As temperatures rise in Arizona, so does the amount of bee activity in the area.
Leading experts in Tucson advise residents to be cautious and prepared during bee season.
Thayer Thacker, western regional trainer at Truly Nolen, says it’s important to keep aware of your surroundings while outdoors.
I see people with AirPods or earbuds all the time. It removes your ability to hear rattlesnakes and bees. It puts people in their own little world where theyre not paying attention, and thats when bad things can happen with wildlife, Thacker said.
Thacker advises people to look out for two things; bee swarms and bee hives.
A bee swarm typically looks like bees hanging on a tree, fence, or the eave of a house. Theyre traveling from one home to another. But they become dangerous when they establish a hive, Thacker said. If they find a crack or crevice in a structure and the queen decides to settle there, they start building a honeycomb. That becomes their home, and they will protect it.
If a hive is found in your home, Thacker recommends calling a professional for safe removal.
If the honeycomb and honey are not removed and the area is not sanitized, bees leave behind pheromones. You may relocate the bees, but if you dont remove the hive and honeycomb, theyll keep coming back season after season, he said.