I think I'm being followed

[BNorth]

Within the last three years, at two different houses, in two different states, I've had a swarm of bee temporarily set up home in a tree in the front yard.

First time was in Texas.

Second time was this afternoon. I was outside spreading mulch and heard a loud buzzing sound. When I looked up, bees were everywhere. They decided to stop for rest. I hope they decide to leave soon.

Here is a short video of them.

I think they're following me.

Edited April 25, 2009 by BNorth

[BNorth]

Edited April 25, 2009 by BNorth

[Chris Keen]

You're just so likable!

[The_Vigilante]

Man, that looks like a serioud infestation. Hope you don't have any children or pets that might be subject to getting stung. If it was me I would call the relevant authorities to get rid of them asap.

[SA Friday]

If they're honey bees, don't spray them or kill them. Research and find a local honey producer and call him. If there is a queen in there (more than likely), he will probably come out and do a live capture of them and remove them.

[SA Friday]

http://www.ebeehoney.com/zVA.html

Here ya go. Call one of them and they will come out and remove them for you.

and that does look like a honey bee swarm.

Edited April 25, 2009 by SA Friday

[BNorth]

When it happened in Tx a few years ago, we kinda freaked out about it. We called a bunch of exterminators and they recommended a bee keeper. We found a local guy who would come take them for free. He was suppose to show up the following afternoon. They decided to take off (and what a sight that is) the next morning before he could get there.

We've told all the neighbors and are only letting the pets out in the back yard.

If they don't decide to leave tomorrow, we'll look up a bee keeper to come get them.

Edited April 25, 2009 by BNorth

[JimmyZip]

Boy that reminds me of summers at my grandparents. They lived in the orchards that used to be out near Pamona CA. My father made hives for the bees to take them out of the walls of my grandfathers wood shop. Great citrus honey that the local guy would come harvest. The hive was very healthy, and after a few years there were four or five hives and the garage was infested, again. It wasn't really much of a hazard. Cool thing is you can put honey on your fingers and stand near the hive and they will cover you to the forearm and eat it off. Feels cool!

I was the only one of my eight cousins that got stung. I sat on one on top of the picnic table.

[j1b]

I don't know if I've ever posted this story on BE.com

One time I was practicing in Tucson alone (I normally did). I was shooting an 9x25 open gun and was double plugged (plugs and muffs). Despite that, I heard this weird humming noise that for whatever reason just stopped me.

I pull off the muffs, yanks the plugs, and this louder than hell sound is rapidly approaching. Then I see it, this huge swarm of bees about 20' off the ground headed directly my way. I didn't know what to do so I unloaded and jumped into my Nissan truck. This was back when the African Killer Bee infestation was huge on the news. I wasn't overly panicked, but I was concerned.

I don't recall exactly how big the swarm was - I'd guess about 40 feet wide, probably 30 yards long. Who knows how high.

They didn't acknowledge me, just kept on cruising. It was a surreal experience though. I can't imagine a swarm parking at my house.

That's very cool. Thanks for sharing!

Jack

[Neomet]

When we first moved to Phoenix and were unaware of the annual bee swarm season Ms. Neomet was out running with one of our dogs. She is going down the street and a guy in a truck coming he other way slows down and starts yelling "Abeja... Abeja!!" at her and waving his arm. She figures he is flirting with her or something and keeps on running. Into a swarm of bees. That she tries to run through. Then realizes she can't and runs back through the ones she just came through. Needless to say, in retrospect, it was a pretty damn funny experience. Neither she nor pup got stung and she not only learned about bee swarms but that abeja is bee in Spanish.

[JimmyZip]

When we first moved to Phoenix and were unaware of the annual bee swarm season Ms. Neomet was out running with one of our dogs. She is going down the street and a guy in a truck coming he other way slows down and starts yelling "Abeja... Abeja!!" at her and waving his arm. She figures he is flirting with her or something and keeps on running. Into a swarm of bees. That she tries to run through. Then realizes she can't and runs back through the ones she just came through. Needless to say, in retrospect, it was a pretty damn funny experience. Neither she nor pup got stung and she not only learned about bee swarms but that abeja is bee in Spanish.

That is funny! (mainly because noone got hurt)

[BNorth]

They just packed up and headed out this morning. There is a wooded area at the end of the cul-de-sac, they seemed to be heading that way.

[Graham Smith]

They're probably looking for me! I have always had an uncanny knack for attracting bees and wasps. They will pick me out of a group and buzz me while leaving everyone around me alone. One "expert" said it had to do with the concentration of CO2 in my breath. All I know is that it bothers me because, while not allergic, I do react quite strongly to venom.

But it's carpenter bees that annoy me the most. I will walk by something they are investigating and they will abandon it and get right in front of me and follow me that way for several blocks.

[Jake Di Vita]

Cool thing is you can put honey on your fingers and stand near the hive and they will cover you to the forearm and eat it off.

Uhhh no thanks...I like my arm.

[SiG Lady]

Long ago we kept a couple of old unkempt hives atop a shed in the farthest part of the back yard (quarter acre lot) and every year the bees would swarm, look for bigger digs, then reorganize and go back into the cramped boxes and try again for another year. Actually, they managed to build more comb in the walls of the little shed and the hive boxes were just a formality. It was cool to have them around because we had a handful of fruit trees and so did the neighbors, so we had plenty of local pollinators.

One year I was pulling weeds under the apricot tree and heard a humming noise. I stood up only to see a huge hanging 'bunch' of bees right in front of my nose--freaked me out just a bit. I hastily abandoned the gardening and went back into the house and occupied myself with other things. A few hours later the swarm took off (I was sitting on our upstairs front porch by then) and heard this tremendous buzzing and roaring overhead. It was the swarm on the move. Endless cloud of bees! Very weird noise. No bee stings.