Africanized Honey Bee Control in Cibolo, TX
Most Cibolo homeowners meet defensive honey bees the hard way: a mower, edger or tractor passes a meter box, a tire or a pile of blocks, and far more bees come out than seems normal. Treat any wild honey bee colony as possibly Africanized, get people and pets well away, and leave removal to a licensed pest control company or a registered beekeeper. Reach the office by call or text at (210) 281-1064, or book online.
Assume any wild colony could be Africanized #
Africanized bees are a cross between European honey bees and an African subspecies. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service calls them just a slightly different honey bee, with the same venom and a body only microscopically smaller (TAIS). No one can tell the two apart by eye; it takes a lab.
Texas stopped formal testing after August 2006, by which point TAIS had confirmed the bees in 163 of the state's 254 counties. AgriLife now assumes most feral colonies in Texas carry some African genes. Neither AgriLife, TAIS nor fire departments generally test a colony for you. What sets these bees apart is behavior: USDA researchers say they defend faster, in greater numbers, and over smaller disturbances.
Mowing season under Cibolo's 12-inch rule #
Cibolo's code does not allow grass and weeds to grow past 12 inches (City of Cibolo FAQs). That keeps mowers, edgers and string trimmers running all season, and vibration from that equipment is one of the triggers TAIS lists, along with foot traffic, loud noise and frantic animals.
TAIS also warns that a colony can move in during the day, so a spot that was quiet last week may not be quiet now. Before you start the engine:
- walk the yard and listen near meter boxes, tires, block stacks and the base of the fence
- look for a steady line of bees flying into one small opening
- keep kids and dogs inside until you have checked
Farm fields becoming neighborhoods #
The San Antonio River Authority's Cibolo Creek plan describes farmland around the city steadily turning into subdivisions (SARA master plan). That kind of change brings tractors, chainsaws and brush clearing, all named as triggers, close to homes.
AgriLife notes that Africanized bees are less choosy than European bees and nest closer to the ground, often in a much smaller cavity. Places they have used include:
- water meter boxes and pipes
- cement blocks, old tires and signs
- the space under houses and sheds
- tree hollows, play equipment and chimneys
If bees come after you: ACE #
AgriLife's advice is short enough to teach children:
- Alert everyone nearby.
- Cover your head and face.
- Exit into a car or building and stay there.
Don't swat, hide in bushes or jump into a pool. Call 911 for anyone with many stings or signs of a severe allergic reaction, and scrape stingers out rather than squeezing them. Pets and livestock tied or penned near a nest cannot escape, which is why AgriLife says those colonies should be dealt with right away.
How far will they chase? Sources differ: USDA says keep at least 100 feet from a hive, AgriLife training slides use 300 yards, and Insects in the City says bees may follow you half a mile or more.
Do and don't around a suspected colony #
Do:
- Put 1/8-inch hardware cloth or screen over vents and caulk gaps of 1/8 inch or more.
- Tape over holes in water meter lids.
- Clear tires, scrap and junk piles.
Don't:
- Spray or poke the colony.
- Plug the hole the bees use; they dig deeper or end up indoors.
- Count on soapy water against an established colony.
Removal, and how Pest Trappers helps #
In Texas, people paid to remove honey bees must be registered beekeepers, who may not use pesticides, or licensed pest control professionals. A technician inspects from a distance, finds the entrance and the extent of the colony, and explains the options, which may include a beekeeper from the TAIS list. Any product is applied as the label directs, and the price follows the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-run company holding a Texas Department of Agriculture license; the office confirms your time. Our Africanized bee guide has more detail, the Cibolo page covers other pests, and calmer swarms are covered under honey bees in Cibolo.