PLANO, Texas – A Plano beekeeper removed a hive weighing about 100 pounds from a home in Plano on Saturday.
He estimates the hive had been there for about 10 years.Â
What we know:
The enormous hive was built inside the home’s ceiling, and the only sign was there were bees coming and going above a window.
When a man was visiting his parents at their Plano home, he noticed some bees coming in and out of a small opening. It turns out what was above the bay window managed to even surprise a seasoned beekeeper.
At the home on Saturday, it took 12 hours, but the beekeeper was able to safely remove the estimated 30,000 bees and take them to a bee farm.
BeekeeperÂ
What they’re saying:
Stephen Ross, owner of Ross’ Rowdy Bees, operates a few hundred bee hives on agricultural land around North Texas.
“We don’t know what we are dealing with until we open the structure,” said Ross.
“We use a thermal camera to get an idea of where the bees are located in the structure.”Â
He says it is important for people to routinely examine their homes for potential openings.
“Wound up pulling at least 100 pounds of hive out of that ceiling. I’ve been doing this a long time and this hive really impressed me,” said Ross.
“Bees will take advantage of structural weaknesses whether because of shifting here in Texas.”
Ross estimates the Plano hive had been in the making for about ten years. He says trying to just kill the bees could leave a sticky problem behind.
“Homeowners will say we thought the bees left, but they go dormant,” said Ross.Â
“You kill the bee but not the hive, and over time the hive will rot. Will have much bigger issue. The rotting will attract rodents.”Â
Dig deeper:
Honeybees are also important to the ecosystem.
“They pollinate much of the fruits and vegetables that we eat,” said Ross.
Ross says to check your home for small cracks because it doesn’t take much space for honeybees to get inside. And if you do suspect a hive, it is best to call a beekeeper.
The Source: Information in this article was provided from interviews conducted by FOX 4’s Lori Brown.