Africanized Honey Bee Control in New Braunfels, TX
In New Braunfels the warning sign is usually bees pouring out of a water meter box, from under a shed or a mobile home's skirting, or rising up when a mower or trimmer passes close. If bees come at you, don't stop to swat: cover your face and get inside a house or car. Once everyone is clear, keep people and animals away and call or text (210) 281-1064, or book online, to have the colony dealt with.
If bees come after you: remember ACE #
AgriLife and TAIS teach a three-step response (TAIS):
- Alert others nearby.
- Cover your head and face.
- Exit into a closed car or building.
Don't jump into water, hide in bushes or play dead, and don't hose bees off a person. Call 911 for someone stung many times or showing signs of an allergic reaction. Scrape stingers out once you are inside. AgriLife's beekeeper training warns that 5 to 10 stings per pound of body weight can be a venom overdose, so many stings on a child or small pet is serious.
What is known about "killer bees" here #
The Africanized honey bee is a hybrid of African and European honey bees. TAIS says it looks almost identical to other honey bees, is slightly smaller under a microscope and carries the same venom; what differs is behavior. USDA researchers say these bees respond much faster when disturbed and sting in greater numbers with less provocation.
TAIS records the first U.S. find in south Texas in fall 1990, and by August 2006 the bees had been found in 163 of Texas's 254 counties, after which formal testing stopped. AgriLife now assumes most wild colonies in Texas carry some African genes. Since no one can confirm the type by sight, and AgriLife, TAIS and fire departments generally do not test colonies, treat every wild colony around New Braunfels as possibly Africanized.
Low nests: meter boxes, skirting and sheds #
Africanized bees are less choosy about a home than European bees. TAIS says they nest closer to the ground and are drawn to water meters, and USDA notes they will settle in a much smaller space. AgriLife's list of sites includes meter boxes, holes in walls, pipes, eaves, spaces under houses and sheds, cement blocks, tree hollows, playground equipment, old tires and chimneys.
That makes ground-level hollows on any property worth a look. Census survey data counts 4.3% of New Braunfels housing as mobile homes, and the space under a manufactured home, behind its skirting, fits AgriLife's under-the-house description. So does the gap beneath a backyard shed or an old stack of tires.
New here? Walk the yard before you mow #
New Braunfels has grown fast. The Census Bureau estimates 116,477 residents in July 2024, 26,036 more than the 2020 base (Census estimates).
TAIS lists the usual triggers: vibration from mowers, tractors, weed eaters and chainsaws, foot traffic, frantic animals and loud noise. It also notes that colonies can move in during the day, so a yard that was empty last week may not be today. Before mowing, walk the fence line, meter box, shed and any debris piles and watch for bees going in and out.
How far is far enough? #
Sources give different distances, so take the larger number when in doubt. USDA says to stay at least 100 feet from any Africanized colony (USDA-ARS). AgriLife training slides compare 30 yards for European bees with 300 yards for Africanized bees. Insects in the City says bees may chase someone a half mile or more.
Keep them from moving in #
- Cover vents with 1/8-inch hardware cloth or screen.
- Caulk gaps 1/8 inch or wider.
- Tape over holes in water-meter lids.
- Clear old tires, junk piles and yard debris.
Don't spray, disturb or seal a colony yourself. Sealing an active hole drives bees deeper or into the house, and soapy water does not work on established colonies.
How Pest Trappers handles defensive bees in New Braunfels #
In Texas, paid bee removal must be done by a registered beekeeper, who may not use pesticides, or a licensed pest control professional. A beekeeper may be able to remove a colony alive where that is practical; TAIS keeps a county-by-county list it does not endorse. When the colony is defensive, inside a structure or near animals, a Pest Trappers technician inspects first, explains the options and follows the product label exactly, then quotes a price. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is family-owned and licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the office confirms the visit time. More is in our Africanized honey bee guide and on the New Braunfels service page.