We got new neighbours - wildlife advice please

[phazey]

Just wondered if anyone can tell me what species of bee/wasp these are, and how big should I expect the nest to get - it's currently 120 - 160cm along the branch.

[h90]

beautifull

[Rooo]

Moved to Vets / Pets section.

[dodojero]

It looks like a hornets nest. I had the same in my garden. If it doesn't bother you that much then just leave it. Don't chase them and don't try to burn the nest, etc. You can live in harmony with them. After 1 year they are gone and you can remove the nest without danger and keep it in your house as a beautiful trophy etc, or sell it. Especially Thai people like to buy it.

[12DrinkMore]

That is about the biggest I have seen.

If it is reasonably accessible then someone will sneak in and take it for the honey.

[thaijoe]

there was the same thing in our place. like the other guy said, they never bothered us, and one day the nest and bees were gone

[12DrinkMore]

Giant honey bees.

They are very defensive so best to leave them alone......

http://www.arkive.org/giant-honey-bee/apis-dorsata/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_dorsata

(Hornet nests are enclosed with the wasps living inside.)

[Gandtee]

It looks like a hornets nest. I had the same in my garden. If it doesn't bother you that much then just leave it. Don't chase them and don't try to burn the nest, etc. You can live in harmony with them. After 1 year they are gone and you can remove the nest without danger and keep it in your house as a beautiful trophy etc, or sell it. Especially Thai people like to b

Sorry. but is not a hornets nest. It is a bees swarm and most probably disperse in a short while. Don't disturb them as they ill sting, as I found out while cutting vegetation underneath their swarm. I found them quit docile otherwise. A hornets nest is like a paper ball shaped construction and the hornets enter and exit through small openings. Again, I have had several of these in my garden and if left alone (keep children away from the nest as there is a temptation to throw stones at it) they are fairly docile.

[tracker1]

If they are tiny they are more then likely native bees count yourself lucky you have them. If your around Chiang Rai I wouldn't mind having them, other then that they are the normal honey bee and they sting so be carefull !!!

[12DrinkMore]

It looks like a hornets nest. I had the same in my garden. If it doesn't bother you that much then just leave it. Don't chase them and don't try to burn the nest, etc. You can live in harmony with them. After 1 year they are gone and you can remove the nest without danger and keep it in your house as a beautiful trophy etc, or sell it. Especially Thai people like to b

Sorry. but is not a hornets nest. It is a bees swarm and most probably disperse in a short while. Don't disturb them as they ill sting, as I found out while cutting vegetation underneath their swarm. I found them quit docile otherwise. A hornets nest is like a paper ball shaped construction and the hornets enter and exit through small openings. Again, I have had several of these in my garden and if left alone (keep children away from the nest as there is a temptation to throw stones at it) they are fairly docile.

Hmm,

Actually this is a nest and not a swarm. This type of bee lives on the outside of the nest as shown in the photos.

[fatfather]

It looks like a hornets nest. I had the same in my garden. If it doesn't bother you that much then just leave it. Don't chase them and don't try to burn the nest, etc. You can live in harmony with them. After 1 year they are gone and you can remove the nest without danger and keep it in your house as a beautiful trophy etc, or sell it. Especially Thai people like to b

Sorry. but is not a hornets nest. It is a bees swarm and most probably disperse in a short while. Don't disturb them as they ill sting, as I found out while cutting vegetation underneath their swarm. I found them quit docile otherwise. A hornets nest is like a paper ball shaped construction and the hornets enter and exit through small openings. Again, I have had several of these in my garden and if left alone (keep children away from the nest as there is a temptation to throw stones at it) they are fairly docile.

Yes, it seem to be swarming bees. They go for a new Queen and will be off after their job is done. They will then found a new hive and start reproducing and collecting honey. Leave them, their honey is delicious and quite expensive.

Fatfather

[opalred]

if you put your arm in and have bee stings in arm belongs bee family

if arm have red welts hornet family

if look at night with torch thai lottery nest to get lucky numbers

[GaryB1263]

Excellent pictures. Thank You.

[jdinasia]

Giant honey bees.

They are very defensive so best to leave them alone......

http://www.arkive.org/giant-honey-bee/apis-dorsata/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apis_dorsata

(Hornet nests are enclosed with the wasps living inside.)

Certainly honeybees

[Ocicat]

We had the same thing here in Nong Ruea. Thought we were going to have a real problem as the size of the blob(about 30 ft. up in tree )and for about 2 days it kept getting bigger and bigger. Then a couple of days later we got up and looked out and the whole thing was gone. Sort of seems like a migratory rest break for thousands. The blob at it's biggest was about 2 ft by 1 ft and looked menacing as all get out.

[T_Dog]

Honey Bees like that are wonderful. Watch out for an invasion of Tiger Hornets however as they are aggressive and potentially lethal. My wife spent two nights in the hospital after a sting, and an acquaintance died from a sting. Something you need to be aware of living in Thailand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P7Q1ncgcoY

[Rhys]

As it has been said by other posters, leave them alone, they will go.. don't PO off..

[shaurene]

had the very same for couple days on our Myum tree, it is a swarm not a nest, I believe it is a New Queen collecting her subjects before taking off to find a new home. They just started to appear and within 1 hour they where massed and gone after a day.

Just leave them and watch.

[AyG]

Assuming this appeared within a matter of minutes, it's a swarm.

The bees will have gorged themselves with honey before leaving their previous home, so will be pretty docile.

They are now sending out scouts to find a new permanent home and should be gone within 24 hours. However, if they haven't found a new home by that time they'll start to become hungry and potentially aggressive if disturbed.

[canopy]

I get these swarms as well on occasion like this photo. A wonder to see. Just respect them and leave them be. They don't stay long.

[StefanBBK]

there was the same thing in our place. like the other guy said, they never bothered us, and one day the nest and bees were gone

Same here.

[Farang99]

It looks like a hornets nest. I had the same in my garden. If it doesn't bother you that much then just leave it. Don't chase them and don't try to burn the nest, etc. You can live in harmony with them. After 1 year they are gone and you can remove the nest without danger and keep it in your house as a beautiful trophy etc, or sell it. Especially Thai people like to buy it.

Those are not hornets which are much bigger and strongly coloured black and yellow. Hornets make a paper nest usually smaller than that.Those are wild bees, and if you know any beekeepers you could get plenty of honey from a swarm that size, once they have finished their nest

[maidee]

spraygun, gasoline, fire

gone

[Mousehound]

There are three main species of swarming bees in Thailand that I am aware of. The introduced European Honey bee and two types of native Bee.

Apis florea is benign but

Apis dorsata is a larger bodied bee that can be aggressive. It is often seen at night as well as during the day.

Apis Meliffera - The European Honey bee also is around being introduced some sixty years ago.

I am sure there are other native swarming bees. By the way, most species of bees are fairly solitary.

Native Bees produce a thick wax to the side of the comb and wrapped around the branch. This is to prevent ants getting at the comb.

Apart from the European HB native bees are a vital part of the ecosystem and should be left alone. Have a look at the bee to determine its species. Look it up on the WWW. They look like the European HB from what I can see but it is hard to tell from the pic.

But if they are not a real problem, as stated, I would leave them alone.

[sunshine51]

They look like member mousehound stated and what others have stated...wild honey bees.

At this time of year we have them in Ranong where I live. Leave em alone, they'll leave you

alone. Try to destroy the nest and you can end up dead from thousands of stings. If you can

find a local honey collector/bee keeper...he/she will bless you!

Just leave em alone...you'll be fine. Their honey is delicious BTW.

Edited April 9, 2015 by sunshine51

[Gandtee]

spraygun, gasoline, fire

gone

Your ignorance is underwhelming. My previous comment was deleted. If your brains were TNT you would not have enough to blow a candle out.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Gandtee

[phazey]

Thanks for some informative responses.

FWIW The wife sent me a picture of this nest (much smaller) about 3 weeks ago. I'll endeavour to find that one.....

Otherwise, My new neighbours are well behaved and so far, not intruded in any way. A welcome spectacle.

Edited April 9, 2015 by phazey

[thaijoe]

can you email me, I want to know how to post something on here, I cant find anywhere to do it,, only reply to peoples post.. pls help..

Send me a PM.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Jai Dee
email address removed as per forum rules

[phazey]

Just went out to check, and our industrious little friends seem to have been busy. I'll make a note to take a picture daily, with the aim of animating the final result to show how the nest is evolving.

[phazey]

12DrinkMore hit the nail on the head by the way.

Bees in the outer layer thrust their abdomens 90° in an upward direction and shake them in a synchronous way. This may be accompanied by stroking of the wings. The signal is transmitted to nearby workers that also adopt the posture, thus creating a visible — and audible — "ripple" effect across the face of the comb, in an almost identical manner to an audience wave at a crowded stadium.

I see this frequently....