In Southern California, April showers bring May flowers, but May flowers bring honeybees, and that can cause concern for residents. This is the time of year when honeybees swarm, and the Ventura County Fire Department wants residents to know that bees can usually be dealt with safely and without injury to bees or humans.

“It’s important to protect the honeybees whenever possible,” said Capt. Ron Oatman. “They’re a very beneficial insect, particularly to our agricultural businesses. Honeybees are important pollinators of many of the county’s most important crops.”

Honeybee colonies reproduce through a process called “swarming.” This occurs when a queen bee flies away from an existing colony accompanied by many of the bees there. This flying swarm will often cluster temporarily on an object, such as a tree branch, while scout bees look for a permanent nesting site. These swarms generate most of the calls for service from the fire department.

“As a general rule, we will not attempt to destroy the bees unless a person is being attacked,” said Oatman. “When these swarms are clustered they are relatively gentle, and the risk of stings is low as long as they are not disturbed.”

Usually these swarms relocate within about a day, so the best thing to do if possible is nothing at all. If the swarm is safely away from people and animals, it will probably fly away in a day or so.

If a family member is stung, first aid is usually simple, according to fire department nurse Katy Hadduck.

“Pull the venom stinger out with your fingers immediately and use cold compresses or an ice pack to reduce itching, pain and swelling,” she said. “Overthe-counter antihistamines can ease the itching, too, and painful stings may be treated with aspirin or other pain-relievers. For people who have been stung by a large number of bees or are known to be allergic to bee venom, call 911.”

If the swarm does pose a risk and needs to be removed, a number of pest control companies are listed in the phone book that can perform the service. If a swarm has nested inside a wall, the bees will probably need eradicating. Nesting bees may be a sting risk if the entrance is near human or pet traffic, and honeycombs inside the walls can stain interior walls with honey and wax.

The Ventura County Agriculture Department can provide information on bees and their habits. Call (805) 933-2926.

“The best advice we can give about bee swarms is: if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone,” said Oatman. “Bees are a natural part of the Ventura County environment, and, with a little understanding, we can all get along together.”

This article is provided by the Ventura County Fire Protec tion District.