Tree with teeth...

[txdon]

and it bit me! I was strolling in the woods when I saw an eerie sight deep in the woods, a tree with teeth! As I got closer I saw that the teeth were actually honey combs. I took a picture, and when I was taking another one of the bees decided to attack me and got me on the arm, I heard more buzzing and I remembered my friend who died last year from about a dozen stings and I ran like I was 15 again through the woods. That bee had a potent sting, there was an area about 3" round that swelled up. Here is the one and only picture I got, and I'm not going back!

 

[Bird]

Don, that sure seems unusual to me. I've seen quite a number of "bee trees" where the honey bees made their home inside a hollow tree. In fact, the first one I ever saw as a kid was one my dad made me help him cut down, split it, and move honeycomb and the queen into a hive he had bought. But I've never seen an exposed honeycomb like that. If I were you, I'd have to learn more about that one.

 

[ultrarunner]

In a pinch you can take over the counter Benadryl Antihistamine to counter act the sting...

I was mowing a hillside last year with a weed whacker and got 12 stings... I good size and took 6 Benadryl to take the "Sting" away...

Good to know you can move so fast...

 

[Bird]

I think I'd call the county extension agent, too. I wonder if those might be the africanized, or so called "killer bees". I don't know just how close you were, but I've gotten very close to some without getting stung and of course the killer bees are supposedly much more aggressive.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Don,
I've never seen one like the one in your photo.

 

[WayneB]

I wonder if there has been any timbering / cutting in the area? It looks more like a bee swarm and not a hive.

 

[Kernopelli]

I think I'd call the county extension agent, too. I wonder if those might be the africanized, or so called "killer bees". I don't know just how close you were, but I've gotten very close to some without getting stung and of course the killer bees are supposedly much more aggressive.

I think Bird is right on! We have honey bees all over our area but I have never seen or heard of a hive outside (exposed) of a tree, building wall or whatever it was they chose to build their comb in. The fact they were aggressive sounds pretty suspicious too. Very interesting..thanks for posting the pic.

 

[MossRoad]

I wonder if there has been any timbering / cutting in the area? It looks more like a bee swarm and not a hive.

Take another look at the photo. There are honey combs there. Swarms don稚 build honeycombs. Swarms are looking for a new home. That picture IS home.

 

[txdon]

MossRoad, you are right this is not swarming they have built their honey comb see attached close-up.

I called the County Extension Service and they gave me the number for the the Texas A&M bee testers. The County said that the A&M's group has limited funding and on the county's last fatality they could not send anyone out to get a sample of the bees. Hopefully I can send them a sample and they will test it. So far no answer at the number. I'll keep y'all advised on how I'm supposed to "collect a specimen". Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[billbill1]

Don, I'm no expert on anything and bees are no exception. I've never seen honey bees build a comb like that, always flat across.