Bee Rescue Hotline


Backwards Beekeeper Kirk Anderson with the hot tub bees, via the Backwards Beekeeper blog.

First off: bee swarm seasons is approaching and, if you’re in the Southern California area and end up with a bunch of bees you don’t want, give the Backwards Beekeepers a call. The number is (213) 373-1104. I’ve put it on the right side of the page. When you call state:

How to reach you. Please give us a phone number that you will answer during the day. Bee rescue is a daytime activity
Your city Please be as descriptive as possible about where you are.
A description of the bees: Are they in a tree? How high? Do you know how long they’ve been there?

And if you’re not in SoCal, consider giving a beekeeper a call rather than an exterminator.

I’ve been really enjoying the Backwards Beekeepers website, especially the way bees reinterpret our built landscape by taking up residence in the strangest places. The latest beehive location is oh-so-California: a hot tub (pictured above). One of my other favorites–the bike seat bees:

Here’s a few other spots I’ve heard about from the BBers:

doll house

suitcase
electrical box
mailbox
tree
shop vac
attic
wall
file cabinet
meter box
bucket
pot
cardboard box
compost bin
garbage can
fence
and the East Hollywood garage wall bees I helped with

The bee’s creativity in finding new homes reminds me of the way skateboarders reinterpret dull city spaces as impromptu skateboard parks. Apparently architect Zaha Hadid tried to incorporate skateboardable features in her Phaeno Science Center until the lawyers stopped her. Too bad. When will we get around to deliberately creating bee spaces in our buildings? Well, maybe not the hot tub . . . ouch! But that’s what the bee rescue hotline is for!

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2 Comments

  1. GREAT article- even better site (which I just bookmarked)- I found it from the review on the back of the cover of “Dwelling Portably”. I’ll be readin/catchin’ up on this site for days to come!

    -Deek
    http://www.relaxshacks.com
    Author of the d.i.y. “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks…” Book.

  2. The bike seat bees have to be my favorite. I can only imagine coming outside to my bike and seeing a swarm of bees on it!

    My bees swarmed last year but thankfully they only went one yard over, and into a small bush.

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