Swarming bees over our house -- dangerous?

[snarf]

Hi bee people!

How cool that you have a set of bee forums. I have a VERY non-technical question, but it's a little concerning so I thought I'd ask.

Ok, so we live on a hill in southern california, san diego county -- couple miles from the ocean.

Occasionally in summer or early fall I'll look out the window and see a huge swarm of bees flying through the yard. They appear on one side of the house, fly right through the yard, and then disappear across the fence on the other side of the yard. This has occurred about 4 times now over the past year, and each time has been on warm days, where the wind is blowing from inland (santa anna wind I guess).

It's usually a staggering number of bees too that make their way through our yard. Once the entire view through the window was brown with bees.

So my question is this.... is there anything to be concerned about here? If a dog or a child were in the yard and a swarm did a "fly through", is there any danger? Would the bees stop to attack a kid in the yard, or are the bees totally oblivious to people in the yard? If you're lying outside asleep, will the bees attack? Will they "fly into" you and then attack?

We've checked out some areas locally looking for some potential nesting places, but from what I understand these bees could nest and fly considerable distances.

Anyway... thanks for your thoughts. Just want to know if there's a safety concern here from such a swarming fly-over, and if so what we should do.

Thanks!

[iddee]

There are two times a honey bee will sting.
When protecting their home.
When they are harmed. IE: stepped on or mashed. They will not attack other than from their hive. They will not sting when not confronted.
A fly over swarm is totally harmless.

The above is concerning the european honeybee. I have never encountered the africanized hybrid that is now known to exist in southern calif. I cannot advise you about them.

[snarf]

Thanks for the reply.

We certainly have Africanized bees in this area. A pal and I actually got attacked by a fairly small afr. swarm at a local park last year (20 stings total). So I'm concerned that they may be an Africanized swarm. Does anyone know how this variety acts in a flying swarm?

[SilverFox]

SNARF; Sounds like you are in a prime spot to set up a couple of swarm traps if so inclined. Swarms have only one thing in mind-find a new home ASAP and start building comb so the queen can start laying and they can start putting up stores. After 2 or 3 days (if they are clustered) they'll start to get testy as they use up their stores.
I jealous, wish I had that problem with a huge mass of bees flying over, usually it is mine that I've missed the swarm indicators or haven't been home.
If your thinking about trapping one or two, search on this site for the how to's.
Good luck.

[Michael Bush]

Swarms are looking for a home. They are not looking to attack.

[hobbee]

has'nt the swarm alresdy chosen a new home before they take flight to it ?

[SilverFox]

It depends if they are leaving from a 'cluster' (having already swarmed) or from the hive (just swarming).

[size="1"][ August 31, 2006, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: SilverFox ][/size]

[xC0000005]

Snarf - for an explanation of swarming aimed at people who don't keep bees, read here. Those bees aren't out to get you. They're either on their way to a gathering point (where they will pick a new home) or on their way to a new home. Neither case involves a convenient stopover to sting you.

[Aram]

I was lucky enough to witness a swarm from one of my hives. It is impresive. I walked in the yard and stood in the middle of it. Thousands of bees flying around me... not one bumped into me as they sometimes do when I aproach the hives. I know they practice flying together before they actually swarm, just so they don't bump into each other. I believe them bumping or attacking you while you are sleeping in the back yard would be not only a distraction from their task but it could be catastrophic for them. But I also know nothing of the "africanized" bee...
Aram

[SilverFox]

XC0000005; Very informative write up , although you forgot one other source of swarm/cut-out beekeepers, www.HoneyRunApiaries.com add them to your list

[xC0000005]

Thanks. When I upload the web page versions of this to my own site I'll be sure to keep a link to that strange apiary absolutely unrelated to anyone I know handy. [img]smile.gif[/img] I was really hoping yesterday's bee invasion was a swarm but instead I have a dead colony from robbing. Sigh.