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Vegas area beekepers give advice on bee swarming season

Thousands of bees swarm woman's car in Wales
Posted at 10:48 AM, Apr 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-21 18:02:26-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Buzz buzz- it’s bee swarming season! Las Vegas Fire and Rescue reports that swarms of bees have already been spotted all over the city.

During springtime, bees like to split up colonies and multiply. Don’t be surprised if you see a swarm hanging near tree branches or the eve of your home.

Mark Ruben is the director of Gilcrease Farms and a beekeeper. He has 16 hives, which may hold up to 20,000 bees each.

“In the summertime they’ll have up to 50,000 to 80,000 bees per hive,” Ruben said.

Ruben says bees are a necessary part of our ecosystem. The majority of plants we need for food rely on pollination.

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If you see a swarm, leave it alone. It’s only temporary.

“Usually they’re only there for a day or two while they send out a search party to find a more permanent location,” Ruben added.

If that swarm starts to intrude on your home, that’s when it’s time to call a professional.

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“Just have somebody come and take care of it. It’s not worth putting it off and letting the neighbors dog or somebody’s child get mauled by these bees,” said Daniel Millett, who runs Bee Master of Las Vegas.

Millett says Las Vegas is home to Africanized Bees, which are smaller but more aggressive.

“Africanized bees attack the mucus membrane and carbon dioxide, so if you breathe they’ll attack there,” Millett added.

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If you find yourself being attacked by a swarm, Millett says to find a cold place.

“Bees have an exoskeleton, so they don’t oxidize. They have a layer of oil, and when that oil goes from 100 degrees to 50 degrees it tightens up and contracts the bees. If you run into air conditioning, they really can’t chase you,” Millett said.