European Bee 15mm - Asian Bee 10mm
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Asian Honey Bees
Asian Honey Bees were first discovered in Cairns back in 2007.
They are now quite established throughout northern Queensland and are expected to slowly spread throughout their natural range in Australia. The AHB (Apis cerana Java) is very similar in appearance to the European honey bee only a bit smaller. European honey bee being about 15 mm in length and the Asian honey bee being about 10 mm in length. They also have more pronounced and even banding along the abdomen. You must identify the bees before destroying them as other bees are very important to our environment for pollination and honey production. |
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Asian honey bee swarms can hang from any object, clinging together in a dense cluster. They can vary is size from that of a tennis ball to a basket ball.
If the swarm is much larger than this, it could be European honey bee, in which case we recommend calling in a local beekeeper. Asian honey bee swarms can remain for 1-2 days while they send out scouting bees to find a suitable place in the area to nest, at which time they'll move to this site and establish a colony. Nests can be wherever there is a suitably sized cavity. There will be constant movement of bees in and out of the cavity, usually carrying pollen back to the colony. These bees tend to defend their nest and queen, which is why they can sometimes become more aggressive when disturbed. |
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Asian honey bees have a habit of nesting in lawn lockers, sheds, mail boxes and other items around your property.
Managing Asian Honey Bees
Always use personnel protective equipment when attempting to destroy a swarm or nest. Many general wasp freeze products from hardware stores will eradicate these pests for you, but definitely make sure you have your PPE on.
If you require the services of a pest professional to help eradicate these Asian honey bees than feel free to contact Pest Off Solutions |