Bees

Safety

If bees are in the area:

• Stay indoors.  
• Close all windows and doors.   
• Do not attempt to move bees (don't throw objects at the swarm or squirt with water).  
• Typically swarms are transient - they may set up temporary shelter in a tree for a few hours or even days before moving on.   
• Swarms that are close to daycare centers, schools, or densely populated areas (large apartment complexes or trailer parks) may need to be removed if they do not leave the area in a reasonable amount of time or are showing aggressive behavior.  
• If a beekeeper or exterminator is contacted for bees on a private residence or business, the owner/occupant assumes financial responsibility for said services.  
• Killing non-Africanized swarms only strengthens the Africanized population. Non-aggressive bees are essential in nature.

Arizona Revised Statute 36-601 A1 grants the Maricopa County Vector Control the authority to destroy a wild bee hive/swarm should it pose a health hazard. The statute states: Any condition or place in populous areas that constitutes a breeding place for flies, rodents, mosquitoes and other insects that are capable of carrying and transmitting disease-causing organisms to any person or persons or any condition or place that constitutes a feral colony of honeybees that is not currently maintained by a beekeeper and that poses a health or safety hazard to the public.

Who to Contact