# Honey bee invasion



## 2GemsRanch (Jun 27, 2015)

Bees have moved in underneath a conned building at the ranch. Have tried smoking them out, but no luck with that. Any ideas on how to get rid of them? Thanks


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## fy0834 (Jan 18, 2011)

Remove the queen and you remove the hive. When removed, Chemically or otherwise, they congregate around her.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Set one of those bug bombs underneath where they are getting into the opening. Fire it up and run. Best at night when they are all in and not active.


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

2GemsRanch said:


> Bees have moved in underneath a conned building at the ranch. Have tried smoking them out, but no luck with that. Any ideas on how to get rid of them? Thanks


Honey Bees are in demand and short on supply, call your county extension office and see if they have any bee keepers who will come get them all for free.

Do not just kill them.

John


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## txcowpoke (Sep 18, 2007)

Where are they located? County, town? I may be interested in catching them if I don't have to travel to far.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

What's your location?? Buddy's dad would come get them if you aren't too far away...


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

This, but dust the heck out of everything with seven dust first. Especially around the entry hole. WARNING!!! Sometimes Africanized bees will take the honey over if you don't remove the cone. Found out the hard way!! 


CHARLIE said:


> Set one of those bug bombs underneath where they are getting into the opening. Fire it up and run. Best at night when they are all in and not active.


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## mrsh978 (Apr 24, 2006)

I'm guessing he's in Webb county - Callaghan ranch ? Call ( Google ) bee keeper most will come and transplant them. Our bees are taking it in the shorts now.


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## 2GemsRanch (Jun 27, 2015)

Yes. Webb county. Would love for somebody to come take these bees. If you guys think one of your contacts are interested, you can contact me @ 3615508563. Thanks


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

demon will get rid of em.


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## Goags (May 28, 2004)

There is one guy listed for Webb county, not sure how current the list is:
http://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/bee-removal/


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## jtburf (May 26, 2004)

Webb Cliffton Leverett (832)-543-3532 
Webb Luis Slayton (956)-647-2864 
Webb Ricky Sanchez (361)-222-1344 
Webb Michael Leidner (361)-299-2337


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## slabnabbin (May 25, 2010)

We had the exact same problem last year under a conex. We contacted several local beekeeper and no one would come get them and actually advised to kill them. They were not aggressive at first but after a couple months you couldn't get out of the truck without getting hit. After about 20 gallons of soapy water in a pump up sprayer while wearing a bee suit I got them under control. The county extension agent was absolutely no help for us. This was also in Webb county 


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## 2GemsRanch (Jun 27, 2015)

Thanks for the info guys


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

If they are making honeycomb, they plan to stay. But often when they are moving and looking for a new home, they just rest the swarm in a good spot and will move on in a few days.


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## d50h (Dec 2, 2005)

Take some window screen and make a funnel, (like a perch trap) and cover the entrance, they can leave but not come back


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## [email protected] (May 24, 2004)

My dad and I ran a commercial bee operation and through word of mouth used to receive lots of calls of this type during swarming season. Swarm bees are little to interest to a beekeeper as setting them up is time consuming and you usually have to feed them until they can take care of themselves. Plus - there is no way of telling their breeding nor what type drone the queen hooked up with on her mating flight when she became fertilized. Most beekeepers run what are called Three-Band Italian because they are docile to work and very good workers producing lots of honey. Just taking in any old swarm could get you a strain not so easy to work and not as good producers. 

While it may sound harsh the best plan is to exterminate as early as possible when they show up. Just very occasionally a swarm will take up temporary residence and eventually move on but I would not depend on it. Begin by fogging the entrance they are using if you can get to it with the strongest wasp/roach spray you can find and really put it to them...spray full can often, several, and hope. If you can manipulate the opening they are traveling through to block it partially and then create a landing platform and saturate it you will have better results...them tracking the poison into the hive. 

A swarm will begin drawing comb ASAP upon setting up house and the sooner you are rid of it the better as honey stored in comb will definitely attract other bees sooner or later. I would recommend lifting the building if it is on the ground to gain better access.


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

With that, is it possible to rent a bee suit or borrow one from a state agency? It's a one time shot at removing the bees and hate to make a purchase just to watch it grow dust forever.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

How long have they been there: sure it's not just a swarm?


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

Started a hive last year, got rid of em. New group showed up this year. Been there a month or so.


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

These aren't' friendly bees either. You mess with em and they show you who's boss right quick.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

If they are African bees they are bad dudes. Swarm you in a minute and chase you forever. Be careful.


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## texasair (May 22, 2004)

That far south you for sure have more African influence than up here in the Houston area. It will be costly to have a beekeeper or exterminator come and remove or zap them. If you fog them or dust them to kill them, in a few months the chemical residue will wear off and the honey comb and wax will attract a new colony. If possible after killing, Can you gain access to remove all of the comb and honey? Otherwise do your best to seal off all access.



I keep bees here in NW Harris county and do removals and don't like to see them killed but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

You can buy a good bee suit online for $120-160, Get one with integral head gear, not a separate hood and veil. Use lots of duct tape. Once you get them agitated you will be surprised at the tiny space they need to access your tender flesh. The first one that tries to sting releases a pheromone that calls in the all the other guard bees.
Be careful and have some benedryl and an eppipen handy.
If they are African once you stir them up, they will go postal on anyone and anything in several 100 yards. So make sure all the bystanders, kids and dogs are well out of the area. I have an extra bee suit here in NW Houston you are welcome to borrow.

There are some good bee removal guys in San Antonio that will come down there and get the job done, but they will charge accordingly. This might be your best bet. 

Good luck.


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## G K Chambers (Aug 12, 2005)

*Old Dog New Tricks*

In an earlier life I did bee control in the Rio Grande Valley and killed beaux coup bees using many of the methods described above: pesticides, soapy water, etc.

About three years back I had a colony set up shop in the attic of the goose camp and I sprayed and bugged bombed and would kill them....and they would come back.....not exaggerating this went on for years.

Finally I found some useful information ON THIS VERY BOARD.

There was a bee thread and a guy talked about how they would keep them out of their deer camp structures by placing old fashioned "no pest strips" at the entry holes the bees used to get in the structures. I put one no pest strip in the attic of the house and another one by the hole in the soffit where the bees were coming and going .

Within 20 minutes the bees swarmed into a big mass on the outside of the house. The next morning they were gone. Haven't been back though I'm not taking any chances and put a new strip in the attic back in March.



The thing I would emphasize is that the strips don't kill them they just get them to leave and stay away.

Useful information on the internet? Who would have thought it.

If the guy that originally posted up about the no pest strips to keep the bees out sees this, "Thank you sir!"


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

Well its worth a shot. No pest strips are now on the list of supplies.


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

Just FYI, the African bees I had problems with were at a ranch in Webb county. It can get crazy in a hurry!!!


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

We know first hand how fast things can go downhill. In recent battles the score is 
Bees = 3, Humans = 0


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## rundm (Dec 1, 2012)

Just found them in my home attic again. This is about 4yrs in a row. Pain in my ***. I manage to get rid of them each yr and they keep coming back. Gonna have to try and find those pest strips from above. Went and sprayed them down where they were coming in outside but getting in the attic with them is another story right now. To cramped and can't get away from them.


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## deerhunter52 (Oct 27, 2011)

That pest strip knocked out those bad bees in Mexico. It's the best I have ever seen


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## Reefmaster (Oct 5, 2009)

*Try mothballs*

Try mothballs , it'll run skunks out from under your house and squirrels outta your attic- Might work on bees and cheap to boot.


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

Ex was on a ranch south of Hebbronville and there was an old oil company field house which one side was filled with African Bees. They attacked all people there and stung several people. Wouldn't let the guests come outside of a nearby house. Owner called a Bee Man and he came to wipe out the hive. Bee Man said they have a very selective memory and will attack several times. Be careful.


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

Covered area where bees entering and exiting with 7 Dust. Placed pest strips everywhere in area. In 24 hours, hundreds and hundreds of dead bees everywhere. Won't be sure of success until next trip to ranch.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

I have a few hives - been doing it for 18 months

Both of mine were swarms like yours ... wild now domestic

if you do the kill thing you still have to get the comb out - or rats and ants will invade after....it will be a huge mess....

Smoke calms them..... once calm we handle swarms with our bare hands

No one can tell an African bee from a domestic bee .... they look the same

When we get aggressive hives - we find the queen kill it and replace with a Italian bee or a queen from laid back hive ..... this is a fairly common trick
Big IF, is if you can get the hive to take the new queen ..... 

Oh I get stung!.... but my dumb butt wont wear protection - you should of seen my eye swoll shut before the 2nd half of dove season ..... I still shot better then my buddy's!


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## [email protected] (May 24, 2004)

Dang Muddskipper - I had no clue you were a beeman. Interesting hobby...unless you let it get out-of-hand to several hundred hives. Then it becomes a job. -EJ


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## Heavy D (Jul 10, 2013)

If you can narrow down their entry to a small opening, or if that is already the case, you can take a shop vac with a 1" PVC pipe duct taped to it for an extension. Bees return to the hive at dark. Turn on the shop vac as they are returning and you will put a big dent in them. Can do the same thing at dawn as they are leaving. Had them in the wall of my house once. Got rid of them in 2 days.


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

Latest report is that Seven Dust did the trick. Will know more tomorrow.


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## rundm (Dec 1, 2012)

G K Chambers said:


> In an earlier life I did bee control in the Rio Grande Valley and killed beaux coup bees using many of the methods described above: pesticides, soapy water, etc.
> 
> About three years back I had a colony set up shop in the attic of the goose camp and I sprayed and bugged bombed and would kill them....and they would come back.....not exaggerating this went on for years.
> 
> ...


I used this in the attic and hit them with cutter on the dormer they were congregating at. Mine, thankfully, are gone. I hope they don't come back.


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## tstorm5 (Aug 27, 2009)

We are firm believers in 7 Dust and No Pest Strips now. Thanks to all those providing input. Bees are GONE!!!!


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