Editorials on Bees
What to do if the abandoned/foreclosed house in your neighborhood has a bee hive?
Introduction
At least once a week there is a story in the local news about a bee hive being removed from an abandoned/foreclosed home. Most of the time these are just interesting stories about other people and their challenges. In the case of these bee hives, they are happening more and more often due to two major unrelated events. First was the introduction of Africanized Honey Bees to Florida in 2004. Second was the down turn in the economy and the fact that most home values in South Florida are half what they were in 2007.
Now that I got your attention, let’s say that the house next door to you was foreclosed and abandoned eighteen months ago. The value is now half of what it was three years ago and the bank can not sell it. Adding insult to injury, a family with thousands of members moved in twelve months ago. They started 5,000 strong and are now in to the tens of thousands. They do not pay rent and aggressively defend their new home. Who are the new neighbors? Are they European, Africanized or somewhere in between? Doesn’t matter, some people who are highly allergic only need one sting and they are taking a trip to the nearest emergency room. Are you going to wait for someone to get stung, or are you going to do something to prevent it?
Challenge
There are several challenges to discuss here. Most municipalities have not had the time to write enforcement provisions in to their local code to force the owner of a home to remedy the unfortunate situation of a bee hive living in their home and threatening the neighbors. Furthermore, reduced home values have made the banks carefully think about every penny they invest in to these distressed properties. The final challenge is a legal one. You may want the bees in the abandoned house next door gone, to the point that you are willing to pay for their removal. Here’s the catch, you are not the owner of THAT house. You need owner approval before entering the property. Proper removal of an established bee hive requires access to the inside of the house and in most cases opening holes in walls and/or ceilings. Even though a second party will pay for the removal and repair, owner consent is required. Otherwise the person removing the bees is trespassing on private property.
Solution
So, what can I do about the bees that are living in the house next door and are attacking my dog and kids in my own back yard?
The first thing is don’t think that this is a “Do it yourself” project. Removing a bee hive is a lot more complicated and dangerous than it first looks. It may only be a dozen bees going in and out of a small opening in a wall. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Inside the wall there can be an established hive with tens of thousands of bees; all willing to die for their queen, brood and honey.
The next thing to consider: Is the house occupied? If so, then the first thing to do is talk with your neighbor. Many times you can resolve any situation with a neighbor, just by walking over and knocking on their door. You can probably agree to split the cost of removing the hive. If there is a homeowner association, contact the property manager, a board member or the president of the association. If the house is abandoned it has to be for sale one way or another. You can try contacting the real estate agent or the bank. However, if all attempts at cordial conversation fail, you can contact the local code enforcement department and see if they can help with the situation. When dealing with the city or county you must remember YOU are the citizen and the elected officials are ultimately responsible to you. If Code Enforcement can not help, you can always write a letter to your elected representative.
Our purpose in writing this editorial is to raise awareness about a hidden danger that has not yet become a large enough problem for everyone to take immediate action. There have already been several fatalities of pets and livestock in Florida that are attributed to bees. Add to that, one human fatality in rural Okeechobee County two years ago. There is precedence in Southwestern States where the Africanized bees have a ten year head start over Florida. It not a matter of “if,” it’s a matter of “when.” Just like it sometimes takes several fatal accidents for a municipality to put a 4 way stop sign or traffic light at the dangerous intersection in your neighborhood. It may take several “fatal” incident involving bee hives in abandoned homes for the municipalities to react. In all fairness to them, they have limited resources of time and money. So they invest their limited resources where the “wheel squeaks the most.”
Who can I call to remove the hive?
Government agencies are not allowed to recommend a particular company, but they do keep lists where consumers can pick from several qualified bee removal specialists. One such list is published by the State of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and can be found at: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/apiary/PCO_removal_list.xls
This link opens an Excel Spreadsheet with a tab for each County in the State. Click on your county and choose from the list. Pest Control Operators that have undergone this training possess the necessary skills to remove and eradicate honey bee swarms and established colonies. Since the State of Florida periodically updates this site, it is recommended that consumers always use the link instead of saving the file.
At Bird and Bee Removal, we feel it is our responsibility to raise awareness before those fatal incidents occur. If ignorance is bliss, what is knowledge? If you need a bee hive removed and have no where to turn, please call us at (Dade) 305.829.9911 or (Broward) 954.920.1911. We are good at finding creative solutions to these types of problems.
The author of this editorial is Rolando Calzadilla the qualifier of Bird and Bee Removal. He is dually licensed as a General Contractor and a Pest Control Operator. He is also the proud driver of our 1975 Mack Fire Ladder Truck. At least once a week we are at a community event with the truck, talking to children about the do’s and don’ts of bees. Go to our website at www.birdandbeeremoval.com and click on Community Affairs to see our calendar of events and the next place you can go see our unique work truck.
