Bee Be Gone

I was feeling a bit nervous and concerned for my neighbors and warned them about my bee hive this morning.  We have a  big joint backyard, but private porches (where my bees were) and I would have felt SO bad if something happened before we got the bee guy out to get rid of them.  So I told the close ones, and the ones I knew that walk their dogs this way.  I was probably being paranoid, but just the thought of someone's dog being attacked, not to mention a child, was horrific.  So I had to caution people.  Then I figured they were at their own risk.

So, I called the Bee Remover guy, Chandler Pierce, from Bee Be Gone.  I had used him before when we caught the beginnings of a hive moving in to our grill a month ago! (aye, aye, aye)  I'm really impressed with him.  Small family owned business.  He gave me a "repeat customer" discount... which was nice, but I really don't want to be a repeat customer!  {sigh} His prices are fair. (I was quoted from another company that just an evaluation - to see if I had bees would cost $300.  SERIOUSLY?  I know what bees are!! Removal would be another $300.)  We didn't pay nearly that much!   If you need his number, let me know... I will gladly give you his info and referr him on. (I kinda think he killed a few scouts a month a go, and some new ones found this new space instead and have been busy getting it ready for "Her Majesty" - the Swarm we saw yesterday was bringing her in)

But first, not sure if you can see this one, but it was pretty cool to see the little bee with all the pollen on his legs. (click on it to enlarge) It kind of looks like white on the side of him. He was working so hard. and in just a few minutes... it was gonna be for nothing...

Chandler's 10 year old son was on the job today, learning the ropes and LOVES it. Loves bugs, loves learning how to kill them! As a mom... I'm freaking out, but at the same time, they were professional and know the risks and safety measures.  So they both put on the spacey, bee keeper suits. (His sons was modified with duck tape to hold things tightly sealed!!) My boys and I were watching safely INSIDE with the camera ready!! (now Zach wants to be the "Bee Guy" when he grows up)

Yes, I admit, I was hoping that there would be some sort of swarm {he's got the suit on, sheesh, cut me some slack, yes, I'm a little morbid} , UNTIL he brought his son. Then I decided that was bad and scary.  And nothing major happened in that department.  BUT... here is what DID happen still kinda interesting

Chandler sprayed a foam around the openings of the trunk so they can't escape/attack, while his son gassed the inside, killing the bees.  You could hear a loud buzzing inside from some very angry bees (yes, I could hear it from inside the house).  They waited a few minutes for the buzzing to die down... and it didn't die down enough for them.  So they kinda peaked a bit.  (this is them, leaning down listening to the bees)

THERE WERE A LOT MORE BEES than expected and some pretty big pieces of honeycomb!  Amazing!! So they gassed some more and finally the buzzing stopped.

There were some angry bees (not a mob, but 20-50 or so) flying around them, being pretty aggressive.  Chandler, and his son, swatted at them (tried to catch them in their gloved hands - ewww) but pretty much ignored them)

When they opened up the trunk, we had a good look at the honeycomb. There were 3 pieces. The longest was about 6 inches long and 5 inches wide.  Stark white, beautiful . You can see the pollen being packed inside.  Some even had honey in it (of course not enough to use, and no longer edible) The wax was soft and perfect, delicate.  A work of art.  I am mesmerized. Its in a bowl in my house right now.  Fascinating to look at!

As for the bees - it was started over 2-3 weeks ago. (it takes honey, I guess, about 2 weeks to be made). So we are very lucky that we never opened that trunk in the last couple weeks for whatever reason (outside toys, hose, etc).  We would have been attacked.  Yes, they were Africanized.  They were far too aggressive to not be. (plus, pretty much all local wild bees have been Africanized now, he said)

Africanized bee stings are dangerous because once 1 bee stings you, the pheromone that is released alerts the others to come attack too.  100 bee stings is equivalent to 1 rattlesnake bite. A man here, recently died, because he was attacked by bees and was stung over 500 times.  Now I understand why it was so deadly.  No one in AZ has died from a Scorpion sting in 80 years - but non-allergic people die from bee stings yearly.  (I still HATE scorpions - just for the record) but it kind puts things into perspective.

After they dumped the bees out of the the trunk... there was a LARGE pile of bees on the grass. (kinda looks like dirt - but I wasn't going outside with the few angry bees out there still) He said there were about 10 THOUSAND bees there!  YIKES!  Still amazed - yet creeped out!  His son was picking through the pile looking for the queen {icky!}  With no luck.  He was disappointed.  She is probably one of the few still on my porch, hiding in plane sight (a few fell out when they were moving things). 

We have to let everything set for 24 hours and then we get to clean it all up and sweep up all the dead bees on my porch. (ok - David and the boys' job) The rest of the bees will be dead by then too. 

Of course, Chandler thanked me for my repeat Bee Business! Now to figure out how to keep the blasted things away!!

So if trouble comes in 3 I'm done for this week (bees, sick dog, and stranded in our new to us car - just thinking its a very clogged fuel filter.  but being stranded is never fun. but luckily/hopefully its an easy job and runs better than my van!!) Can I have a vacation NOW??