Why Do Bees Attack?

Bees are one of the hardest working creatures on the planet. Working incessantly for their queen to keep the colony active, bees never stop moving and producing, cleaning and building. While most sightings can go smoothly, a bad encounter with an angry swarm of interrupted or threatened bees can be deadly.

Bee swarms are common close to a hive. They buzz around collecting nectar from nearby flowers and bring it back to the colony. So, what makes a swarm of bees attack?

It is important to remember bees are not out to attack people. They generally just buzz on by while foraging for pollen. They do not mind being in close proximity to humans as long as they are not bothered.

To avoid getting attacked by bees, one should never swat or threaten a bee. The reason for some swarm of bee attacks are due to the release of a pheromone a threatened bee will emit. This pheromone sends a distress signal to all other bees in the area, and will attract the whole swarm to come in and defend them.

For this reason, beekeepers must be extremely careful when handling the honey harvests. If they accidentally crush or kill a bee, they risk being attacked by the whole hive. No amount of protective clothing can save a person from a whole swarm of thousands of bees intent on self-defense!

Also for this reason, beekeepers use smoke. This masks the scent of the pheromones a threatened bee might release and reduces the chances of swarm attacks. Also, the smoke signals for the bees to prepare for the chance of a fire and keeps them preoccupied with gorging on honey. This is done in case the hive must be moved to avoid destruction. Rather than be alarmed at the beekeepers presence, the smoke makes the working bees busy with the "saving" of their efforts.

The most common reason a swarm of bees attack would be if their hive is threatened. Under no circumstances should anyone who is not a professional come close to a bee hive. A whole swarm of defensive bees may attack if their home feels threatened. All the bees in a hive answer to their queen, and since she lives in the hive, a swarm will attack anyone who comes too close for comfort.

The bottom line and best advice to avoid a swarm of bees attack is to never make a bee feel threatened. Bees attack in swarms because they are a loyal team with one goal, and that is to make the queen happy.

If you find yourself in close proximity to a bee, walk away without disturbing it to avoid a sting. If you find that there are a lot of bees in an area, you might be close to a bee hive. It is strongly recommended you abandon the area. Also, if a hive is formed in your home, call a professional bee remover to take the bees away without harming them. Bees are a valuable asset to the planets ecosystem. They help plants pollinate and keep nature in balance.

Sources:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=11067&page=8