Feral Honeybees in Our Neighborhoods: Good or Bad?
Discover how non-native honeybees affect our local environment, why Africanized bees pose a safety risk, and how homeowners can help keep trails and open spaces safe.
As our Landscape team clears trails and open spaces, we often come across feral honeybee hives in downed trees, brush piles, or hidden cavities. Several of our crew members, myself included, have disturbed a nest and been immediately swarmed by hundreds of angry, stinging bees. We now carry bee hoods as a precaution and quickly remove ourselves from the area—sometimes as far as 300 yards or more. Even then, it’s a frightening experience and can be extremely dangerous.
Keeping our areas cleared, mowed, and free of fallen trees helps reduce the places feral bees can start new hives, making the trails and open spaces safer for everyone.
Another part of this equation involves our native bees and the competition they face from non-native, invasive honeybees. San Diego County is home to more than 700 species of native bees. Most are solitary, do not produce honey, and rarely sting, as they have no hives or stores of honey to protect. We often don’t notice them—or even realize how many varieties exist—but these native bees are just as essential and fully capable of providing the pollination our environment depends on.
European honeybees, on the other hand, are non-native and often outcompete native species for nectar and pollen. The larger concern, however, is the Africanization of the European bee population. In Brazil during the 1950s, European honeybees were crossbred with African honeybees to increase honey production. In 1957, the African honeybee escaped quarantine and has since spread throughout much of the southwestern United States.
It’s impossible to visually distinguish Africanized honeybees from European ones, but their behavior is unmistakable. Africanized honeybees are highly aggressive and will attack any perceived threat in their hive area, stinging en masse and pursuing the target over long distances. A disturbed hive can remain defensive for up to two weeks, posing a serious risk to people and pets.
If you notice any bee activity around your home, trails, or open spaces, please report it immediately. Our Landscape team will respond and remove the nest safely. Contact us at 769-670-8088 or email landscape@sdcea.net.
