Africanized Honey Bee Control in Schertz, TX
In Schertz, the honey bees that cause real trouble are usually found by accident: a string trimmer touches an old tire, a stack of cinder blocks or a water meter lid, and bees boil out much faster and in larger numbers than anyone expected. Treat any wild honey bee colony like that as possibly Africanized. Back away, keep people and pets out of range, and have the colony handled by a licensed professional or a registered beekeeper rather than trying it yourself. You can reach the office by phone or text at (210) 281-1064, or book online.
Why nobody can label the bees in your yard #
The Africanized bee is a cross between European honey bees and an African subspecies. Texas A&M's bee inspection service sums it up as a slightly different honey bee: the same look and the same venom, only microscopically smaller. Temperament is the real gap. Federal bee researchers report a far quicker defensive response, with more bees stinging over smaller disturbances (USDA-ARS).
The first U.S. find came in south Texas in 1990. By 2006 TAIS had confirmed them in 163 Texas counties out of 254, and routine testing then ended; today neither AgriLife, TAIS nor fire departments usually test a colony. AgriLife instead presumes that feral Texas colonies mostly have some African ancestry. So no one can tell you whether a colony in Schertz is "killer bees," and it is wiser to act as if it might be.
The city's junk-and-debris rule doubles as bee-proofing #
Africanized colonies are less fussy about where they live than European bees. They settle in smaller spaces and closer to the ground. AgriLife's list of places they have used reads like a description of a cluttered side yard: meter boxes, wall holes, pipes and eaves; the space beneath houses or sheds; concrete blocks, signs and hollow trees; play equipment, discarded tires and chimneys.
The City of Schertz names trash, debris and junk accumulation among its most common code violations, and residents can report a problem property through 311 or online (Code Enforcement). Hauling off your own tires, block stacks and scrap piles takes away ready-made nest sites.
Under the house and under the shed #
Census survey data counts 3.5% of Schertz housing as mobile homes. Skirting with a gap, an underfloor space with an open vent, or a storage shed set on blocks gives a swarm a dark, protected cavity near the ground, which AgriLife names among typical sites. During the March to July swarm season, walk the perimeter and watch for bees using a single opening.
Small fixes that help:
- Screen every vent with hardware cloth no coarser than 1/8 inch.
- Caulk any crack an eighth of an inch wide or more.
- Tape shut any holes in your water meter lid.
- Keep shed doors shut and patch gaps in the skirting.
Engines, footsteps and distance #
TAIS lists the usual triggers: the hum of a mower, tractor, string trimmer or chainsaw, people walking past, a panicking animal, loud sounds. A swarm can settle in the middle of a day, so scan the yard before every engine start. A dog chained or a goat penned beside a colony has no way out, and AgriLife says such colonies should be removed at once.
Sources disagree on how much room to give: 100 feet at minimum (USDA-ARS), 300 yards versus 30 for European bees (AgriLife slides), and a chase that can run half a mile or farther (Insects in the City).
If the bees come after you #
TAIS and AgriLife teach ACE:
- Alert: shout a warning to anyone close.
- Cover: pull a shirt or jacket over your face and head.
- Exit: get inside a car or building and close it up.
Skip the swatting, the bushes, the pool and playing dead. Dial 911 for many stings or any allergic signs, and scrape stingers away with a card or fingernail.
How Pest Trappers handles defensive honey bees in Schertz #
The technician approaches carefully, confirms they are honey bees, and works out where the comb is and how big the colony may be. They lay out your choices and use any product only as its label allows; for colonies inside a wall or structure, the comb and honey have to come out as well. Where it is practical, a registered beekeeper might take the colony out alive, and the technician will tell you whether that looks workable. You get a price after the inspection. All work runs under Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549), a family business licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Related reading: honey bee swarms and wall colonies in Schertz, the Africanized honey bee guide and our Schertz page.