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Are Orange Counties Bees Africanized? Africanized Bee Removal by Bee Busters

Are they really “Killer Bees”?

Africanized Honeybee removal

An established colony of Africanized honeybees (AHB’s) can be unpredictable. They will be defensive because their home is nearby. The reason they have been called “Killer Bees” is because many unfortunate incidents happened since they first entered the country. This is because they are much more defensive than their European relatives. They are more easily agitated; more of them will join the fight to defend their nest, and they will also pursue a predator longer and farther. They are simply more temperamental, but are not outwardly aggressive without provocation. These traits are genetically inherited and as such AHB’s are not good for beekeeping in urban areas. Remember, these traits have been developed and passed down over thousands of years from their ancestors that had to survive other predators and environmental factors in Africa.

How did AHB’s get here?

 

honeybee removal team

Migration of Africanized Honey Bees

Africanized honeybees were brought to Brazil by a scientist in 1956 in attempt to breed a hardier bee that would thrive in the rainforests. When these bees and queens were released they reproduced at a very rapid rate creating the hybrid Africanized honeybee. Their unforeseen migration was estimated at a rate of 100 to 300 miles per year. They were found in Venezuela in 1973 and in Mexico in 1986. They arrived in the Southwestern United States in the 1990’s. Currently, Florida and the Southeastern states are adjusting to their arrival as well. They are not expected to travel much further North however, as they do not survive as well in the colder climates.

Originally, honeybees of European lineage made up the wild bee population in the US, but AHB’s have been able to overtake their relatives for several reasons. The brood incubation period is a few days shorter (they hatch sooner) for AHB’s and their swarming behaviors also give them an edge. Genetically the Africanized genes are not so easily ‘bred out.’ Much research was done and is still being done on this hybrid, but at present the only way to keep them ‘out’ of a domestic hive in areas populated with AHB is good management and the use of a technique called ‘re-queening.’ In this process queens that have already been mated are introduced into colonies to insure no Africanized DNA is present. See Beekeeping.

Are these bees africanized? How can I tell?

You Can’t. Unfortunately, you cannot tell the difference between the European and Africanized honeybees just by looking at them or observing their behavior. An estimated 95% of the honey bees in Orange County (not kept by beekeepers) are hybrids of the two subspecies. To truly determine if bees are Orange County Africanized bees, DNA testing must be performed.

A queen born in the wild will mate with 10-15 drones (male bees) at the beginning of her life. This provides enough semen to fertilize her eggs for her lifetime. This means she has DNA from many unknown genetic lines that will swirl and different eggs can be laid at different times. The colony may seem fairly friendly this week and very nasty next month.

Reproductive migratory swarms of AHB’s are typically very docile. However, absconding swarms of AHB’s can be very defensive. The safest course of action whenever you see a swarm or colony of honeybees is to give them the same respect you would give any feral creature. Give them their space and do not attempt to deal with the problem on your own. Call a professional.

What about the scary stories?

Unfortunately there have been stinging incidents involving Orange County Africanized bees. Check out Bee Busters In the News for some of our media coverage. The truth is that Bee Busters responds to stinging incident calls several times a year (Absconding swarms are leaving a nest entirely due to various undesirable conditions). Although rare, Orange County Africanized bees have been responsible for seriously injuring people and animals in the past. Small animals are the most susceptible to bee attacks. Due to their small body weight the venom affects them more drastically. Small animals do not know to run and seek shelter in the event of such an attack. The elderly and small children are also at a higher risk. In general it takes 10 bee stings per pound to actually be fatal to a human being if no other allergies are present. Always go for shelter in the event of a bee attack and do not provoke a swarm or colony of bees. If you believe you may be in danger of medical complications from bee stings seek medical treatment immediately.

Click here for more information on Stinging Do’s and Dont’s and Honeybees.

Click here for more information on Africanized Honey Bees

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Happy Customers

It started with just a few bees near my shed. Apparently they liked what they saw and told all their “bee friends.” Soon there were dozens and as I waited for them to leave there were more.

I called Bee Busters and soon they were gone. Very reasonably priced compared to others, nice people and they wrapped up the problem quickly.

I like their motto: “Who you gonna call?? Bee Busters!!” I’m glad I did. Call them. You’ll like these people.

Steve S

Awesome service! We had bees in our chimney coming into our home through the fireplace. I called Bee Busters and Nicole helped get my appointment booked today and she was very helpful and friendly. Our technician Jeremy was absolutely fantastic. He was able t get rid of our bee problem and explained the process of the bee removal. I highly recommend Bee Busters for their great customer service and bee removal! They are truly the best! Thank you, Bee Busters!

Staci F

Thank you, Jeremy, for your prompt service after I found a wasp nest outside my patio door keeping me from going outside. I so much appreciated your professional and friendly demeanor and highly recommend Bee Busters to everyone.

Isabelle

BeeBusters are great. I called them about a huge number of bees buzzing around and inside my laundry room exterior vent. They showed up as scheduled the next day, Sunday, afternoon and within a short time, had the whole situation under control. They did the work at a very reasonable price also. I definitely recommend them.

Hasnain K

Thank you for getting rid of wasp nests in my eaves! Scheduling the appointment was very easy. Jeremy came out at the time specified and spent time inspecting the nests I had identified as well as walking the perimeter checking for any additional ones I may have missed. The removal process was very quick. Highly recommend!

Allison D

I had bees coming in my house via the chimney to the fireplace and into my family room. Bee busters told me what was most likely happening, how to block them from coming in and made an appointment for me in about five days. That was the first available one. Jeremy did a great job checking my chimney and giving me my opinions.
I know more about bees than I ever did.
Thankfully my dogs and I are feeling safe inside again.

Trudy R

Very responsive with professional skills and knowledge. Provided different quotes with explanation so we can easily understand what to expect. We had Daniel over to remove the swarm of bees so quickly and learned a lot. Highly recommended !

Gina C
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Contact Bee Busters Today

If you’re facing a bee-related issue on your property, don’t hesitate to contact Bee Busters. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to assist you and provide the best solution for your specific situation. We take pride in our prompt response times and our ability to handle even the most challenging bee removal and rescue cases.

Trust Bee Busters to safely and effectively remove bees from your property while ensuring their survival. With our expertise, dedication, and eco-friendly approach, you can have peace of mind knowing that your bee problem will be resolved efficiently and humanely.

Don’t let bee infestations disrupt your daily life or pose a risk to your family and property. Contact Bee Busters today and experience the difference our professional bee removal and rescue services can make. We look forward to serving you and protecting the invaluable bee population in Orange County, CA.

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