Unwanted bee-havior! Florida deputies discover thousands of bees in cabinet

Some "buzz-worthy bee-havior" happened for one Florida sheriff's office this weekend.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office shared photos of thousands of bees made one of cabinet that was left near the building their new home.

Here's what to know about the sticky situation and what to do if you find yourself in a similar one.

Where is Charlotte County, Florida?

Charlotte County sits within Southwest Florida, right above Lee County. It holds popular cities like Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, as well as large portions of the Babcock Ranch preserve.

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How many bees invaded the CCSO's evidence lot?

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said the cabinet was set out near their evidence lot, so it could be disposed of; however, the cabinet became home to more than 8,000 bees in less than a week.

“This beehive-ior was really bugging the Evidence team,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a Facebook post on Sept. 30.

What happened to bees afterward?

Deputies went on to carefully remove the hive and placed the swarm into a small, white box for relocation. The bees were transported to their new home near Worden Farms and Shell Creek Grove, where deputies joked that they are "meant to bee and had a great house-swarming party."

What type of honey bees are found in Florida?

There are two main types of bees found in Florida are European honey bees and Africanized honey bees, with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services explaining that the latter is much more aggressive than the former and will swarm when the colony becomes too large for its hive.

Are honey bees protected in Florida?

Unlike Florida panthers and sea turtles, honey bees are not protected by Florida law.

However, there is a law (F.S. Ch. 586, the Honey Bee Law) which gives FDACS the responsibility for regulating beekeeping and honey certification in the state of Florida. It requires Florida beekeepers to register their colonies with FDACS and requires yearly colony inspection by an FDACS apiary inspector.

What habitats are honey bees founds in?

Florida Pests Control Specialists shares that bees will build their nests not only in tree crevices but occasionally in attics or chimneys.

"They are most visible in summer and late spring when new queens leave their old colonies along with thousands of workers to build new nests in tree hollows or crevices," experts wrote online. "At this time, large groups of bees can be seen swarming together to find a new nesting place. It takes a swarm approximately 24 hours to locate a new nesting site."

How can I remove unwanted bees in/around my home?

So what if you end up in a situation like the deputies in Charlotte County and have a couple thousand bees swarming around?

Unwanted honey bees can be removed alive and repurposed as a managed colony under Rule 5E-14.151, Florida Administrative Code or they can be eradicated from the location by a certified pest control operator.

Depending on the size, location and temperament of an established colony, a registered Florida beekeeper can remove an colony and all of its components to relocate them safely. For swarms, given their state and docile nature, they can be removed easily and relocated.

Beekeepers hired to conduct live removal of honey bees are required to be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) but need not be licensed under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes (F.S).

Why isn’t spraying the bees enough to solve the problem?

What if you want to get rid of the problem instantly? Well spraying the bees will kill the colony; it’s just not an effective solution to the problem.

Honey bee populations have already dwindled dramatically over the years, killing them will only do more harm for the local environment.

Bee Serious Bee Removal also shares that if the bees have been in your wall for more than a few days, more than likely they have already formed wax and honey in the wall. If you just spray and leave, the remaining honeycomb can attract other bees, or ferment and run down the wall. This can lead to bigger pest problems in the future.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Thousands of bees swarm Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office cabinet