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Africanized bees: how to identify them and what to do
You may have found a ball of bees on a tree, a loud buzz in a wall, or bees pouring in and out of an irrigation box. In Arizona, wild honey bees are treated as Africanized to some degree, so this page focuses on what you can see from a safe distance.
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- Cluster of bees on a branch
- Bees entering a wall hole
- Steady buzzing from a cavity
- Activity around irrigation boxes
- Head bumping near a hive
- Stings after yard equipment runs
If someone was stung or bitten
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. It's answered around the clock by nurses and pharmacists at Arizona's poison centers, and they'll tell you whether you can stay home.
Call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222
Call 911 right away for trouble breathing, swallowing or talking, or for a young child with strong symptoms.
Africanized bees are wild honey bees that look much like other honey bees, and only testing can sort out their exact ancestry. They become dangerous when a colony is disturbed because many bees may defend it at once. The safest next step is to keep people and pets back, then call a local pest control company if bees are entering a cavity or the swarm stays longer than 24 hours.
A single bee on flowers or near water is usually a forager. Honey bees look for nectar, pollen, water, or sweet smelling materials. That alone does not prove there is a hive on the property.
A bee swarm is different from a colony. A swarm is a temporary cluster around a queen, often on a branch, fence, wall, or even a vehicle part. A colony is more serious because bees are using a protected void, such as a wall, attic, hollow tree, block wall, crawl space, or irrigation box.
Resting swarms are usually focused on finding a new home, so they are usually less defensive. Give them space. Bees flying in and out of one opening are defending a nest site, which can turn risky fast if a mower, weed eater, banging, or close approach sets them off.
Africanized honey bees do not roam around looking for people to sting. They do defend colonies fast and in large numbers. If you are bumped by bees near your head or face, leave the area right away.
- Amber to dark brown, hairy bodies
- Light and dark stripes on the abdomen
- Pollen balls on foraging bees' hind legs
- A swarm clustered in one exposed mass
- Many bees entering one crack or hole
- Guard bees bumping near your face or body
Health risk
The main risk is multiple stings when a colony is disturbed, especially by yard work, vibration, or someone getting too close to a hive opening. People who cannot get away quickly, pets, and anyone sensitive to bee venom need extra caution. For sting questions, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 for severe symptoms.
Swarming is common in spring as days get longer, temperatures rise, and flowers provide pollen and nectar. In Arizona, swarming can continue through the year when food sources support growing colonies.
What's different in the Phoenix area
Phoenix homes give wild honey bees many protected voids. Hollow block walls, wall gaps, attics, crawl spaces, and in ground irrigation boxes all match sites listed by University of Arizona Extension for wild honey bee colonies. In older Valley yards, even flower pots, wood piles, sheds, and old tires can become sheltered nest spots.
Often confused with
What you can do today
Back away and mark the area
Keep children, pets, visitors, and yard crews away from the spot. If the swarm is in a low traffic area, you can block off the area from a distance until it moves or a technician arrives.
Do not swat or crush bees
Swatting can make bees more defensive. A crushed bee can release an odor that draws more bees into the attack.
Tell swarm from colony
A swarm is a visible cluster with no steady traffic into a hole. A colony has bees passing in and out of a cavity, wall gap, box, tree hole, or similar shelter.
Pause noisy yard work nearby
Do not run mowers, weed eaters, or other vibrating equipment near a suspected colony. Vibration can trigger defense behavior.
If attacked, run to shelter
Move away fast in a direct path, cover your head, and get into a vehicle or building if you can. Do not jump into water, and do not stand there waving your arms.
When to call a pest control company
Call a local pest control company when bees are entering a wall, attic, shed, block wall, irrigation box, tree hole, or other cavity. It is also worth calling if a swarm is in the path of people or remains on the property longer than 24 hours. A technician will look for the entry point, the nest location, leftover comb, and places that need cleaning or sealing after removal so another swarm is less likely to move in.
Not sure what you're dealing with?
Describe it on the phone. The company on the other end handles these calls every day and will know what to ask.
Common questions about africanized bees in Phoenix
Are all wild honey bees in Arizona Africanized?
University of Arizona Extension says all wild honey bees in Arizona are considered Africanized to some extent. You cannot confirm the exact mix by eye.
Can I identify Africanized bees by color or size?
No. Africanized honey bees and European honey bees look very similar, so appearance is not reliable for a homeowner.
Is a bee swarm the same as a hive?
No. A swarm is a temporary cluster of bees traveling with a queen. A hive or colony is established in a cavity, with bees coming and going from one opening.
Are bee swarms dangerous?
A resting swarm is usually less defensive because the bees are focused on finding a new home. Still, keep distance, especially if the swarm is near doors, sidewalks, pets, or children.
Why are bees in my irrigation box or block wall?
Wild honey bees often use enclosed spaces that feel protected. In Phoenix yards, irrigation boxes and hollow block walls can offer the kind of voids they use for colonies.
Get the africanized bees problem looked at
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