What to Do With These Bees?

by Joe Flynn
(Phoenix, AZ)

I just moved into a house about 3 months ago in central Phoenix. When I moved in the guy behind me said I have bees behind my shed. I walked over and looked and stood over the hole in which they were going in and out. They did not attack or become a bit concerned about me.

As time went on I had forgotten about them until a couple nights ago I went out back and stepped on one. I decided I was going to get rid of them. I went into the shed and drilled a hole in the floor about 3 feet away from the edge and slid a piece of glass over it. I was going to stick the garden hose in there and flush them out. I looked inside and saw the honeycomb and bees just doing their job. My shed is 12' x 12', I drilled 6 holes all around it and they are everywhere.

I don't want to kill them but I'm afraid they are going to take over the inside of my shed soon. Can I move them safely? Or it may just become my new hobby.

Please let me know what my options are.

Thank you,

Joe Flynn

Hi Joe,

I don't think you'll get rid of them by flushing them out. For this to work you'd have to fill up the space under the shed and drown them, which I think would be a difficult thing to do.

I think there's very little chance of them taking over the inside of your shed. I'm guessing that they've been there quite a long time and therefore are quite well established.

I'm guessing the problem is that you're getting a lot of bees inside the shed because you drilled those holes. Plug up all the holes, let the bees continue as they have been, since before you came, using an entrance behind the shed.

If you're serious about becoming a beekeeper. Get a hive or two and learn what's involved.

In a year or two when you have some experience of bees an their ways, cut a large hole in your shed floor, remove the combs, suspend them in frames and put them in a hive.

Don't even consider removing this colony until you've been keeping bees for some time. This type of removal is not for the faint-hearted.

The Bee Guy