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There are two ways to ask
your gardening questions.
(1)
Call 940-349-2892 any time. If there is no answer, leave a
detailed message. We will research your question and call you
back. Our help desk, located at 306 N. Loop 288 and staffed by
Master Gardener volunteers, is open Mondays from 10 am - 1 pm. You
may bring in a sample of diseased plants or plants you want us to
identify, or call to ask your gardening questions.
(2)
Email us at the address below. We will research your
question and usually can provide an answer within a day or two.
master.gardener@dentoncounty.com
Want to
do your own research?
Search
Aggie Horticulture:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ihound.html
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From
citybugs.tamu.edu
Bee Swarms Common This Spring
DALLAS, TX. If recent calls from concerned
homeowners are any indication, wild bees seem to be
doing fine in Texas this year. This despite last
summer's worries about declines in honey bee
colonies among commercial beekeepers.
Bee swarms occur most commonly during the early
spring when new queens decide to spread their wings
and take part of the mother colony with her to a new
nest site. Bee swarms, therefore, are simply
families of homeless bees in search of new places to
settle.
The problem with swarming bees doesn't have to do
with danger from their stings. This is because bees
in swarms are much less likely to exhibit aggressive
behavior than bees which have a nest to defend. The
problem with swarms is that there are not a lot of
acceptable nesting sites in urban neighborhoods--at
least not acceptable from our human perspective. If
a nest settles in a backyard tree it could pose a
hazard to gardeners or children. And, if a colony
discovers a way into your house, you could get stung
in the pocketbook.
If they can find a way in, bees willingly take up
residence in the walls or ceiling of homes and other
human structures. If this happens, the nest will
have to be removed, preferably by an experienced
professional, and often at significant cost. If
nests are not removed, after time the accumulation
of wax, honey and dead bees may produce
objectionable odors and attract pests like mice,
ants, cockroaches, and other scavenger insects.
Although some prefer to leave their wild bee swarms
alone, the safest course in urban areas is to hire a
beekeeper to remove the swarm, or exterminate it
before it can discover a way into your home. Swarm
extermination can be done by a professional, or can
be done with an
inexpensive sprayer and soapy
water.
For more information about bees in and around homes,
see the AgriLife Extension factsheet,
E-346.
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/IntheNews_Details
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Michael Merchant, PhD |
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