Swarm

[MonsieurHulot]

Can anybody tell the name of these bees? Actually I'm not even sure they're bees. They camped in my garden for about three days.

That swarm was about a meter long.

[jackr]

Can anybody tell the name of these bees?

Can't tell as there's so many, but I bet at least one is called Fred

[IanForbes]

That is quite a sight to see. There is no way of telling what they are without separating one from the group. But, I'm not sure I'd want to piss off the swarm on the off chance they might object to losing one of their bretheren.

[MESmith]

Got the same in one of our trees, but smaller.  Been there for a couple of months & never see them flying.  Had same before in a mango tree, they eventually left.

[rrose070]

Oh they just moved from my house to yours! We had a ton of them flying in our roof, and they're attracted to the house lights in the morning, so they swarm them, and then a bunch of them die. Yesterday they took up in one of our trees for several hours, then suddenly just vanished. They will sting you if you step on one by accident.

[PoorSucker]

Hmmm, honey.

[MESmith]

Hmmm, honey.

You're welcome to come & collect  ;-)

[BigWheelMan]

I had a similar problem a few months ago.

Poured some petrol into a bucket and threw the petrol over the nest.

Got a long wooden pole, put a piece of newpaper over the end of it. Lit the paper, held it by the pole, took it over to the nest and set it on fire and stood well back.

The few survivors were gone in 10 minutes never to return.

[Ulysses G.]

Call Amnesty International. Bees are people too!

[MESmith]

Without the bees, pollinating the crops, the fruit trees etc, we're doomed 

Nice one BWM 

[Gonzo the Face]

I had a similar problem a few months ago.

Poured some petrol into a bucket and threw the petrol over the nest.

Got a long wooden pole, put a piece of newpaper over the end of it. Lit the paper, held it by the pole, took it over to the nest and set it on fire and stood well back.

The few survivors were gone in 10 minutes never to return.

I'm sure you exhausted all other means of ridding them without killing them .... NOT !

First thing pops into your mind is killing them.... guess your wheels have stopped turning....

Bees are a very important part of the life cycle for all of us. As others have pointed out without the bees pollinating, the food chain process will slow down drastically.

But of course you knew all that,,... thus first thought .."KILL THEM" and then brag about it....

Maybe tough guy, but not in the brain dept.....

You sadden me.

[jackr]

Although cruel, I like the method, BigWheel. I'd personally look to calling the bee bloke first, though. Is there such an animal here?

[MonsieurHulot]

I had a similar problem a few months ago.

Poured some petrol into a bucket and threw the petrol over the nest.

Got a long wooden pole, put a piece of newpaper over the end of it. Lit the paper, held it by the pole, took it over to the nest and set it on fire and stood well back.

The few survivors were gone in 10 minutes never to return.

I have never thought of this as a problem. The bees were not aggressive at all.

[MonsieurHulot]

Oh they just moved from my house to yours! We had a ton of them flying in our roof, and they're attracted to the house lights in the morning, so they swarm them, and then a bunch of them die. Yesterday they took up in one of our trees for several hours, then suddenly just vanished. They will sting you if you step on one by accident.

Mine were not attracted to the lights. They just stayed in the mango tree for about three days.

[cmsally]

That formation should be what the Thais call "Min". They are small dark looking bee shaped and not aggressive. Thais think it brings good fortune if they live in your garden/house.

Just remember where they are when you walk under the trees and you'll be fine. No need to go into extermination mode!!

If they stay for a few days often they leave a white looking "core" where they have been swarming.

Edited February 2, 2010 by cmsally

[Patriciachas]

I had a similar problem a few months ago.

Poured some petrol into a bucket and threw the petrol over the nest.

Got a long wooden pole, put a piece of newpaper over the end of it. Lit the paper, held it by the pole, took it over to the nest and set it on fire and stood well back.

The few survivors were gone in 10 minutes never to return.

What a sad thing to do ,they are invaluable to the pollination process.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Monsieur Hulot,

If you turn left (south-west) into Changklan from coming into town via Thanon Thapae headed west toward the moat ... in the first block (second ?) of Changklan with shops ... past the Wat ... is a honey shop ... on the left side (the east side) of Changklan.

We're sure the owner there would be able to identify the swarm for you if you showed him the pictures.

We used to buy honey there regularly : the most delicious and rarest was honey of the kapok tree (two years ago about 500 baht per bottle !).

But for now we suffice with the wonderful honey (we believe it also a less common honey) from Mae Hong Son called "nam peung baa" sold at Talat San Pa Khoi at one particular fruit-seller's stand for 150 baht per 750 ml. bottle. To our mainly-destroyed taste-buds it has a hint of "molasses" flavor to it.

best, ~o:37;

[haybilly]

I had a similar problem a few months ago.

Poured some petrol into a bucket and threw the petrol over the nest.

Got a long wooden pole, put a piece of newpaper over the end of it. Lit the paper, held it by the pole, took it over to the nest and set it on fire and stood well back.

The few survivors were gone in 10 minutes never to return.

There's no chance you're just joking, is there???

I can't believe that anyone would be so stupid.

[Ricardo]

Got the same in one of our trees, but smaller.  Been there for a couple of months & never see them flying.  Had same before in a mango tree, they eventually left.

The protracted-stay may be due to it being winter, so colonies of bees are less-active right now, otherwise a swarm like this should have located a new home and decamped to it within a few days. They may therefore be huddling-together, with the queen near the centre of the swarm, trying to stay warm.

Best action would be to contact a local beekeeper, to come and re-home them, you might get a later gift of some free honey, as a reward, a colony having some value !

Unfortunately I'm only a newbie assistant bee-wrangler myself, still learning how to handle them through the good grace of a friend (who's away right now), and not yet having decided to invest in some empty-hives of my own.

[MESmith]

The protracted-stay may be due to it being winter, so colonies of bees are less-active right now, otherwise a swarm like this should have located a new home and decamped to it within a few days. They may therefore be huddling-together, with the queen near the centre of the swarm, trying to stay warm.

Best action would be to contact a local beekeeper, to come and re-home them, you might get a later gift of some free honey, as a reward, a colony having some value !

It's only a small swarm of "min".  The wife's family are involved in beekeeping, & aren't interested.   They aren't causing any problems, keeping to themselves, about 10m up in tree.  (that's the bees, not the family!)   Will leave them "be" if you don't mind the pun.  Certainly wont be torching them.....

[ThaiPauly]

I had a swarm like that in a pot plant on my condo balcony when we lived in BK.

We just lit a very small fire at the bottom of the plant and smoked em', they all flew away within ten mins...none died and it seems to be a very effective way of dealing with the problem.

But if it ever happens again I am gonna buy a flame thrower so I can outdo Big Wheel Man..who for some reason seems to have taken a Big hit on his poularity ratings on this forum...and probably rightly so to be honest, its a bad thing to kill bees

[Bill97]

I'd personally look to calling the bee bloke first, though. Is there such an animal here?

Yes there are bee blokes here. If you live in a village, ask your neighbors. If you live in a mubaan, ask in the nearest village. The village folks often just smoke them out, causing them to leave without killing any.

[Donnyboy]

Although cruel, I like the method, BigWheel. I'd personally look to calling the bee bloke first, though. Is there such an animal here?

the bee whisperer?

ok, i'll buzz off now