Swarms!
Record Number of Africanized Bee Swarms Infesting Surprise Homes due to Recent Rains.
We, at the Surprise Bee Removal Company, have recently documented an increased number of swarms of Africanized bees moving into Surprise and the Phoenix area from the deserts on the southern side of Surprise this spring and again this fall. Similarly, an increased number of bee swarms have been reported in other cities and areas of Maricopa County , Pinal County, Pima County, Cochise and Santa Cruz County in central and southern Arizona. In particular, we have had a high volume of calls in the greater Phoenix and Surprise Arizona metropolitan areas. Surprise is especially vulnerable because of the density of housing, and the abundant water sources and plants to which African Honeybees are attracted. While spring bee swarms, sometimes can be migratory, bee researchers and our bee removal specialists have determined that due to the recent rains and increased bee plant forage, especially after several years of drought, many of the African bee swarms have stayed in Surprise and colonized in Surprise, Arizona, and require our bee removal Company's bee extermination services and bee removal expertise.
Honey bee populations will increase when the plants, shrubs and trees produce pollen and honey from the recent rains. Africanized honeybees, now known as African bees, forage on flowers to build honeycomb filled with honey bee and raise bee brood. In fact, with the increased rains creating these new flowering plants, the USDA Carl Hayden Honeybee Research Laboratory Scientists have recently performed their biannual African beehive population density study in the Surprise, Arizona, and have concluded that in any given city block in Surprise, there are on average 6 African bee colony beehives infesting homes in that block.
Beekeepers in Surprise have a difficult time because Africanized honeybee swarms take over Surprise beekeepers' European beehives throughout Maricopa County, Pinal County, Pima County and Cochise County. Further, capturing, harboring, placing in a beehive or transporting any Africanized Bee Colony is illegal and in violation of the laws of the State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Agriculture. Also, in Surprise, it is against the zoning laws to permit an Africanized Bee Colony to occupy any structural cavity. Once an Africanized bee colony is established at any location, the more aggressive and defensive the bees will become. Consequently, after the bees first begin to raise brood, the bee colony's aggressive behavior causes individual bees to hover around the roof eaves and then become very aggressive. If the bee colony is not properly exterminated, it will begin raising new bee swarms every 6-8 weeks, which leave the parent colony and fly approximately 3 miles in one direction to move into other structural cavities or other areas in another neighborhood. The new bee colonies will then become aggressive and defend their own beehives, and sting anyone and anything they perceive is a threat to their colonies. When Africanized bees attack, they are very dangerous and often lethal to dogs, livestock and Surprise homeowners.