A South Florida family recently experienced a scare when they realized their home had been invaded by honey bees.
Several thousand bees began to build a new hive inside the home after they were able to enter house through a hole in a wall.
A local bee expert told Miami-area Fox affiliate WSNV that the infestation was "a new swarm of bees." He said the pests likely lived in a hive that became overcrowded, so the swarm left in order to start a new hive elsewhere.
The man told the source that just a day in the house was enough time for the bees to start constructing their new hive. The bee expert told the source that he estimated that in just 24 hours, the insects could build a piece of wax roughly the size of an adult's hand. Since the family had the infestation removed in a timely fashion, there was not a large amount of wax or honey to clean up.
Once a queen bee establishes a new hive, she lays thousands of eggs daily. That means once the eggs begin to hatch, the population of a small beehive can drastically increase in a short period of time.
Because the hive in the Miami-area home had only just been established, the source reports there were only about 3,000 bees inside. Hives that have more time to develop and grow can house tens of thousands of the pests. In some instances, hives can hold up to 60,000 bees.
'Bee'ting the pesky pests
There are several steps homeowners can take to prevent their homes from becoming beehive-friendly. Making sure there are no cracks or holes is important to keep the pests from getting into walls and ceilings. Even if they are not in the home, bees can still bug the family. Getting rid of shelter for the bees will keep them from building a hive on the outside of a home. Empty flower pots, holes in trees, boxes and space in drainage tiles provide plenty of room for bees to begin building a hive. To further prevent the bees from thinking your home is a hospitable place to start their hive, it is advisable to eliminate puddles to prevent the bees from having access to drinking water.
When a homeowner has taken all the necessary steps and a bee infestation still occurs, he or she may want to contact pest control professionals immediately. An insect control company can ensure that the pests are safely removed, especially since a homeowner may anger dangerous Africanized bees when attempting to remove them! An exterminator can also provide input as to the best way to prevent future hives from forming.