What to do with bee nest/swarm

[RedQualia]

Wife found "a clump" of bees under the roof earlier today. She's very happy about it. Extremely good luck, it seems, that they come to bless our home, and of course, it's the nahm waan from the flowers here that they're after. Well, yeah... OK... She's out there chopping up vines from the garden, kneeling under this swarm as she does so.

I've looked through various other posts on bees here in Thailand. They mostly talk about how to get rid of bees, or wasps, or hornets, and so on. Get the local guys to bring fire and smoke and all that sort of stuff.

My question, however, appears to be unanswered. Which is, is there any real reason to get rid of these bees? They aren't hurting anything at present. Are they likely to decide to do so at all? I can't tell if they're just a swarm, or if there's a nest under them somewhere. They're hanging out here under the edge of the carport roof, about 5-6 meters from the side of the house, and maybe 8-9 meters from the nearest doorway into the house. Said doorways usually being left wide open by my family, of course.

I'm inclined to leave them alone -- live and let live -- unless there's a real reason not to. And as I said, my (very Buddhist) wife considers them a blessing, so...

[masuk]

I've had this happen with a swarm hanging from an apple tree. I think there are scouts out there, looking for something more suitable.

Just wait a few days.

Is there a bee keepers shop where you could buy a brood box and start your own hive?

[zeichen]

My father had a huge hive on one of his trees and we would go look at it all the time. We too thought it was beautiful to see nature alive and kicking. This thing probably weighed 20 kilos. It was about 60cm in diameter. It was there for about 2 years and then left on its own. As long as you don't have animals or small children around, leave it.

[villagefarang]

A small group like that will probably move on in a few days. These guys hung around for two or three days and then were gone. I have seen it often and they don't ever appear active or aggressive.

[Mario2008]

1 post with photo removed.

[Sparkles]

We get then in our BBQ wood box every year.There is just enough room for them to get under the wooden lid where we store wood.

During the time they are active. usually a few weeks, we just let them come and go. Made mental note to seal it after they have gone this time as using the BBQ might encourage some retaliation.

[CMKiwi]

They are fairly placid unless provoked. Had some at back of house between a stack of old wooden doors. Quite a hive actually. They were fine till the missus tried to move said doors. Silly idea! Got the local bee hive expert in and he was very intetested. He smoked the hive for a while then moved it to his area. He said that the wild bees produce very nice tasting honey and gave us a big hunk of honeycomb. Gotta admit it does taste damn fine.

[ezzra]

If you absulutly must remove them than douse the hive with petrol/gasoline ( don't light it

though) after that they will go, I did that with a hornet nest, and no, I'm talking about my In-laws.....

[lucifer666]

Had a Wasps nest under my eaves one time, a can of WD40 and a cigarette lighter took care of them

[tracker1]

If their not worrying you dont worry about them it is that easy

[Pii Kate]

Some of these comments anger me. Have you not read about the bees? World wide decline in bees due to pesticides is killing them off and at the rate this is happening, no more bees, no more pollination, no more fruits and veggies. I understand wanting them gone, no one likes being stung, but the smartest move is to give, even pay, a bee keeper to take them off your hands but keep them safe and alive. In the case of bees, one must think of the global need to preserve them.

[sawadee1947]

normally they don't stay as long if they are not building a "home". Leave them for a while. They will not kill you unless you try to kill them

[JacChang]

You need to smoke them. That's what my workers do.

Don't directly attack them, you'll regret it.

Try to burn something and have the smoke go in their direction.

[Greg Nixon]

Yes get a beekeeper to take them away and alive. Accidents could happen which might make them furious. Some small child with a ball or some curious boy with a rock.

[belg]

a towel, soaked in gasoline, on a stick and get the thing on fire...

that is what "an expert" did at our place a few years ago

[canman]

You need to smoke them. That's what my workers do.

Don't directly attack them, you'll regret it.

Try to burn something and have the smoke go in their direction.

Smoking them generally only works if they already have a hive. The bees think there is fire coming and eat up as much of the honey as possible, this makes them slow and docile.

Leave them alone if they don't pose a threat.

[masuk]

a towel, soaked in gasoline, on a stick and get the thing on fire...

that is what "an expert" did at our place a few years ago

Leave the poor things live. As others have said, bee numbers are dropping world-wide. No need for weapons of mass destruction such as gasoline and fire.

[biplanebluey]

My father had a huge hive on one of his trees and we would go look at it all the time. We too thought it was beautiful to see nature alive and kicking. This thing probably weighed 20 kilos. It was about 60cm in diameter. It was there for about 2 years and then left on its own. As long as you don't have animals or small children around, leave it.

Thanks you guys for recommending to let them do their thing.Have also had experience of tis and would whole-heartedly agree....leave them completely alone and they will do the same to you----- and will be gone when they find whatever they are looking for.If you see one coming to the nest do not try to kill him,he might be coming to tell the others "guess what Ive found" so "do not shoot the messenger"=== Dougal

[luther]

My wife and I use to live in an old wooden beach house in Naklua, near Pattaya. There were ten houses on the compound, most only used a few weeks per year. Everything was seriously overgrown. Bee paradise. I was fine with them living in the roof of our house until the hive got too big. For six months we showered and ate breakfast in the dark, because if you turned on the lights, the bees came in the kitchen and bathroom and after a while we were getting stung . A Thai friend found a bee guy and he gently smoked them out. They nested in a nearby tree and then took off. About two years later as the compound became more occupied, they came back. They had probably been living in the abandoned house near the beach. The whole thing repeated itself over and over for the 12 years we lived there.

[chiangmaiexpat]

I am generally in favour of letting the wildlife alone, including bees and wasps, because attacks are quite rare. However, there is a possibility that a swarm gets collectively aggressive if they feel threatened. If there are children in the garden, or if anyone living there is known to be allergic, the hive should be removed. There is one species, the Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) that can become quite dangerous. Leave the removing to the experts. Personally, I spend a lot of time in the jungle and I have not been stung very often. I managed to upset a swarm once and I got pelted in my back and neck. Fortunately, they were just small wasps, not hornets. Keep some Benadryl (antihistamin) ready if there is an acute danger.

Cheers, CM-Expat

Edited September 18, 2014 by chiangmaiexpat

[whiterussian]

Think I'm going to have to get some locals to deal with this... probably nearly a meter in height... no flowers in our garden, but still... (small child here)

Wonder if they can get this one. Anyone know why the bees 'ripple' all the time..

edit: locals wont touch it... not worried if not disturbed by smoke or folk...

Edited March 18, 2016 by whiterussian

[worgeordie]

Far too many people want to kill anything that moves,Bees are

one of the insects we need and they do a tremendous lot of good,

just leave them alone and they will leave you be.

OK kill,Mozzies,flies,rats,mice,the vermin that cause disease.

regards Worgeordie

[villagefarang]

That far away I would not consider a problem. If they were under the eaves right by the front door, that would be different. We have some living in our garden under some pots and they sometimes swarm during the heat of the day but we leave them alone and they don't bother us.

[TheSiemReaper]

Most bee species are incredibly docile. Masonry bees can actually be held between thumb and forefinger with a lot of pressure before they get upset and most other bee species are happy to leave you alone as long as you leave them alone.

The global shortage of bees will not be impacted by smoking, gassing, etc. a single group of bees. However, there's no need to do it unless the bees are causing actual distress or moving into your home (which would be unusual but not entirely unheard of).

[whiterussian]

Edited March 18, 2016 by whiterussian

[lemonjelly]

They'll probably move on, that roof probably gets too hot for them.

[CMKiwi]

Think I'm going to have to get some locals to deal with this... probably nearly a meter in height... no flowers in our garden, but still... (small child here)

Wonder if they can get this one. Anyone know why the bees 'ripple' all the time..

a.jpg

b.jpg

edit: locals wont touch it... not worried if not disturbed by smoke or folk...

The bees 'ripple' as a form of communication to the hive as a whole and also as a warning to 'outsiders" to stay clear.

Quiet a fascinating action to watch. I was also told that it was a mechanism in which to cool down the hive....not sure if to believe that though.

[Maejoe]

Just leave them alone.

They probally a fresh swarm as someone has already suggested, currently just hanging around an waiting for their Scouts

to come back and lead them all to a suitable well protected site.

That said I had swarm move into my front porch over a year ago now - an being an experienced beekeeper I had similar thoughts. But I guess I a didn't allow forThai stubbornness - they are still there now ! and have built many combs from the ceiling in which to store their honey.

it does meanthat we have to use the back door rather than the front door, but so what.

I will get round to building them a proper hive soon and rehouse them !

Edited March 18, 2016 by Maejoe

[Teak]

Think of it as a gift, When a hive gets too big it splits. Generally a younger queen is in the centre of that mass. The gorge themselves with honey to the point that they are so fat they cannot sting you after splitting off from the main colony. They are looking for a home and will stop, hang out, until the scouts come back with a better direction to a home site., I have 'caught' several swarms in Thailand. When first landed there is little general movement in the swarm, Use old grass an a can with a hole for air in the bottom, to create a smoke and place it under the swarm..to 'mollify' them a bit. Place a wooden box 2 ft x 1 ft with a lid and a one inch x 12" opening at the bottom...or 3 or 4 1 inch holes.. A proper beehive 'super' would be best. Once smoked a bit, simply cut the branch and drop them into the box. Do it quick and very decisively. They will actually fall like raisins.Put on a lid and leave them alone to see if If they decide to stay. They will decide in a couple of days. If they stay they will make you honey to harvest for yourself which you are then required to share with those who made it. They will get to know you, and you them. Must be some damned Buddhist thing......

Bees only sting when they are scared or trapped. I knew a woman once who only tended her bees when naked with tight panties.....says she never got stung. :-)

...Ken

[Chicog]

Think of it as a gift, When a hive gets too big it splits. Generally a younger queen is in the centre of that mass. The gorge themselves with honey to the point that they are so fat they cannot sting you after splitting off from the main colony. They are looking for a home and will stop, hang out, until the scouts come back with a better direction to a home site., I have 'caught' several swarms in Thailand. When first landed there is little general movement in the swarm, Use old grass an a can with a hole for air in the bottom, to create a smoke and place it under the swarm..to 'mollify' them a bit. Place a wooden box 2 ft x 1 ft with a lid and a one inch x 12" opening at the bottom...or 3 or 4 1 inch holes.. A proper beehive 'super' would be best. Once smoked a bit, simply cut the branch and drop them into the box. Do it quick and very decisively. They will actually fall like raisins.Put on a lid and leave them alone to see if If they decide to stay. They will decide in a couple of days. If they stay they will make you honey to harvest for yourself which you are then required to share with those who made it. They will get to know you, and you them. Must be some damned Buddhist thing......

Bees only sting when they are scared or trapped. I knew a woman once who only tended her bees when naked with tight panties.....says she never got stung. :-)

...Ken

This thread is no good without more pics.