Africanized honey bees: never a do-it-yourself job.

Identifying africanized bees

Apis mellifera (Africanized hybrid)

Africanized honey bees are a hybrid of European honey bees and an African subspecies. You cannot tell them apart by looking. They are about half an inch long, golden-brown with darker bands and fuzzy bodies. The difference is behavior: they react to disturbance faster, send out many more defenders and chase people farther from the nest.

Swarms are most common in spring, when a colony splits and a cluster of bees rests on a branch, fence or eave while scouts look for a new home. Swarming bees are usually less defensive, but they can still sting, and any cluster should be left alone.

Around West Valley homes, colonies move into tight, dark cavities: wall voids, water and electric meter boxes, irrigation boxes, eaves, block wall gaps, overturned pots, old grills and sheds. Noise and vibration from mowers, leaf blowers and pool equipment near a nest can set them off, which is why many encounters happen during routine yard work.

Why they matter

A single sting is no more venomous than any other honey bee. The danger is in numbers. A disturbed colony can sting many times, which is a serious risk to children, older adults, pets and anyone allergic. If you are attacked, cover your face and get indoors or into a car right away. Stings can be medically significant: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 for a severe reaction or many stings.

Signs of activity

• A steady stream of bees flying in and out of one spot on the house or yard
• Buzzing sounds coming from inside a wall, meter box or irrigation box
• A large cluster of bees hanging from a branch, fence or eave
• Bees gathering at pools, fountains or drippers in large numbers
• Bees becoming defensive when you mow or walk near a certain area

Prevention tips for Arizona homes

• Walk your property in spring and check meter boxes, eaves and block walls for bee activity
• Seal holes in walls, eaves and block wall caps, and keep meter box lids on tight
• Fill or remove empty pots, old tires, grills and other items bees could nest in
• Check the area before running mowers, trimmers or leaf blowers
• Keep kids and pets away from any bees that are coming and going from one spot
• Never spray, hit or throw anything at a swarm or colony

When to call a pro

Any time bees are nesting on or near your home, call. Do not try to spray or remove them yourself. Bryce assesses the colony, removes it with the right protective gear, and checks for comb that needs to come out so it does not attract new bees or pests.