Can’t live with `em- Can’t live without `em.
Bee’s are beneficial. We wouldn’t have our delicious honey without them and plants would become extinct without their pollinating expertise. But when we are not willing to share our home with them… what to do?
To bee or not to bee?
The local beekeepers won’t take them for fear of their “being Africanized” meaning they may have crossed with the dreaded, aggressive African honeybee. They don’t appear aggressive to me but what do I know? Nada!
The last professional removed a comb from the flooring of the house (that sits on stilts in South Texas) and sprayed some sort of “poison” to deter them. I soaked the area in vinegar and I was the only creature bothered by it.
We have plugged any holes we found to keep them out of the house but they continually swarm beneath the house. They want in! I want them alive and happy, I just don’t want them as roommates. It’s my vacation home maybe they think they have seniority being full time residents?
[Sigh] I just want them to go away. Any advice?
The Real Janna Hill 
Ah, I see. A house on stilts and determined little madams to boot. You seemed to have tried a bunch of things already, including whatever form of ‘Bee Begone’ they use in your parts. The only other other thing I can recommend involves first determing where the go in and out. The solution involves luring them out by making them think there is a better place for them to go. You would place a mini or nucleus hive near to the entry point and try to see if you can get them to move home as it were. You might want to look at the discussion on the British Beekeeping Association’s website: http://www.bbka.org.uk/members/forum.php?t=2688 There are other options like smoking them out etc.
Another option is to get in touch with this lady: http://www.honeybeesuite.com/about/about-me/ What she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing! Let me know what happens and good luck!
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Thank you very much. I am grateful for your reply. I will check out the link and go in search of a mini or nucleus hive. Can you buy them at Walmart? 🙂
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Would that you could! Although I do see inexpensive styrofoam ones sold in the UK. A Beekeeping association culd help you with that. Of course, the challenge once you have attracted them into the nuc (a challenge in itself) is giving them away. Judging from the comment about Africanized bees, that might not be easy. Can’t say we have seen that type of bee here!
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Also, I would like to know where they are coming from. From what I can make out in your photos, your house appears somewhat isolated. If this is not the case, it would be interesting to learn if anyone in proximity keeps bees.
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Yes the house is somewhat isolated. I have not spotted the usual beekeeper boxes within a 10-15 miles radius but there are acres and acres of untamed brush to the south (toward the bay) I have not explored. My neighbor found a hive in his storage building last year. We have dealt with ours off and on since we bought the house about 6 years ago.
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I wonder what draws them to the home… perhaps just habit…
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I’m still trying to figure that out with the help of the bloggers and links above.
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