Szymanski with Las Vegas Fire Department.
Unless they are threatened or provoked, a swarm of bees will generally keep to themselves and move on within a day or two.
If you have an actual beehive on your property, do not try to exterminate the bees yourself. This could lead to an attack that could be deadly. It is always advised to call a professional exterminator.
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There are some inaccuracies contained in the story. Bees swarm because another queen has been developed and there is usually only one queen in a hive. The swarm takes one queen and leaves to establish a new colony. After they leave the hive, the locate in the area and send some bees out to find a place to set up that colony. Prior to leaving the hive they consume all the honey they can to last them during their journey. They are so full that they literally cannot bend their body to implant a stinger. They are NOT waiting for it to cool down, they are waiting for the return of those that went looking for a good place to start the new colony. Bees actually prefer temperatures above 56 degrees while actively flying. When those that left to search a new location return they decide which to follow, then follow that worker to the new site. If, for some reason they remain at the first location for more than a day or two, the effect of their being full of honey dies off, and they become less gentle. Therefore, unless you know how long they have been there it is wise to stay clear of them. A beekeeper can brush them into a container and relocate them in a hive body where they will usually stay provided the queen is with them. This all is based on them not being africanized bees (killer bees), so if you are in an area where there is a possibility that they are the latter, it is very important that you stay well clear, and rely on an experienced beekeeper to handle the situation.
Comment by DanNC77 — March 26, 2008 @ 1:50 pm