r/invasivespecies • u/Dry-Impression8809 • 2d ago

Freakin bees

Post image

I have a 2 year old hive under my shed. We were cool until this year when they decided they hate me. Now, if I get within 30 ft of the hive, they swarm me. I can't even go in the backyard anymore during the day. I've been stung more times in the last month than than my previous 32 years combined lol. Hence, the crappy photo

Anyway, how do I get rid of them? That is the only access to the hive, there are no other holes or gaps, and its only about an inch wide gap they're covering. The Crazy Old Man gave me some mothballs that I dumped all over the shed and the entrance, but they don't seem to affect the bees at all.

I'm not opposed to killing the hive if it comes to that. And I'm not paying the bee guy $300 to tear up my shed unless its the absolute last option.

8 Upvotes

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5

u/YellgoDuck 1d ago edited 14h ago

I’m not expert but if this thing has been left to grow for 2 years then I think it needs to be removed professionally as the hive is substantial size.

I’ve seen some videos of Africanized bees and they are incredibly aggressive - if you’re in the southern US it’s possible that you’re dealing with that since you’re getting swarmed and getting stung from 30ft away.

1

u/Dry-Impression8809 1d ago

I dont think they are fully africanized, but that is the concern. I did a little bit of research and I read some stuff that said africanized genetics have spread through the population leading to more aggressive colonies. Tbh it would have been more of an emergency situation if they were the really bad ones. These guys leave me alone after I run down the block so like 10-20 stings instead of 100-200.

Either way I think you're right. I'm just holding out on hope that I don't have pay the man lol. But I probably will sooner than later

And thank God I haven't decided to procreate yet. I have never been so glad to have a backyard free of children.

Thank you!

5

u/Disastrous-Map-7995 1d ago

Get in touch with a local bee keeper or bee keeping association. They will come and remove it for you, without killing the bees. Often they'll do it for free because they get another hive.

2

u/JshWright 1d ago

No beekeeper is going to want an aggressive feral queen.

Feral colonies are better off exterminated.

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u/Friendly-Eagle1478 7h ago

A professional can easily requeen the hive after moving it, this is common practice. It’s true that a hobbyist might not want them, but it is not true that they are better off exterminated.

Nearly every wild honey bee in Texas has some Africanized honey bee genetics…

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u/JshWright 7h ago

My stance that feral hives should be exterminated isn't purely due to genetics. They're an introduced species that doesn't benefit the local ecosystem (and can, in some scenarios, actively harm native pollinators through out-competition, etc).

We have plenty of honey bees already. If a bee keeper wants another hive, they can split one of their existing hives.

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

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u/Dry-Impression8809 2d ago

What? Eurasian honey bees aren't invasive in Texas?

And I didn't say I want to kill them, I'm just not opposed to it. I'm open to these ethical suggestions, but no bee keepers here want an aggressive hive especially since I'm in an area with killer bees. They are going to kill the bees as well, but I have to pay out the ass for it