Bee-Gone

According to Foster City ordinances beekeeping is against the law:

6.04.320 It is unlawful to keep any of the following:
A. Any fowl, reptile or animal which normally lives in a wild habitat and is a curiosity to the local community, whether wild or domesticated at the time of its keeping;
B. Domestic fowl; or
C. Bees. (Ord. 521 § 1 (part), 2005)

Unfortunately, no one told the honeybees, which found a small hole in our attic and began establishing a hive two weeks ago. One is advised not to kill them:

a) Bees have value as pollinators;
b) Wild bees are dying;
c) Melting beeswax, honey, and dead bees create problems, i.e., property damage, rats, and insects, that are costly to address.

The hive was removed before 21 days, when the larva mature

Yesterday we engaged a beekeeper and building contractor to remove the bees. An infrared detector allowed them to hone in on the hive's location behind the wall. They cut a 2'x 2' hole, removed the bees, sprayed a protective substance to dissuade another swarm from coming here, then repaired the opening.

The entire job took seven hours, and the final bill (not yet received) will be $1,000-$1,200. The bees will be taken to Half Moon Bay, where they will be rented to farmers to assist pollination.

Yes, it was bad luck that they picked our attic from the thousands to choose from in Foster City, but every homeowner can recount his own tale of woe. It is prudent to allow for contingencies, and foolish to expect them not to happen. © 2014 Stephen Yuen