Bee invasion inside my home... NO ONE WOULD HELP!!! (floor, fireplace, phone)

[steelstress]

I just had a bee invasion in my living room! They were coming in through the fireplace, a fireplace I have never used in the 17 years I've lived in my condo.

First, there were 2, then another, and another, and another, etc... and so on, and so on, and so on. I was spraying them with ant and roach killer, pretty soon, there were quite a few at a time coming in. I called 911, they called the fire dept who told them to tell me to call vector control. I called them, all the while spraying, but I all I got was a taped message saying to call 911 if it's an emergency. You see, they're closed on weekends. No emergency number.

So then I grabbed my phone book, all the while spraying wildly, and call 6, SIX, pest control services, who were either closed or had no one in my area to come. WTF? They were listed in my area, but yet no one was in the area to come? One of them even offered emergency bee removal. WTF?

I heard my neighbor's door slam, and I ran outside in tears, on the phone, wildly spraying, and told my neighbor what was going on. He and his friend came inside and helped me spray and we heard buzzing in the fireplace. We sealed it up with duct tape and plastic garbage bags, and the friend went outside and looked up at the top of the chimney where he saw a number of bees buzzing about. The top of the chimney is actually above the 2nd floor unit above mine. After we sealed the fireplace, the buzzing stopped.

When I started cleaning up, I counted over 40 bees that we killed with spray. I will report this to the HOA, I hope they'll cover the cost of inspection of the chimney.

So, I'm thinking of writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper to illustrate the lack of help I received. But what more can I do to warn people that it's just not convenient for most pest control services to come out on weekends, even when they advertise emergency services? What consumer agency can I complain to, if any?

[ferretkona]

Call a bee keeper. I have turned over a few hives. Usually been given a few cases of honey in exchange.

[ferretkona]

By the way, the reason pest control will not kill them is that it is illegal.

[steelstress]

Um, my question is, who can I complain to about:

911/fire told me to call vector control, who in turn said (on tape) to call 911.

Pest control/emergency bee removal would not come out.

But I will look for a beekeeper, thanks.

[steelstress]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

By the way, the reason pest control will not kill them is that it is illegal.

The pest control I called all advertised removal.. no one would come out, not even the emergency companies.

[Pitt Chick]

Here you'd get fined for calling 911 over some bees....

[hcgCali]

I would have just lit a fire in the fireplace.

[steelstress]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

Here you'd get fined for calling 911 over some bees....

I don't know about that, they wouldn't send anyone.

[steelstress]

Originally Posted by hcgCali

I would have just lit a fire in the fireplace.

Um, no... I don't know by opening up the doors would have disturbed a hive. I've never used the fireplace, have nothing to light it up with.

[PacificFlights]

If they were Africanized Bees, the fire dept usually will respond because they can kill you if enough start attacking. If they are regular bees that were swarming because their hive was disturbed or looking for a new hive, it's your responsibility. Unless they were attacking, they are just another unwanted intruder. Your city is not anymore responsible for bees in your house than ants, roaches or bird nesting in attic. You would know if they were Africanized bees because they would have attacked you with a vengence.