PALM BAY, Fla. — Over the past several months, some neighbors in a Palm Bay community have been dodging bees from a big beehive on the side of a nearby home.
- Africanized bees have growing hive in Palm Bay
- Local beekeeping group can't get it
- Palm Bay says it's up to owner to remove
"Once you get up close, it's like the size of a hood of a car," Linda Burns said.
Neighbors say the hive has been on the house since August.
"I'm across the street, but I'm starting to get more bees," she said.
Neighbors also say the homeowner is so afraid of being stung, he isn't mowing the backyard, which is overgrown, and they are worried the insects will go on the attack if threatened.
"I mean, if a pet, or dog or a person got hit with these bees, it could kill them," said Burns.
Neighbors contacted Brevard County Animal Services, and were told they don't handle insects.
A local beekeeping group has come to the neighborhood to assess the situation. But the bees are Africanized bees, plus the hive is too big and too high up to do anything.
We reached out to the city of Palm Bay and was told it’s up to homeowners to remove unwanted beehives because they are on private property. It's not illegal to kill bees, but they are important to the environment for pollination.
We knocked on the homeowner's door, but there was no answer.
"It's more of a concern for people who don't know it's there," said Burns. "I am being very careful."
Neighbors are looking at other options, like getting help from a wildlife trapper.