New Residents Create 'Buzz' in OKC Neighborhood

Darren Brown, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A cul-de-sac in Northwest Oklahoma City is dealing with an invasion, of sorts, and neighbors are hoping it doesn't last long.

Neighbors discovered the invaders while putting up their trash bins.  They spotted bits of honeycomb in their driveways, then discovered a huge hive of bees.

Learn more about the benefits of bees

Audry Ochoa lives about three houses down and was surprised to see the swarm in the tree.

"Got suspicious, looked up, and it was full of bees," said Ochoa. "I was amazed. I was ready to get out from under it."

Aaron Wilson lives a couple houses closer to the bees than Ochoa, but doesn't seem fazed.

"I think it's pretty amazing," he said. 

"Usually you'll find 'em on a tree limb, in eaves, or top rail of a fence," Ray Ridlen said.  Ridlen is an agriculture and horticulture educator at OSU Extension.  "They're usually only there 48 hours, maybe a day or two longer."  

Without having seen them personally, Ridlen was not able to say for certain whether the cul-de-sac bees were Africanized honey bees, but the odds are against it.

"I think we've had two instances [of Africanized bees] in Oklahoma county," said Ridlen.  "I believe that was three, might be four years ago now."

Ochoa's neighbors have called in another bee expert who plans on moving the swarm this week.  She and most of the cul-de-sac might be happy to see them go, but Wilson wasn't so sure.

"Wish we could keep 'em," he said.