1) Swarms

During the months of April, May, and June, many honeybee colonies swarm. A colony will divide and about 1/3 of the workers will leave with a queen to find a new location. The individual bees stay close to the queen and together can form a mass reaching one to two feet in diameter. When the bees land to rest, these masses are often seen on structures, shrubs, or the ground. If the swarms are left alone, they will usually leave in two to three days or sometimes even within a few hours. If you should find a swarm in a location that can’t be tolerated due to safety issues, contact a beekeeper or a pest control company. Some beekeepers will take these bees and add them to their own existing colonies. If the bees are not easily accessible, a pest control company may be needed to remove the bees with a pesticide.

Swarm of bees on a car

2) Feral Bee Colony

Bee swarms will eventually find a suitable location to build another hive. Wild bees may find an opening in trees, quiet locations under rocky overhangs, or large tree limbs. In the urban landscape, structures are often perfect for bee colonies. Bees are drawn to quiet, unmaintained structures where openings in the structures provide protection and space for a colony to grow. If feral bees establish a colony on a property or in a structure and has been determined to be a public nuisance, County Public Health Ordinance 11.02.190 requires the person having control of the property to abate or remove such a condition or nuisance within a reasonable time.

Feral bee colony

Feral bees on house

3) Foraging Bees

Bees are a very important part of our environment. They pollinate flowers and are the primary means in which many fruits, vegetables, and seeds are produced. Bees also forage for food (pollen and nectar) and water to cool their hive. These foraging bees often come in contact with people and pets near flowering plants, pet water bowls, and swimming pools. These bees are typically not aggressive, however, if threatened they will naturally defend themselves. We learn a quick and painful lesson when this occurs.

Foraging bee

4) Beekeepers

There are 88 cities in Los Angeles County; each city may have its own beekeeping restrictions. Beekeepers must properly maintain their hives so that they don’t become a public nuisance. Bees need water to cool their hives and by providing a good source of water for the bees, it will help to keep bees out of neighboring swimming pools, spas, bird baths, and even a pet’s water bowl. To prevent cross breeding with feral bees with unknown genetics, beekeepers should re-queen their hives with docile European Queen Bees with known genetics.

• Bee colonies with Africanized honeybee genes are difficult to manage because they are so protective of their hives. Their aggressive behavior increases the likelihood of bee attacks.

• All beekeepers are required to register their bee colonies annually on BeeWhere and by completing an Annual Apiary Registration Form with the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures Department, per Division 13 of the California Food and Agriculture Code. Nuisance bee incidents which affect the health and safety of the public will be investigated after a nuisance bee complaint is submitted to our office.

Commercial apiary